‘Tis the Season with Providence Design
[photo credit: http://traceryinteriors.com/
It is the time of year when we are all well into our holiday festivities. Shopping, parties, wrapping, and traveling are all going on as we speak. We decided to dedicate this post to the last minute details that can help take your holiday gathering to the next level. Easy recipes, tablescapes, and last minute decor all really help to make for an unforgettable event.
We all spend so much time and effort decorating our homes for the Holiday Season, and everyone has his or her own unique take on decor. Here at Providence Design one of our favorite touches is incorporating fresh greens into the decor. We usually start with a faux base and decorate it to completion with ribbon, ornaments–the whole nine yards. Then just before the event we plug in some fresh stems to take it over the top. Nothing beats the smell of fresh Christmas greens.
The arrangement in the above picture was done with real poinsettias and dried moss, mixed with faux red kalanchoes from our store. How nice all you have to worry about is the poinsettias! In the next photo we started with faux christmas greenery and berries mixed with the sugarcones. Then we added a few fresh stems in and what a statement without fear of it all being dried out in a day or two!
Our next tip is for your table. You may be having a sit down dinner or a buffet setting, but you always want your table to be a statement. Let’s start with a buffet setting. Try to find some serve ware that have varying shapes and sizes, even heights. Varying the pieces will add visual interest to your tablescape.
The above photo shows many different serving pieces, as well as some placed on stands. Once you add a fabulous centerpiece (here we went back to our fresh greens) you are well ahead of the pack in having a gorgeous tablescape.
[photo credit: http://beechtreephotography.
Its important to try to make each placesetting special if you are having a sit down dinner. We love using the stockings made from antique fabric, each one being different really makes each setting special. You could even use them as the placecard holders, or place a small gift inside for your guests to take with them.
Another tip! Candles, Candles, Candles! If you ask us, you can never have too many candles. Right before the guests arrive light the candles. It might seem small but candles automatically set the tone for a lovely event.
[photo credit: http://boards.weddingbee.com/
[photo credit: http://www.diynetwork.com/
[photo credit: http://www.houzz.com/photos/
Lastly, what is a great party without great food? You certainly don’t have to spend a fortune or all your time dedicated to cooking, however making some special dishes really makes the event personal. Pictured below our some quick and easy dishes that really are delicious and will have your guests talking. For more yummy dishes and the recipes, head over to our blog.
[photo credit: http://slimpaley.com/
[photo credit: http://www.foodnetwork.com/
[photo credit: http://www.foodnetwork.com/
Hope these little tips will help take your party to the next level.
Have a wonderful holiday and Merry Christmas from Providence Design!
[photo credit: http://hative.com/fun-
Providence Design is Mona Thompson and Talena Ray, a sister duo who are antiques dealers and interior designers. Learn more about them on their website, providenceltddesign.com.
Room of the Week: European Union, Breakfast Room
Feature photography by Nancy Nolan
chandelier | vase | wooden bowl | dining chair | dining table | linen napkin
We’re back with another “Room of the Week” feature and this week it’s all about the breakfast room. Not just any breakfast room…one with European-inspired style and beautiful furnishings and draperies. Sister design team Talena Ray and Mona Thompson of Providence Design are renowned for their ability to incorporate found objects and European influence into interiors. Here, a chandelier with a burlap drum shade lights up casual meals, while a French bleached-wood cabinet, topped with antique olive oil jars and wine jugs, provides storage. Patterned draperies continue the home’s palette of white, gray, and yellow. What’s your favorite part about this space? Read the full story online here or find a copy of the June issue on newsstands.
From Providence Design: Getting Back to Our Roots

This time of year it seems like all we can do is think about is being outdoors, especially after the winter we just had. Its so nice after spending so much time indoors to finally just get out and get back to those roots! At Providence Design we love creating outdoor spaces that really are an extension of the home.

We love this quote….
“Trees and Plants always look like the people they live with, somehow” – Zora Neale Hurston


Do you want your backyard to be the perfect place for a Saturday Afternoon nap?



Whatever it may be, picking the right landscape and quality materials will help you achieve your goal with lasting results.






Finally, make it special, unique, interesting. Adding that exciting element to any outdoor space will make it over the top.




Room of the Week: Garden Party of Four
Feature photography by Nancy Nolan
side table | linen napkin | candelabra | bird cage votive
Donna and Jim Bottin are ready to host garden parties at their West Little Rock home thanks to Providence Design and Palette Catering, who helped them set the perfect table and menu. Providence Design. Co, owned by sisters Talena Ray and Mona Thompson, designed the interiors and selected the exterior furnishings and fixtures of the Bottin home, so a party on the patio was right up their alley. “We always use a layered approach to our designs and we like to have a continuous flow from one space to another,” says Ray of the pair’s philosophy. A great tip for hosting a party: by adding a rolling bar cart, it keeps beverages close by and prevents the host from having to leave the company of guests to refill glasses. Read more here or find a copy on newsstands. You can also find extra recipes from Palette Catering here.
providence ltd. : our favorite time of year
Fall is just around the corner…our favorite time of the year!
Image via Mike Neel Pinterest
We can feel it, and you can too, because our phone is ringing off the wall. Everyone is ready for a change…a little fluff and puff…Here are just a few simple ideas to inspire your home for the season:
Pillows…Pillows ..Pillows…An easy way to update and refresh!
Love these Suzani Embroidered pillows from Pottery Barn:
Add a cozy throw over the arm of a chair or your sofa:
Image via Ambience Pinterest
We love our white dishes and these salad plates are fun additions from William Sonoma for Fall:
Candles…We can never live without them. They are like the glow of a fresh fire this time of year:
Image via Consuelo Cavalcan Pinterest
It’s time to yank those leggy summer plants out of the garden and add some mums and other fall foliage:
Image via Laura Tredway Pinterest
Image via Corinne Meyer PInterest
A wreath on the front door…
Image via TeenyBlessings.Word
You’ve just gotta have some new duds for Fall…
Image via Pretty GirlFromCaroline.Tumblr
And some pumpkin in a new recipe…
Pumpkin & Cheese Spice Bread
Yields 3 mini loaves (the mini loaf pans I use are 5 3/4 inches long X 3 inches wide X 2 inches deep)
For the Cheese Batter:
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Pumpkin Spice Batter:
3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 large eggs
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
Other:
Butter, to grease the pans
For the Cheese Batter:Â Use a handheld electric mixer to beat together all ingredients until smooth and creamy.
For the Pumpkin Spice Batter:Â Preheat oven to 350F; lightly grease 3 mini loaf pans with butter.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs until light and fluffy, then stir in the pumpkin, canola oil, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet, being careful not to over-mix. Divide the pumpkin batter between the 3 loaf pans, then pour the cheese batter on top.
Bake until golden around the edges, about 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted inside comes out clean or with just a couple crumbs. Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then remove from the pans and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.