Thanksgiving: Inspiration & Ideas for Entertaining this Thursday

Use foliage and local plants & flowers as decor. A simple addition of the foliage in the above setting, took the simple cutlery and napkin to a whole new 'hostess with the mostess' level

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Invest in the season's hearty vegetables for robust and delicious recipes - The picture shows a Butternut squash carrot recipe via With Style and Grace

Go traditional and rustic by using baskets, and tin buckets for vases and décor elements.

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Use floral décor that 1. are in season, so it can reflect the festivities accurately, and 2. in the color scheme of the season, e.g. sunflowers

Or, you can stay modern - in terms of décor style - and incorporate the season by it's colors, such as appropriately colored candle sticks (e.g. green, orange, yellow), and other decorative elements. A few well chosen items can go a long way and bring the whole look together! (especially if you already have brown furniture - for thanksgiving at least!)

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Make your party a little bit more special by adding fancier elements such as tags for place settings and/or as thank you notes for a giveaway goodie as the guests leave.

Use what you have around, especially whatever reflects the current weather and festivities. Gather some acorns from around your house or at your local park. You can even use leaves or branches, which are more 'globally' available...Im not so sure it's that easy to find acorns here and there in Dubai!...and still very much reflect the season and thanksgiving

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Here's another great idea that is so easy and something you most probably won't have to leave the house for: lentils. Use the lentils from your pantry, and spread it out as a 'background' or decorative element to place your place cards, or name cards for your dishes, or just put in some candle stands. You can play around with the idea and make it personal to your party. (Do not waste the lentils - gather them and reuse them another time, you can rinse them before using, and of course the cooking process will kill any dirt - if any)

Don't have lentils or don't want to use them, use the concept and change it up. Maybe spread out some seeds, or nuts. If you're using nuts, it can be interactive - depending on it's placement. The guests that stand closest to it to talk with other guests can dig in and keep them selves busy with the peanuts you spread out as décor. You can really personalize this idea, and the others too of course, to make it suitable for you!

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Again, a little can go a long way. Make your food even more relevant that the traditional turkey, etc. etc. Make your party punch and orangey color. If you're not adding any natural orange-ish ingredients, add a few drops of food coloring.

- Use orange plastic spoons, napkins, straws. 

- As giveaway goodies, leave your guests with a sweet treat such as a mini pumpkin pie, or a mini cookie prep ingredient cookie jar.

- Don't have the time, or are on a tighter budget..that's fine, you can let your guests leave with a decorative thank you card, or even pack your local bakery's great tasting cookies in goodie bag or even just a simple last serving of pumpkin spice latté as an alternative to coffee.

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Party Outfits - Plan ahead and keep the outfit aside. We love the above outfit...maybe not so much the shoes

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For the Dubian readers - Candy corn is available at Candylicious in Dubai Mall. That's the only place I've found it so far. Have you guys found it anywhere else?

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Overall, it's key to keep in mind the season, the celebration of the day that celebrates fall as a season and the bountiful harvest that comes along, as well as the colors - greens, browns, oranges and yellow primarily - and after that you can use what ever is around and stick to one to three concepts and create a great dinner party!

Must - Haves: Home Style & Décor

TRAYS

One of my favorite things! Trays are so versatile. Not to mention, they are decorative and very good for organizing stylishly. You get all kinds of trays, it's hard to choose only a few. My personal favorite ways to use them are to hold all your perfumes (and sometimes jewelry and other things) like Emily of  cupcakes & cashmere does, as well as have on the coffee table in the living room to hold books, decorative pieces, and/or vases or flowers. From vintage finds, to graphic prints (love chevron) and lucite pieces, there's a tray for everyone's taste and décor style.

CHANDELIERS

I think that every living room has to have a chandelier. Wether modern or classic-glam, they tie the whole room together and add that finishing touch. Even if you have contemporary style décor, a chandelier is a classic, and is the perfect way to keep the classic living room piece tradition alive! You can go classy and modern or reach out to classic tear drop crystal styles, or even find one that combines both like the sea green chandelier which gives a classic shape a pop of modern-day color.

WOODSY OR ANTLER ELEMENTS

Branch like elements and/or faux antler elements are essential in every house regardless of the type of décor. Just one piece. Whether it's an antler chandelier (which by the way, is gaining popularity right now) or a simple lamp stand (bottom right) that just hints to the idea, the woodsy element will either add that last missing piece to your room or add a perfect but subtle and needed contrast to your décor. We like that candle holder which is a perfectly subtle piece that allow you to 'mix-it-up' in the room's décor. Antler and branch hooks and stands are also great for just simply as decoration pieces, or for hanging your jewelry on.

