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Please Join Me with Trudy Dujardin, FASID, LEED AP

Make Your Home Merry and Bright!

Posted on December 8, 2022 by Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

Come on a house tour with me! We often see photos of decorated rooms for the holidays in our favorite magazines, but we don’t see the rooms before the twinkle was sprinkled. So I thought I’d show you just how I take a a room from every day lovely to holiday fabulous in three very different homes. Let’s go!

Your holiday greeting begins at the door. I love the cheeriness of red bows, but you can use any number of colors: red or green, blue or white, silver or gold. Let your own holiday spirit shine!

Let’s head inside!

Photo Credit: Durston Taylor

The foyer of my home in Connecticut is serenely welcoming, with soft neutral shades, and three wooden newel post lighthouses, all fiber-optically lit with softly changing colors at the base of the staircase. See the entry go from this…

…to this! For Yuletide, I’ve twined brightly lit garland and colorful ornaments around the staircase and added two more bright red bows! I believe in selecting a color theme and staying with it from the front porch throughout the home for sumptuous simplicity.

Photo credit: Durston Saylor

My eco-elegant home is the deepest shade of “green,” with everything selected as natural and close to toxin-free as possible.

But for the holidays, my favorite color is red!

Using red pillows behind the “Merry” pillows adds a touch of cozy warmth. The letters are embroidered with colorful threads from a local artisan.

Photo credit: Durston Taylor

The rattan chairs by McGuire and white skirted side chairs by Giorgetti provide comfortable seating and a tranquil setting in my everyday life. At the holidays, though, I’m going for the glow!

What I love best is preparing to host friends and neighbors–old and new– for an evening of food, music and merriment. Fa la la!

Don’t forget to decorate the dogs!

Photo credit: Erik Rank

Now we’re off to Greenwich, Connecticut, where this lovely estate seems ready made for Christmas decorations, with its stately fir trees and columns begging to be covered in greenery and lights.

Photo Credit: Erik Rank

Wrapping columns in evergreens is always an elegant touch, and brings life and color back when the flowers are long gone.

Photo credit: Erik Rank

My team and I take rooms from daily…

Photo Credit: Erik Rank

..to dashing! (Dasher, Prancer, and Vixen would be right at home here.)

Photo Credit: Erik Rank

We always want to dine in style–

Photo Credit: Erik Rank

but as the holidays arrive, we need a festive flourish! Gold stars are snug in evergreen beds on the mantle and in the wreath above, adding a golden shimmer to the evening. Brown pinecones blend naturally with gold.

Photo Credit: Erik Rank

A love of music was behind the design for this room, as you’ll see in the framed awards on the wall in the next photo.

Photo Credit: Erik Rank

Now the melody is enhanced with gold and white decor: a harmonious palette accented by the bouquet of elegant Green Parrot tulips.

Photo Credit: Erik Rank

One more example of adding boughs of greenery to bannister and stairs! The gold theme is added to the red: the two-colored bows with seasonal evergreens are an eye-catching display!

Ready to head to Nantucket Island? Let’s go!

Photo Credit: Terry Pommet

It’s hard to improve on a Nantucket harbor view.

Photo Credit: Thibaut Jeanson

But I think these evergreen swags just might do it. Slipcovers on chairs and matching shades on the light fixture add holiday warmth!

Photo Credit: Terry Pommet

Time to add some comfort and joy here…

Photo Credit: Thibaut Jeanson

with red slipcovers and floor covering, plus poinsettias festooning a corner! We’re ready for a visit from Santa and his elves.

Photo Credit: Erik Rank

Don’t forget to put out the cookies…whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or the beauty of the winter season!

Our three-house tour has come to an end, but when you step outside, be sure to turn and take a closer look at this beautiful wreath. More is more at the holidays!

And if you have a little boat, by all means, decorate that, too.

Wishing you the happiest of holidays!

Watch for my new blogs once a month, and Instagram (@dujardin_design) and Facebook (@DujardinDesign) posts on Thursdays. Once a season I send a newsy email letter to you, too! Be sure to subscribe to get all the best design advice and beautiful inspiration through photos of our projects. I want all of us to live in happy, well-designed, healthy homes!

A Decade of Christmas Trees

Posted on December 13, 2016 by Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

The Holiday 2016 issue of Review Nantucket includes a retrospective of a decade of Christmas decorations I’ve created for clients, showhouses, and the Nantucket Whaling Museum’s Festival of Trees. It was wonderful to look back on a body of work that was a joy to create, but truly ephemeral. I’m so glad to have captured the beauty of these holiday tableaus with photography. They inspire me again when I see them–I hope they bring you fresh inspiration, too!

There’s something so touching about Christmas trees. It’s not just the beauty of the lights and the ornaments. It’s the tradition of creating a magical display that stands for something bigger than ourselves: a renewal of light and love, and the memories of all the Christmases we’ve celebrated through the years.

For many years, my Senior Designer Price Connors and I have created a new theme for a Christmas tree at the Festival of Trees. Once we decide on an idea, we adorn a tree in a completely original style–we never repeat a design! One year, our inspiration was Vincent Van Gogh’s painting of Starry Night, so everything sparkled with stars.

