Design Center
2024 Design Contest
Emerald City
We carefully selected a color palette to complement our client's existing decor, featuring pewter, champagne, and beautiful touches of emerald green.
Exquisitely Blu-ti-ful
This lovely design features a curated color palette of midnight blue, oat, ivory, and gold. These colors masterfully blend with my client's sophisticated flair, aligning precisely with her existing decor.
Silver and Blue Delight
The color palette for this space was modified this year to achieve greater synergy with the room's overall design.
The Blues
Midnight blue, baby blue, and silver are the stunning hues that predominate my client's main living space this year. The blues present a beautiful contrast against the flocked tree, while the silver imparts a lustrous effect. This tree exudes sophistication, elegance, and appears exceptionally refined with the rich colors and luxurious textures.
Oak and Reed Holiday Tree 2024
This years tree at Oak and Reed was inspired by vintage holiday colors. I wanted vintage holiday colors with a modern feel that encapulated the Restaurant along with an emphasis on florals. Everything in this tree is from Vickerman with the exception of the ribbon.
Union Pacific Christmas
Lobby Decor in the Newly restored union pacific building in Salt Lake City- National Historic Building - New Hotel Asher Adams Wanted Minimal this year for tear down on the 15th for photos and then put back up on the 20th
Swinging from the Rafters
This female-run brewing company (Talea Beer Company) reached out asking us to transform their space which is outside of the iconic Bryant Park in New York City - into a sparkling Christmas destination. Having to compete with the epic nature of the Bryant Park Christmas Village, they wanted something that will POP and draw consumers to their location. We played off of the exquisite metal arches that were already part of the structure and hung oversized (4-feet and 5-feet) finials and ornaments, 2-foot stars and sparkling champagne lit garland to bring the "WOW" factor to the space.
Connecticut Golf Club Feature Tree
Inspired by Instagrammer @stylewithchelsea we assembled a stunning array of Vickerman balls into this gorgeous lobby holiday tree. A menagerie of red, burgundy and wine colored ornaments, ribbons and natural pinecones cascade over a lush magnolia garland at the base, nestled into a burlap skirting. Ten inch candles are clustered amongst the branches to delicately light this nine foot tree. In the background, the stair baluster is decorated with the same Vickerman wine and burgundy ornaments. In the distance, a 14" Vickerman Grand Teton garland is suspended along the column bays of the Ballroom, drawing you toward our "Winter Wonderland" in the secondary lobby beyond. Once in the Ballroom your eye shifts to the stunning mantles donned in Vickerman.
Copper Christmas
This Christmas tree is a stunning display of elegance and sophistication, featuring a luxurious palette of deep blue, gold, and bronze tones. It is adorned with oversized ornaments in rich hues, including matte and shiny finishes, that create depth and texture.
Golden floral accents and metallic sprays fan out gracefully from the top, forming a radiant tree topper that draws the eye upward. The cascading ribbons in neutral tones with a subtle shimmer are expertly woven throughout the tree, adding movement and balance.
Clusters of decorative berry stems in cobalt blue, teal, and bronze hues enhance the tree's layered look, while warm white lights illuminate the arrangement, creating a magical glow. The tree sits in a woven basket base, grounding the design with a cozy, natural touch, and pairs beautifully with the teal sectional couch and neutral-toned area rug beside it.
Just A Little Bit of History Repeating
This design was fashioned after the colors of ornaments and Christmas decor used in the 60s and 70s with an upbeat twist using the oversized gemstones.
This client wanted to evoke the nostalgia of the 60s and 70s while maintaining an upbeat pulse on current fashion
It was important to her that her two very young children spend their first Christmas in a home that was decorated with love and nostalgia
Midnight Magic: A Blue & Gold Wonderland
This Christmas tree is a stunning display of elegance and sophistication, featuring a luxurious palette of deep blue, gold, and bronze tones. It is adorned with oversized ornaments in rich hues, including matte and shiny finishes, that create depth and texture.
Golden floral accents and metallic sprays fan out gracefully from the top, forming a radiant tree topper that draws the eye upward. The cascading ribbons in neutral tones with a subtle shimmer are expertly woven throughout the tree, adding movement and balance.
Clusters of decorative berry stems in cobalt blue, teal, and bronze hues enhance the tree's layered look, while warm white lights illuminate the arrangement, creating a magical glow. The tree sits in a woven basket base, grounding the design with a cozy, natural touch, and pairs beautifully with the teal sectional couch and neutral-toned area rug beside it.
