Carson Kressley shares tips and tricks for holiday entertaining
TV personality and interior designer Carson Kressley knows more than a thing or two about entertaining at home and now shares some of his techniques for how you can easily impress guests during the holiday season when you invite them around.
To assist Carson Kressley in realizing his vision, Ballard Designs has collaborated with long-time brand fan and Queer Eye alum to help refresh the décor at Kressley’s Pennsylvania farmhouse with everything needed to wow his guests this fall and winter.
With the help of Ballard Designs, Kressley shows you how to up your game as a host, from décor to drinkware to dinnerware.
In a Home Reveal interview, Kressley said, “When I get the Ballard Designs catalog, the word that comes to mind is graciousness – whether it’s the serving pieces, beautiful pillows, it’s all things that delight the eye, but also really appeal to the senses; beautiful things to eat off of, beautiful things to lounge on. That creates a really gracious environment and that’s what I think of when I think of Ballard: traditional, classic, updated, not too precious, fun, but beautiful – it’s about living beautifully.”
By the way, check out Ballard Design’s Black Friday sale here.
So here’s how you can curate an intimate gathering at home, according to Carson Kressley:
- No matter the occasion, always have fresh flowers – It’s not about spending a lot, but about showing quality, like with the classic Bunny Williams Silver Wire Cachepot for a vase. Professing not to have a green thumb, Kressley likes faux flowers as well, incorporating Ballard’s Moss Spheres to bring the outdoors in.
- No need to create an extensive tablescape with elaborate table settings. Buffet style can keep it simple and casual. Elevate your display to really catch your guests’ attention with Celebratory Cocktail Napkins and a focal point statement piece like a Three Layer Cake Dome.
- Keep it interesting and ditch the exact matching set! Kressley is drawn to Ballard’s classic yet modern Bunny Williams Campbell House Dinnerware Collection for this reason – it coordinates without duplicates. He weaves in family heirlooms for a personal touch.
- Take risks with fun items you really love, they make great conversation starters. Fully dressed beverage tubs enliven a party bar, while unique artwork like a collection of Suzanne Kasler Atelier Antlers add dimension to wall decor and certainly grab guests’ attention.
- Get creative with product uses and utilize items in ways other than their intended purpose. A Classic Garden Stool can act as cocktail table, while monogrammed dinner napkins easily double as placemats.
Carson also has great advice for guests attending a party at someone’s home: never come empty handed. A small and thoughtful gift to please the host will kick off your invitation in the best possible way. He loves the Bunny Williams Dog Salt & Pepper Cellar and Bunny Williams Beehive Honey Pot as unique and thoughtful host gifts.
For more information on the partnership and to see transformations in Carson’s home, check out @ballarddesigns and @carsonkressley on Instagram.
About Ballard Designs
Since 1982, Ballard Designs® has offered a unique curation of home furnishings and décor from all periods and provenance. Its designers travel the world for inspiration, translating the latest trends in fashion, color and style into finely crafted products not found anywhere else. Ballard Designs is part of Qurate Retail GroupSM, a select group of leading retail brands that also includes QVC®, HSN®, Zulily®, Frontgate®, Garnet Hill® and Grandin Road®.
