Decorating
with Wallpaper...and
Roses
By Jaima
Brown
(ARA) -
Romance is back in style. This is confirmed
not only by a sharp increase in the number of
people getting married this year, but also by
changes in attitudes and behavior.
Home is in and hype is out, according to
"Changing American Lives," a consumer study by
McPheters & Co. and Beta Research, New York.
"Increased value is placed on tradition,
relationships, familiarity and enhancing at-home
experiences," says Rebecca McPheters, president of
the market research firm that conducted the study.
She predicts that decorating, entertaining and
cooking at home all will be rising priorities.
If a wedding is on your social calendar, there
is no better time to turn your dining room into a
romantic backdrop for wedding-related events.
Every member of the wedding will appreciate the
warmth and shared intimacy that comes from
bringing the wedding shower, bridesmaids' brunch,
or rehearsal dinner home this year. Equally
important, the refurbished surroundings will add
comfort and cheer to family gatherings for years
to come.
The current trend to patterned, rather than
painted, walls is another indication of America's
return to romantic elegance. What is more romantic
than roses? Always a wedding mainstay, roses are
now also a major home fashion theme.
A three-inch-wide, tea-stained stripe, paired
with a soft cabbage rose wallpaper pattern,
captures the nostalgia of roses beautifully. Both
are from the Country Chic collection by S.A.
Maxwell Co., which ensures that they are perfectly
color coordinated. Borders in the same collection
are similarly coordinated and provide a wealth of
decorative touches for your wedding and other
party events.
The stripe, installed from the floor to just
above eye level, visually heightens the walls,
while the rose bouquet pattern above it introduces
color and drama. A molding, placed between the two
patterns, can be used to frame the patterns and
also can function as a plate rail to display
everyday treasures or gifts being received by the
bride.
Now that the stage is set, it's time to
decorate. The vintage rose border from the same
wallpaper collection makes an ideal decorative
runner along the center of the table. It can also
be used to wrap candles on the table or sideboard.
For fun, make a hat box wedding cake that is
full of surprises. Buy three plain, round hat
boxes in descending sizes and wrap each in the
striped wallpaper, or, for contrast, one in the
rose border to match the walls and table runner.
Use the top of each box as a template to cut
circles of the stripe pattern to glue on top of
the lids. Cut three rose bouquets from the border
pattern and glue one in the center of each lid;
then give each rim a soft shine by bordering it
with satin ribbon. Fill the boxes with gifts for
the bride or bridesmaids, or favors for guests.
Stack them like layers of a cake and hold them all
together with satin ribbon that culminates in a
generous bow on top. Surrounded by a scatter of
rose petals, this cake makes a delicious looking
centerpiece for the sideboard.
Rose border cones can be used as napkin
holders, place cards or decorative containers for
take-home mementoes. Fold sections of the border
into triangles. Cut triangles of the same size
from poster board and glue a border triangle onto
the side of each one. Overlap the sides slightly
and glue two of the triangular pieces together to
form an open cone. You can trim the top edge with
ribbon, extend the ribbon up into a handle, and
affix a soft-colored glass Christmas ball that
dangles down from the point. Cushion the insides
with tissue before filling each with a small gift
box, heart candies or rose potpourri. Each guest's
name can be written on a cone placed at a table
setting or hung from a chair. To turn the cones
into napkin rings, trim off the points at the
bottom and slip the napkins through.
To locate a
retailer that carries Country Chic and other
collections by S.A. Maxwell Co., call (847)
932-3700 or visit www.samaxwell.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content EDITOR'S
NOTE: Jaima Brown is director of design for S.A.
Maxwell Co., a leading producer of wallpaper,
borders and coordinating fabric.
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