Chanel Christmas
Transforming this 6'5" Kiana Flocked Tree into the perfect centerpiece for an elegant office space! The existing black-and-white decor inspired the design, with added sparkle from golden accents for a festive touch. Cascading black-and-white ribbon with black velvet adds movement, while varying textures and shapes create depth and dimension. The finishing touches;A luxurious black velvet tree skirt and a stunning mirror star at the top to reflect the holiday magic.
The Boston Common Holiday
Inspired by a traditional show house, our team transformed the iconic Presidential Suite at the Mandarin Oriental, Boston blending modern elegance with the festivity of the holiday season to create a luxurious escape for the senses. Our goal was a visual experience from the moment guests arrive. We married the existing design elements, like the whimsical
chinoiserie bedroom wallpaper, with our firm’s interior design style and personal aesthetic.
For a calming yet festive feel we landed on a color story of blue hues and contrasted it with
warm metallics. Bows in all fabrications, from velvet to silk chiffon, are a strong trend for holiday this year – which aligns perfectly with our design ethos, contemporary with timeless elegance.
Photos by Michael Blanchard & Troy Wade
Jewel of the Season
Jewel of the Season is a shining, luxurious design that is captivating and full of charm. Harty Homes used vibrant colors to exude beauty and opulence, much like a jewel. The balance of bold colors and festive, whimsical flair created a magical and unforgettable holiday experience.
Western Archer
Traditional highlighted with red
Christmas 2024
We have a very large Christmas Shoppe that highlights all the current trends - traditional, Gingerbread/Candy Land, White Christmas, Boho, Hometown Christmas, Christmas Animals/Highland Cows, Nutcracker and many others.
Golden Holiday Glitz
Lush golden holiday garland with monochromatic golds and an oversized gold shiny bow. Designed for Truluck’s Restaurant in Dallas Texas
Whispering Winter Tree
Peaceful and calming tree to look at. The whole room in the picture has a peaceful winter forest theme. The tree has owls, deer, blueberry branches and frosted leaves adorning it. The rest of the decor in the room pulls it all together. Your beautiful & elegant frosted tree inspired the whole look. The tree changes colors, so I included pictures showing the difference those colors make in the room. Most beautiful Christmas tree I have ever owned, thank you.
Appalachian Evergreen
This stunning tree combines the natural elegance of the Highlands with a touch of bold sophistication. Adorned with Vickerman’s dried bougainvillea and hydrangeas in deep blue, it evokes the beauty of Appalachian flowers dusted with winter frost. The vibrant blues contrast beautifully against the soft greens of the branches, creating a striking yet harmonious display. Accents of shimmering ornaments and delicate lights enhance its rustic charm, while the floral details give the tree a timeless, organic feel.
Perfectly suited for its mountain setting, this tree captures the spirit of the season with a nod to nature’s artistry, blending bold textures with a tranquil color palette that feels both luxurious and grounded.
The Eliot Hotel 2024
This celestial themed design was chose to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of The Eliot Hotel on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston. Focusing on sparkling metallics popping against midnight blues, we wanted to mix cosmic wonder with the dramatic seasonal impact The Eliot has become known for. A large crescent moon and Gold Glitter Bethlehem Stars installed on the facade of the hotel, complemented by an archway adorned with Midnight Blue Crackle balls, mini star glitter sprays and various blue/champagne drop ornaments, the installation is a sparkly swirl of Milky Way magic. Additional Bethlehem Stars and ornaments decorating the shrubbery along the front, as well as lighting elements on the tree outside create an immersive installation that invites guests and passers-by to jump into the Holiday Spirit!
A Nostalgic Christmas
This year we wanted to bring back the nostalgia of Christmas! With deep reds, classic wrapping paper, and a touch of mixed metals you'll be brought right back to your childhood dreams.
Bronx Christmas Grandeur
This stunning and unique creation blends the holiday spirit with high-fashion elegance. The dress is built around a mannequin, with the top section designed to resemble a sophisticated, fitted bodice. The bodice is wrapped in rich red velvet Ribbon, accentuated by intricate gold lace trim running along the neckline and down the front.
The "skirt" portion of the dress is made of thick Pine garlands, mimicking the shape of a traditional Christmas tree. It's decorated with large, luxurious red poinsettia, magnolia and Dusty Miller flowers, beautifully arranged gold leaves, and sparkling red and gold baubles. Wide ribbons in deep red and shimmering gold are draped elegantly around the tree, giving the design a sense of movement and fullness. The combination of colors—rich reds, gleaming golds, and deep greens—creates a look that is both regal and festive.
Minnetonka Hockey
This tree was designed as a fun tribute to my daughters 1st year playing Minnetonka girls varsity hockey!