MIRRORS

Mirrors not only make a room seem bigger and more spacious, but also act as a decorative element. Almost like chandeliers, they are a classic, and not something that is usually debated. Inevitably in every home, there is at least one mirror. They're also great fun to shop for, because they can add subtle hints or changes in your room's over al look. For example, the first picture via ELLE Décor, adds a vintage elements to an otherwise contemporary bathroom. The second picture shows us how a simple wood framed mirror can add so much 'flavor' to this room - which is otherwise very minimalistic and simple - by having a 'dirtied' glass. The spots add texture and make the usually plain mirror a little more interesting. Mirrors can the the stand out piece in your room or they can just serve their purpose while being simple and just another element, like in the third picture where the mirror is simple in it's embellishments, and is tucked right under the stairs, although, even in this case - since it has been placed with thought - it can be considered decorative. 

ARTWORK

No house can be complete without at least one piece of artwork. Your room can be monochromatic, or completely multi-colored, but it can't be complete without a painting, sculpture, or any other piece of art. Artwork gives culture, texture, and interest to your room. Paintings are a great way to fill wall space and add interest to your overall look. However, artwork is not limited to paintings. Simple vases in bright colors or shiny metals, or even a 'paint can' that can be either decorative or decorative-and-still-usable (e.g. as a spoon holder in the kitchen) and still add that touch of 'art' in your room. The cherry pink painting is by James Nares. I could almost say that James Nares paintings are their own category in a must-haves list! Obsessed and in-love with his wishy-washy yet balanced paintings, I hope to own one in my own home one day! Honestly, I think that his paintings can add that finishing touch to any room. I have seen them in all white monochromatic rooms, behind a small corner desk and chair, just at the entrance of a house, behind the dining table, building entrances, and each and every time, they were perfect and made the whole room look just amazing. Sculptures, such as the one seen on the bottom left - an extract from the book 'Artistic Interiors' shows an energetic piece of art in a New York apartment that is more bold and that can add a lot of 'life' to a room. layering photos and having them sit on a table or over the fireplace like in the top photo, is another great way of 'creating' a creative space from simple frames or photos. Overall any piece of art, whether 2D or 3D, is essential in a home and will liven up the room without swaying away from your style.

Halloween Interiors

This weekend I'm leaving you with some great ideas to help you get planning and inspired for decorating your home for the next week. Halloween can be one of the most exciting holidays to decorate for.

Here are some great examples of how the decor can be a part of your everyday furniture and décor regardless of whether your having a party or not.

Sticking spiders around everyday object is an easy but effect-ful way to add a spooky feeling to your house

Embellish your front yard with cutout cardboard grave headstones and add some dead/fall leaves and maybe even lights to add the extra effect! (Bonus: If you're in Dubai, or any other warmer climate city, the rain will not destroy this!)

Emily of cupcakes and cashmere adds subtly yet significant elements to her house like this crow that peeks out of her bookshelf 

One laurenconrad.com reader cut a pumpkin in half, added a cloth and some chocolate to her everyday coffee table. This is a great idea for all of fall, not just Halloween!

DECORATING PUMPKINS

Decorating pumpkins is great for all of this season, especially with Thanksgiving right around the corner.

Stenciling through a doily with paint is a perfect, quick-and-easy DIY idea

Pinning a decorations (with pins/nail heads) is another great idea for a something different yet in tune with the season's celebrations

Not so much of a spooky, eerie person, but still want to capture the season's black, orange, and fall theme? Try this dainty idea of wrapping your pumpkin with lace. Tip: Pull a lace stocking over your pumpkin - no sticking, no tying, no mess. Easy!

Again, there are so many ways to brighten up your fall/halloween décor just as Martha Stewart shows us with covering these pumpkins is seasonal colored glitter!

Emily of cupcakes and cashmere spray painted her pumpkins gold and added them around the house to rev up her daily decor to fit the season

And last but not least, silhouettes are great all around the house! 

Try adding black paper cutouts of rats and mice around the house, in between bookshelves, on the stairs, behind candles, even in the kitchen?!

Adding silhouettes of skeletons and others to your living room window and leaving the lights on and curtains closed at night will give neighbors & passers by a bit of a spook!

Enjoy!