Luxury scents and décor for the holidays
By L.J. BUTTERFIELD :: November 27, 2006

It may feel like only yesterday that guests were parading through the back yard and eating barbecued goodies on paper plates with plastic utensils. But like it or not, that time has passed. It’s the end of autumn, the holidays have arrived and entertaining has moved back indoors. So dust off the china and polish the silverware. Guests are coming over again and this time you’ve got a home to show off.

Homeowners typically spend all year decorating and renovating their interiors to reflect their lifestyles: a throw rug here, new hardwood floors there. Why let the opportunity pass by to wow friends and family this holiday season.

Looking for something that pumps up that wow factor when guests cross the threshold? Here are two tricks that can really make an impact.

Consider performing a quick overhaul of the guest bathrooms or think beyond the ubiquitous centerpieces and decorate the whole house with tightly cropped fresh flowers to match the established décor.

It couldn’t be easier to bring a little luxury to a home for the holidays.

Spa la la la la

Visit Waterworks on West Putnam Avenue in Greenwich, for anything and everything that’s needed to spruce up a guest bathroom before a big event.

“We get a lot of people who want to perfect their bathrooms for big parties or the holiday season,” said Suzanne Blum, general manager of Waterworks. “They’re looking for everything from new hardware like towel bars to textiles, apothecaries and room sprays. We do soup to nuts, it’s a one- stop shop,” she said.

Bringing a little luxury to a room that guests use away from the hubbub and socialization of the rest of the party will make the biggest impression. Upgrading your towels, lighting candles and providing high-end apothecaries will definitely make an impact. And if you’re just too busy to do it all yourself or you want a little more than just fancy towels and scent-filled soaps, Waterworks will come to your home and design the whole thing for you.

“Either customers come into the shop or they ask us to do house calls,” said Blum. “We go in and style their bathroom for them. Sometimes people just don’t have the time to pull it all together themselves. So we’ll go to the home and check out what they’re asking for and then see what products will work best for them. We’ve done the complete styling of bathrooms for people throwing a particular event or party for many guests. They want everything perfect. That’s where we come in. We’ll stage it.”

The bloomin’ holidays

Adding a little luxury to the rest of your home is as easy as a trip to The Scarsdale Flower Shop on East Parkway in Scarsdale, N.Y.

“This time of year business is off the charts,” said Alan Eckstein. “Side table or cocktail table arrangements have become really popular lately,” he said.

Fill your rooms with small arrangements instead of one big overflowing centerpiece and it makes an even bigger impact.

“Something we call the New York design is in right now,” said Eckstein. “We use box vases with a tight cluster of flowers instead of a big abundant bouquet.”

Step out of the box when it comes to color choices and try something other than reds and greens or blues and whites.

“I had a woman come in the other day saying she needed burgundy, yellow, white and cream because it matched her décor,” said Eckstein. “People are going beyond the traditional holiday colors. A lot of people will even bring in their own containers that match their décor and we design an arrangement for them,” he said.

Imagine the ultramodern look of monochromatic blooms dotted throughout your home in tight bundles or the pampered feeling you get when you’re enveloped in luxury bath items and scents, then do what we all do at the holidays and go shopping. Your guests will be grateful and your home will have never looked better.