Keli and I spent most of a recent Tuesday at a client’s home, preparing it for the holidays. Garlands were strung along the grand entry staircase, with oversize red plaid bows; wreaths with dried oranges and cloves (lovely smell!) were placed on inner doors, and bouquets of greens and pinecones, along with more plaid bows, were placed on doors and above the fireplace. I like to stay consistent in the use of color, though you could certainly use gold or some other luminous color, rather than red. I’m very careful to use wire, floral tape or tacks to avoid paint damage, and around fireplaces I use very thin nails placed harmlessly into the corners of mouldings. The result is a home that welcomes the holidays with a festive and vibrant embrace.

While visiting my family in Miami over Thanksgiving, I was reminded that there are wonderfully decorative holiday objects that are Jewish-themed. Every year my cousin hosts a large gathering that features her extensive Hanukkah Menorah collection. This nine-branched candelabrum is the centerpiece of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. The photo contains a partial assembly of her collection, a labor of love for over 30 years. At her Hanukkah celebration each family lights one of her many Menorahs, and when all the candles are ablaze it is quite a spectacle, a glorious evocation of an ageless and annually anticipated holiday tradition.

We recently finished a new home in Essex Fells that features this warm, masculine home office. The warmth begins with floor to ceiling cherry paneling, and is further enhanced by the seating area with leather chairs, textured fabric sofa and double hearth fireplace topped by an inset flat screen TV. The thick, olive green velvet panels on the windows also add to the richness of the space, as does the Hamadan rug. The result is a home office with all the comforts of home.

Plaids are wonderfully versatile fabrics. The dressy and traditional silk plaid I used for the window treatment on the left was the inspiration for the entire living room of this South Orange home. Wool plaids are thicker and add a rustic simplicity to a space, especially for chairs and ottomans near a fireplace. Woven plaids have a charming and understated French feel, while cotton plaids are rich and stylish, especially in blue and white. They make lovely accents in a beach house, on small chairs or pillows. The eye-catching combination of pattern, color and texture gives plaids a complexity that adds a unique dimension to many different schemes.