Weekend decorating: Preparing your home for the holidays

In just a matter of days Thanksgiving will be here. Eeeek! I typically like to spend the weekend before Thanksgiving prepping my home for all of the holiday madness. After this weekend, its always holiday busy-ness and next thing you know the new year is here. Am I right?! So, before I get to all out Christmas decorating, I like to try and prep for the season. 

There are some special things I like to do to prep my home so that it can be ready for anything, a impromptu holiday party, out of town guest or maybe just a few cute instagram shots. Here are my essential must do decorating secrets for holiday style. . . 

SET UP YOUR BAR CART. I like to be sure that my bar cart is fully stocked with the essentials for any get together at my place. You want to have some wine, bubbly and a few cocktail mixes on the cart. I also like to make sure my serving tray is clean and ready for use, complete with cocktail napkins, fancy stir sticks and a dish full of candy or nuts. Mixed nuts always go a long way with guests. 

PREPARE MOOD LIGHTING. Parties are always best when lit correctly. A dim candlelight is always the best. I always love tall pillar candles or candlesticks with tapered candles. You want these to be ready at a moments notice when you may have to light them up on a whim. Also, you can create a faux fireplace to get you in that holiday spirit. I also love light up garland, it creates a special glow. 

SPRUCE UP THE GUEST ROOM. I always make sure to bring in some orchids ( because they typically last the longest ) for the guest room. I also like to purchase a nice smelling candle, a cozy new throw and a pretty pillow or two to jazz up the space. I find all the best pillows at Arianna Belle. I also like to get the latest magazines for some fun reading. Anything to make the guest room a little more fun and special. It makes you the best holiday hostess!

GET SOME NEW BATHROOM ACCOUTREMENTS. I love to stock up on holiday scented lotions, hand washes, fragrances, etc. I try to keep them stocked in clear trays and jars so that the beautiful packaging can be seen easily. It adds such panache to the home and makes your bathroom moments that much more fun. 

Title image via Harpers Bazaar

Decorating for a glam Halloween

October might just be my favorite month of the year. I absolutely love the weather and finally getting to wear my boots and fur vests again. I also love to start decorating the home for the holidays. Halloween is one of the best because I get to use black and gold! I am not your typical "pumpkins + spiders" decorator. I prefer to keep things sexy, dark, and still very glamorous. I love to add greys and blacks mixed with metallics, I also love the look of skulls in the home and always feel it necessary to add lots of candles to enhance the ambiance. 

As I was looking around for some inspiration, I noticed TM Design, a Norwegian design shop that totally gets my vibe when it comes to Halloween decor. Now I am totally inspired. 

Make sure the candles are a mysterious scent, a tad masculine for a spooky kind of vibe. I always love placing candles in my black glass votives. Notice how beautiful metallics look in the candlelight. 

Roses in every room keep the femininity alive in the dark colored rooms. 

Here are a few items I have my eye on. . .

Click to buy: 

Skull and crossbones mixer | Sequin skull pillow | brass lattice skull candle | skull swizzle sticks | quartz rock crystal | Black and gold plates | brass pumpkin | skull lamp

A few more goodies to scoop up: