Decorating with POSH Home Staging & Redesign

DESIGNING TABLESENHANCES AMBIANCE

by Allison Fifer, POSH Home Staging & Redesign

Everyone has accepted your invitation to your annual and festive dinner party! The excitement is mounting as the date approaches. You have the perfect menu selected and your wine is on order. Now it is time to create an atmosphere to complement your entertaining style, and designing a beautifully decorated table will enhance the ambiance and put the finishing touches on your evening!

Before the decorating begins, preparation of the space is a must. Preparing to decorate is just as important and includes decluttering and organizing the space, making things orderly, and cleaning. Once you have prepared your space, the decorating begins. Be sure to add any necessary table leaves to accommodate your guest list prior to decorating.

BELOW ARE 5 TIPS FOR DESIGNING YOUR TABLE

Start with your Purpose, Occasion,

or Inspiration. Designing a table begins with your event. What is the purpose, and who are your guests? Or maybe it is something that inspires you — a color, a lantern or a decorative plate, for example. This will help set the tone of the evening, and the mood will radiate throughout the room. I know for me, as soon as I identify this element,

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my mind begins rolling with ideas on how to transform my table.

Use Layers. Using fabric as a foundation is great for adding dimension and interest to your table. I prefer a tablecloth for a more elegant look. However, a table runner is an option as well. Adding a simple charger in white, silver or gold with a white plate will set the base of your design. To enhance your setting, add your splash of color with a decorative salad plate, soup bowl or brightly colored napkins. Set the table with your silverware and glassware so you know the amount of space you have to work with for decorating.

Add a Centerpiece. Conversation is key to your guests enjoyment of each other during dinner and as you gather around the table. Avoid a tall, full floral centerpiece or anything that would impede conversation across the table. Greenery, wreaths, hurricane lamps, lanterns and

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candles, or even eucalyptus and twinkling mini lights are nice accessories to balance a table. You can add floral picks appropriate to the season or special celebration.

Add a Splash of Color.

Sometimes, color can be as simple and inexpensive as fruit. For example, a fresh pomegranate adds the right touch of red for the holidays while red berries, oranges, and cinnamon sticks can help accentuate your decor. It will not only look festive, but will smell incredible!

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Keep it Simple. Stick to the basics with white or cream plates, neutral chargers, a nice set of wine glasses, and a quality set of silverware. Simplicity is key to your success and does not feel overdone. After all, you want your guests to enjoy you and each other and the ambiance which is created – without the decor standing out as the focal point.

Your table setting and decor contribute to a room and the ambiance of the meal as much as the food and wine served. With these five simple tips to designing your table, you are sure to wrap up a festive holiday evening.

940.765.2684 | POSHHOMESTAGING.COM | ALLISON@POSHHOMESTAGING.COM

NostalgicA Look ON CLOUD NINE BACK TO OUR FUTURE by Allison Fifer | photos courtesy of Kim Cloud

Vision, faith, and true grit make the dream work. Cloud 9 Salon, Spa & Boutique has the key ingredients for success — a unified team, a loyal clientele, and a faithfilled leader. Owned by local entrepreneur Kim Cloud-Skidmore and managed by her son, Nathan Dean, the salon has grown immensely since its inception in 1991. And now, they have secured the ultimate location, a beautiful one-acre strip of land off of FM 407 in Bartonville next to Marty B’s Restaurant and the Bartonville Town Center.

It all started with a dream, and over the years grew boundlessly with grit, determination, perseverance, and faith. Today, Cloud 9 Salon, Spa & Boutique has an amazing team of 60 talented men and women who provide beauty and spa services for thousands in our community. Additionally, this team stands apart from others — they are like family and devoted to each other and the community. Having served the Flower Mound, Lewisville, and Highland Village areas for over 42 years, the salon is embarking on a new era and upgrading its amenities and access to better serve its patrons.

“Cloud 9 Salon” officially opened its first location in 1991. That location was 700 square feet, and they quickly learned that more room was needed. When it came time to expand once more in 2004, it was a huge leap of faith. Kim Cloud with her proud father by her side, met with an architect to have plans drawn up for a new building — one that would offer an extended menu of salon and spa services. The daunting question was where would the down payment come from to purchase land and build a home for Cloud 9 Salon? Remarkably, her clients not only encouraged Kim’s dream but offered to provide personal loans that were all paid back within two years of opening its doors. The salon thrived for years then hit a rough patch nine years ago with an unforeseen walkout. Surrounding herself with trusted team members and a local businessman who provided valuable guidance and unwavering mentorship, Kim rebounded, and her salon began to flourish once again. Twenty years ago, Kim’s son, Nathan Dean, joined the team. After all, Nathan grew up in the salon. It was home for him. Then four years ago, it was a natural fit for him to step into the role of Salon Manager when the former manager retired. Both Kim and Nathan are more than administrative team members, they are also “behind the chair” doing what they love each day — making people feel beautiful.

As a community leader, Kim radiates when talking about the local community, its people, and giving back. She understands firsthand about being a beneficiary of those who give back. She turned a negative time in her life into another positive by creating Cloud 9 Charities, which is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year.

“I feel it is the responsibility of business owners in our community to give back,” she said. “Find ways to volunteer or help another in need. Our community provided a way for our business to thrive, and now we have that same responsibility to pass on to others.”

Kim has always had a heart to help those less fortunate. For years, she worked with various charities, giving her time and money until several of her friends and family suggested she start an organization that could raise monies to donate to the various local charities throughout the metroplex. Cloud 9 Charities was formed and has made a huge imprint on Denton County over the years with its leadership and presence. The charity was established with a handful of faithful friends and colleagues hosting Cut-a-thons for Kidd Kraddick’s Foundation, Kidd’s Kids, an

annual fashion show and numerous galas. Over time, the organization has morphed into an official non-profit charity with 18 board members who have a passion for giving back to our community. Also included where hundreds of part-time

“I feel it is the responsibility of business owners in our community to give back. Find ways to volunteer or help another in need.”

volunteers, including her husband and biggest supporter, Christopher Skidmore. This board hosts two annual fundraising events - the Annual Giving & Golf Tournament during the spring and The Best Little BrewFest in Texas in the fall (this year ingeniously re-created as “The Best Little BrewPass in Texas” to offset the challenges of COVID-19). The charity has raised over $3 million, and 100% of the net proceeds now fund BedTime Rescue, a Cloud 9 Charities Initiative which provides shelter for homeless families in Denton County.

Today, the salon building which has housed Cloud 9 Salon since February of 2005 as well as Cloud 9 Charities, Inc. is currently located in Flower Mound. Sitting silently on the market for over two years, Kim never lost faith. This building underwent an extensive remodel spanning the last four months and quickly sold before the finishing touches were even completed. With a quick sale pending, Kim and her amazing team are rapidly pivoting and will relocate to a Pop- Up Salon on the edge of Lantana to continue to serve their valued clientele. This Pop-Up Salon will continue to offer all the same services while its team eagerly awaits their new “Forever Home.” As for now, Kim and Christopher Skidmore, along with Nathan and their incredible team, are walking on Cloud Nine. The dream continues to grow as Cloud 9 Salon, Spa & Boutique will break ground in the thriving town of Bartonville, Texas in January of 2021.