Our intern, Eric, touching up the paint while I shoot the lampshade re-do. 

I asked Kristan for an entryway decor option other than a traditional wreath, and she suggested hanging ornaments from the ceiling using clear fishing wire and thumbtacks (which make holes small enough that you likely won’t be able to see them after the season is over).

I love the look of mismatched vintage ornaments like the ones pictured above, but white, clear, and silver ornaments in varying shapes and sizes would make an elegant arrangement…or use just a single strong color (like bright pink) for a dramatic effect. 

I am very much in the market for a new couch (the one we have now is a hand-me-down from my dad, and is starting to fall to pieces, besides being a kind of odd pattern), and asked Kristan to recommend fabrics for a household with a dog that loves to burrow. She said that microfiber is the best option for pet-friendly homes, because the fibers are treated, and spills bead up and come right off. 

Tip: To get scratches out of leather furniture, lightly spray a rag with furniture polish and rub it on the scratched area. 

A holiday suggestion from Kristan Cunningham:

If you’re not a baker, but still want your house to smell delicious when guests come over, try roasting some rosemary in a pan until it begins to give off a gorgeous scent. You can either place the rosemary in your fireplace or strew it across your table, incorporating it into your centerpiece.

Tip: Try bunching together the rosemary sprigs with twine for an elegant, rustic look.