Sande Riesett's subtle seasonal decor blends tradition with contemporary and rustic elements.
From Old World-traditional and American Colonial to country and contemporary, there are as many styles of decorating for Christmas as there are traditions for celebrating the holiday itself. For Sande Riesett, her typical hectic end-of-year professional schedule often results in Christmases that come and go with few of the season’s festive visual embellishments.
All of that changed when she allowed the Baltimore Symphony Associates to feature her home on their annual holiday tour. Riesett, who has enjoyed a long, successful career in advertising and public relations and now owns her own boutique firm, Outlaw Advertising, recognized the prospect of thousands of people touring her house as “a really great motivator for decorating for Christmas.”
In keeping with the architectural style of the house, the neighborhood’s sylvan environment, and the interior décor, Riesett’s take on Christmas décor skews natural, traditional, and simple. “Normally, I do some sort of tree or trees decorated with old family ornaments . . . things I’ve had since I was a kid, things my dad had as a kid. I have really nice holiday memories, and although I want the décor to feel special, I want things to have a reason, which is why I decorate with family items.”
A marriage of an older structure from the mid-1700s that was moved to the site and then combined with newer construction and a contemporary addition, the architectural style of the house might best be described as eclectic. Which suited Riesett fine. Recognizing, however, that the house needed to be more cohesive, she consulted interior designer Dan Proctor, principal of Kirk Designs in Baltimore, to help blend the diverse spaces and yet preserve their distinctive charm.
Taking cues from Riesett’s own personal tastes as well as the décor established by Proctor, floral designers Robert Honaker and Allison Webb, AIFD created arrangements for Riesett that would be subtle, seasonal complements to the calm, comfortable vibe the home so effortlessly conveys.
“The house lends itself well to decorating for Christmas,” says Proctor. “Because the warmth of the house, even when it isn’t the holiday season, is strong. Festive décor is a natural, and there are plenty of great locations for adding in seasonal elements.”
A dried arrangement hints at seasons past.
To establish a cohesive decorative style for the house, Proctor looked first to the oldest room, one he describes as “a charming and whimsical old structure, deeply seated in tradition. But because of the newer additions, the house has a nonetheless more modern feel.” As such, the furnishings, art, finishes, and accessories needed to both balance that history and tradition while also setting a decidedly fresh, more contemporary tone.
The holiday arrangements by Webb and Honaker were designed to meet that same goal.
As the basis for the style of her arrangement, Rutland Beard’s Allison Webb focused on the home’s historic uniqueness. “The room I worked in was originally part of Bell’s Tavern built in 1750, so I am playing with the history and the wooded setting of the property.” Webb’s arrangements are not only stylistically appropriate for the Colonial era, they also incorporate magnolia, winterberry, boxwood, photinia, and other evergreens that would be available naturally in the middle of winter.
A subtle complement to the built-in shelving in the “tavern room” Webb intersperses winterberry and southern magnolia leaves with the existing books, sculptures, framed photographs, and keepsakes on display.
In the foyer, Webb’s large yet simple arrangement of white French tulips and fresh cut winterberry branches naturally ornamented with bright red berries graces the center of a classically simple silver tray.
Honaker, owner of Design by Nature in Savage, Maryland and responsible for creating arrangements to complement the newer parts of the house, looks more toward the interior décor to inform his designs. “Sande has a very relaxed natural style,” he says. “She has a beautiful home that’s not fussy.”
For the dining room centerpiece, Honaker pulls colors from the painted walls and other decorative elements to help narrow down the use of flowers and foliage. “We incorporated apples and pears, foliage found in the yard, dried hydrangea and amaranthus, burgundy oak leaves, and evergreens in varying shades and textures to create real visual interest.”
In the living room, Honaker created two arrangements of oranges pierced with dried whole cloves atop a bed of juniper in a basket edged with magnolia leaves. The classic, natural materials wink at the traditions of the season but through a more contemporary, albeit rustic, implementation and design.
Such subtle twists on tradition are at the core of Riesett’s decorating philosophy for the holiday season and also all year round. Proctor describes the house as “very comfortable, very warm, whimsical yet sophisticated, and traditional yet modern and fun.”
Dennis Hockman is the editor of Chesapeake Home + Living.
Contacts:
design by nature, llc: designbynaturemd.com or 443-467-0501
Kirk Designs: kirk-designs.com or 410-468-0798
Rutland Beard Florist: rutlandbeardruxton.com or 800-410-6330