Christmas in Olde Town
We have created an elegant experience for our customers complete with a Santa photo-op under the life sized upside down Christmas tree!
Winter Wonderland Nationwide Children's
The interior design of Nationwide Children’s is everything a children’s hospital should be: bright, colorful, cheerful, and whimsical. It is a massive building with many large spaces and high ceilings. The first floor public area spans a length of over 1600 feet from the Emergency Department to an outpatient services building, and along the way links multiple other towers, smaller lobbies, and departments. For something of this scale, we needed a holiday display that was more than a large tree in one lobby. We designed and installed 248 trees in clusters of three to seven across the entire first floor, two lower-level cafeterias, and other key floors of the main building. Four dozen “tabletop” arrangements were created for dining tables and restaurant beverage stations, and six 18’ long garlands wrap faux “lampposts” in a main lobby lounge. Trees were placed near reception desks, and hallway corridors, close to visual focal points (like existing furniture, columns, or near entrances to offices) to maximize their visibility and impact. The goal is to walk down the entire length of the first floor hallway and always see a holiday display.
Following the design precepts of “Ageless and Timeless, appealing to the Child in All,” the former holiday decorations were reimaged to a more inclusive “Winter Wonderland” theme offering bursts of color and whimsey to offset the grey Columbus winter weather. The winter wonderland holiday decorations are intended to be reflective of the flora and fauna that appear in the environmental graphics. They are not specific to any religion or celebration other than bringing some color into the Hospital during a festive time of year. There is an emphasis on the of Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s corporate colors and some donor relations requests.
To reflect the whimsey and color of the interior design features, we swapped out old, discolored white trees for Vickerman's metallic silver trees, and used Vickerman's ornaments and décor in shades of hot pink, dark blue, turquoise, orange, purple, and bright green. The previous design had included only pink, blue, and green, so the incorporation of additional colors was a refreshing change. Selecting silver trees is non-traditional, but their metallic nature makes them sparkle and shine as sunlight comes through the hospital windows. The “toppers” of the trees are composed of glittery picks from Vickerman's that twist, twirl, bob, and feather in an explosion of color and texture. We also love incorporating what we call “Dr. Seuss” trees and we utilize them into several groupings: these 3’-5’ tall, intentionally bent and curved, metallic trees from Vickerman's further adding to the element of playfulness. Nationwide Children’s incorporates butterflies into their logo and branding, so we also made sure to use butterfly ornaments and décor on the trees, creating a “scavenger hunt” effect for visitors and staff who seem to delight in “finding” a butterfly tucked into the holiday decorations. Each year, we review the trees to determine which one need to be "refreshed", ensuring that the design and decor are always looking the best in can.
Because the spaces are so large and the budget did not allow for hundreds of 12’ and 15’ trees, we created a way to artificially raise the trees by staging them in tall, silvery-grey containers. Using small, medium, and large containers from Architectural Supplements, we created groupings of small (3-4’), medium (7.5’), and large trees (9’-12’), to strategically create height and fill the larger spaces. Raising the trees up and off the ground was also helpful to the client, as they were concerned about children grabbing or pulling at the trees. To ensure that the trees cannot be pushed or knocked over in their raised containers, we weigh the containers with concrete bricks and secure the trees with custom plywood bases.
We manage costs by incorporating varying quantities of décor on the trees—the smallest trees have little to no décor, and the medium and large trees might have décor throughout the whole tree or just on top. The differing levels of décor also help to add visual interest to the tree clusters.
Installing this project is a huge undertaking, occurring in the “off hours” on a Saturday morning when the hospital is quiet. Every tree and container pairing is labeled with where it is installed, using nomenclature specific to the hospital. Those wooden wayfinding animals come in handy in identifying where trees are placed—descriptions like “Trio by Duck next to reception desk” are not uncommon. A portion of our team meets at the hospital to receive trucks of trees and containers, while another group stays behind and loads empty trucks. A third team comes through as the trees are placed in their locations and fluffs, straightens, tweaks, checks and fixes lights when needed, and performs any other cosmetic repairs. Install requires our entire staff—even our horticultural technicians and some exterior landscapers join us for the day. After many years of dialing inrefining our process we can now complete the install by late afternoon.
Like many reoccurring client projects, this one has evolved over the years, and the current iteration is by far the largest, but also the most closely related to the vision of wonder and whimsy that makes NCH Nationwide Children’s such a special place. Every year, we delight in the response we get from doctors, nurses, patients, and visitors as we set the trees in place and fill the hospital with color and joy.