We recreated his night sky by draping a table in deep blue fabric, using wide gauzy star ribbon as table runners, with tiny silver stars sprinkled on the tabletop. We added glittering star boxes tied with bows, and even a dish filled with blue and silver star candies.

I believe in expressing the spirit of Christmas differently each year. As important as tradition is, it’s also wonderful to let our celebrations evolve. It’s easy to fall back on decorating the same way every year, placing the same Santa’s on the mantel. But it’s also fun to create a fresh new look.

One of my favorite tableaus for the Whaling Museum was the Legend of the Snow Maiden, a Russian fairy tale brought to life with the maiden silhouetted in a white cathedral between two glittering trees hung with icicles. That one was especially meaningful to me and to my father, because we are of Russian heritage.

Winter seems to awaken my imagination. As snow begins to fall, my thoughts to turn to twinkling lights, the sparkle of crystal in candlelight, roses and ribbons, and cherished china. One traditional decoration I love is the gingerbread house, which has appeared in my decorations as historic houses on Nantucket, and my own home. The most elaborate creation was made to my specifications by Colette’s Cakes in New York–a reproduction of the famous St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow!

The tree that accompanied it was entitled A Russian Christmas Fantasy. The tree was a splendor in red and gold, with red glass balls, golden ribbons and over 50 handmade Russian ornaments. There were Russian Cossacks, snowflakes, Faberge eggs and matryoshka dolls (the traditional nesting dolls), all delicately hand painted in festive fashion.

The real blessings and bounty of the season, though, are found in family and friends. I love simple stockings hanging by the fireplace. For our family gatherings, we encourage each other to give generously to charities, saving the gaily wrapped packages for the children, Vidal and Baby Richard. I find Christmas everywhere I look in December, but mostly, I find it in our hearts.

G. G., Tuffy, and Ellie snuggle near the fire

Merry, Bright, and Delicious

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

photo from istock

It’s easy to fall back on decorating in the same way every year for the holidays, using the same treasures, heirlooms, and baubles. That’s part of what makes a tradition, and there’s nothing wrong with always putting your vintage Santas on the mantle, or filling a glass bowl with ornaments and greenery. Those looks are classic, and timeless.

It’s also fun, though, to come up with a fresh new look for your home. I’ve decorated so many holiday venues–my own home, my clients’ homes, and showhouses galore! Here are a few of my favorite vignettes! I hope they’ll inspire you to create beautiful new tableaus this year.

The display above was presented at the Whaling Museum on Nantucket. It’s one one I did several years ago for the Nantucket Historical Association’s Festival of Trees, inspired by a Russian Folk Tale called The Snow Maiden. You can see her silhouetted in the white cathedral. It celebrates my Russian heritage, which makes it all the more special to me and my family. Take some time to look into your own ethnic background and family heritage to see what legends and beliefs you can discover. Then introduce it to your holiday decor!

A Victorian Christmas was the theme for this holiday house at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum in Norwalk, Connecticut, a National Historic Landmark dating to 1868.

A custom-made sugar gazebo graces the mantle with sugar Christmas trees, and elaborate swags of fruit-embellished evergreens were in keeping with the traditions of the era.

You almost expect to see Charles Dickens arrive on a visit from London, with his wife Catherine, and their ten children!

The Dickens family was, sadly, no where to be found, though it does look as if they just left the table!

Luckily for us, we didn’t need the Dickens family to have a wonderful dinner at this year’s Christmas Stroll on Nantucket. We have our very own Saint Nick–no, not that Saint Nick–I mean my stepson, Nick Fasanella, a fabulous chef and owner of two San Francisco restaurants who comes and cooks for us. It doesn’t hurt to start the dinner preparations with a visit to the Scallop Shack for fresh Nantucket Bay Scallops right out of the water.

Once Nick picked out the freshest, most delicious looking scallops he could find, he headed home to prepare this fabulous menu:

Nantucket Scallops and Corn Chowder in a Mashed Potato Basket

(pronounced “scollops”)

(Serves 4)

Step One: Mashed Potatoes

6 Medium sized Yukon Gold Potatoes

1/2 cup whole milk

3 Tablespoons Butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add potatoes that have been cut into quarters. Simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Puree with milk and butter until smooth.

Step Two: Corn Chowder

2 slices bacon, diced

1 cup onion, diced

1/2 cup celery

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 cups half and half

4 ears corn

Slower render bacon, and when brown, add onion, celery and butter. Sweat until translucent (3-5 minutes). Stir in flour and toast for two minutes. Stir in half and half, bring to a simmer, then add corn. Simmer for 15 minutes. Check for seasoning.

Step Three: Scallops

Bake 8 slices of thin bacon in a 350 degree oven until nice and crispy; set aside.

(Keep oven set on 200 degrees after the bacon is cooked. Put four large dinner plates to warm in the oven.)

1.5 -2 lbs of Nantucket bay scallops

2 Tablespoons butter

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Work in two batches. Heat a large saute pan and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1/2 of the DRY scallops (pat both sides in paper towels) and then add 1 tablespoon butter. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then shake, flip, or roll the little fellas onto the other side for 1 minute.If the pan is properly hot they should be golden brown on both sides. Slide onto a plate and keep warm in the oven. REPEAT.

To Plate: Place a nice scoop of potatoes in the center of the plate, working inside out to make a circle. Add the chowder, 1/4 of the scallops, 2 crumbled slices of bacon, and parsley.

YUM.

To see more of Chef Nick’s great food, check out www.tackosf.com.

Celebrating the Twinkling Season

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

I love the holidays, and one of my favorite tasks of the year is creating festive interiors for my clients. This is truly the twinkling season, and time for making magic in every room of the house. In this home, featured in this month’s ONLY Nantucket Magazine, we used fresh greens for garlands and wreaths, dressed seven full-sized, themed trees matched to each room’s decor, and embellished with mistletoe and holly, little white lights and gauzy bows!

Come along with me and take a look at the little details that add up to a lot of holiday cheer. I hope you’ll be inspired to create your own unforgettable winter charm!

A grand display of red roses in a clear crystal box is always eye-catching and elegant, especially when combined with candlelight.

Formal columns have become whimsical candy canes, white hydrangeas grace the cocktail table from John Boone, boxwood tucked into antique garden urns make a festive hearth.

A Christmas tree bedecked in gold and silver gleams in the corner of the music room. Wreaths tied with gauzy pale green ribbon adorn each and every window, and exotic white and green fringed Parrot Tulips, unusual for Christmas, strike just the right note in the elegant gathering space. The Rose Tarlowe ottoman is perfectly placed for guests to sit and enjoy a sing-along, underneath a chandelier graced with evergreens.

A rock crystal chandelier sparkles above a table with the spirit of the homeowners’ beloved Nantucket: white hydrangeas and red winter branches are a celebration of the island’s simple beauty. The mantle is gloriously layered with evergreens, ribbons and stars; a stocking hangs by the hearth, waiting for St. Nicholas.

The kitchen has another candy cane column for a punch of gaiety; glass hurricanes on the counter are filled with little crab and lady apples. A five-tiered gift box cake is waiting for guests to arrive: there’s a party planned this evening!

The stairwell leading to the master bedroom suite is a feast for the senses: fragrant cedar, spruce and boxwood swags are wrapped in ribbons; a single silver ball dangles from the sumptuous crystal chandelier custom-designed by Dujardin Design Associates.

A delicious tray of holiday confections add the sweetness of sugar and spice to the homeowners’ celebration: this couple blends their backgrounds and heritage in style, embracing both Christmas and Hannukah.

Whatever holiday you embrace, make it your own season of abundance and grace! And remember to make it merry. If you’re on Nantucket, look for the December issue of ONLY Nantucket for more of this holiday home!

Christmas Cheer & Hannukah Happiness

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

No matter what holiday you celebrate when the snow falls in December, it’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate with candlelight, ribbons and bows, elegant table settings, and holiday meals that bring loved ones together.

One of my greatest joys as an interior designer is decorating the house for the holidays, whether it’s my own, or a labor of love for a client. I love green swags draped from chandeliers and on mantles, vintage silver on red linen tablecloths, and twinkling lights sprinkled not only on the Christmas tree, but all around the house.

Decorating for Hannukah also gives me a thrill, as blue and white are favorite colors, and are stunningly beautiful in cold and snowy December. Silver stars and deep blue table linens set off crystal goblets to perfection. Flickering candles from a treasured family menorah add a warm glow; it’s always a delight to see the tiny flames reflected in the eyes of eager children. Sugar cookies iced in blue and white are a sweet treat at the end of the meal.

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa or the beauty of the winter season, here a few tips to make your holidays merry and bright:

This is the season of enchantment: it’s a visual celebration, but don’t forget the importance of sound (background music and the jingle of bells), fragrance (fir trees and the aroma of warm apple cider), taste (the first delectable sip of eggnog, and a golden roasted turkey.) Engage every one of the senses to create a truly memorable occasion.
This is the season of abundance: Don’t be afraid to overdo it! Heap the mantles with greens, bring out your fine china and heirloom silver, light all the candles then add a few more, and drape the Christmas tree in lights, ornaments, strings of pearls or crystal, and hundreds of little white lights!
This is the season of open hearts and open hands: Gather the people you love close to you. Invite the neighbors for an open house, throw a dinner party, deliver cookies to all your friends. When giving gifts, plan carefully to surprise loved ones with the just right present. And don’t forget those less fortunate: the Jewish tradition of mitzvah, performing an act of human kindness, is always appropriate, but never more so than during the holiday season.
This is the season of joy: Instead of feeling frazzled by the season, take whatever time you need to sit by the fire and rest. There is no charm in exhaustion, no cheer in feeling stressed. Take good care of yourself and your family in what can be a hectic season, and before you know it, you’ll be ready to rejoin the party!

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!” ~Hamilton Wright Mabie