Wednesday, April 3, 2002

Set the stage for romantic wedding parties at home

Romance is back in style.

This is confirmed not only by a sharp increase in the number of people getting married this year, but also by changes in attitudes and behavior.

Home is in and hype is out, according to "Changing American Lives," a consumer study by McPheters & Co. and Beta Research, New York.

"Increased value is placed on tradition, relationships, familiarity and enhancing at-home experiences," says Rebecca McPheters, president of the market research firm that conducted the study. She predicts that decorating, entertaining and cooking at home all will be rising priorities.

If a wedding is on your social calendar, there is no better time to turn your dining room into a romantic backdrop for wedding-related events. Every member of the wedding will appreciate the warmth and shared intimacy that comes from bringing the wedding shower, bridesmaids' brunch, or rehearsal dinner home this year. Equally important, the refurbished surroundings will add comfort and cheer to family gatherings for years to come.

The current trend to patterned, rather than painted, walls is another indication of America's return to romantic elegance. What is more romantic than roses? Always a wedding mainstay, roses are now also a major home fashion theme.

A three-inch-wide, tea-stained stripe, paired with a soft cabbage rose wallpaper pattern, captures the nostalgia of roses beautifully. Both are from the Country Chic collection by S.A. Maxwell Co., which ensures that they are perfectly color coordinated.

Borders in the same collection are similarly coordinated and provide a wealth of decorative touches for your wedding and other party events. The stripe, installed from the floor to just above eye level, visually heightens the walls, while the rose bouquet pattern above it introduces color and drama.

A molding, placed between the two patterns, can be used to frame the patterns and also can function as a plate rail to display everyday treasures or gifts being received by the bride.

Now that the stage is set, it's time to decorate. The vintage rose border from the same wallpaper collection makes an ideal decorative runner along the center of the table. It can also be used to wrap candles on the table or sideboard.

For fun, make a hat box wedding cake that is full of surprises. Buy three plain, round hat boxes in descending sizes and wrap each in the striped wallpaper, or, for contrast, one in the rose border to match the walls and table runner.

Use the top of each box as a template to cut circles of the stripe pattern to glue on top of the lids. Cut three rose bouquets from the border pattern and glue one in the center of each lid; then give each rim a soft shine by bordering it with satin ribbon.

Fill the boxes with gifts for the bride or bridesmaids, or favors for guests. Stack them like layers of a cake and hold them all together with satin ribbon that culminates in a generous bow on top. Surrounded by a scatter of rose petals, this cake makes a delicious looking centerpiece for the sideboard.

Rose border cones can be used as napkin holders, place cards or decorative containers for take-home mementoes. Fold sections of the border into triangles. Cut triangles of the same size from poster board and glue a border triangle onto the side of each one.

Overlap the sides slightly and glue two of the triangular pieces together to form an open cone. You can trim the top edge with ribbon, extend the ribbon up into a handle, and affix a soft-colored glass Christmas ball that dangles down from the point.

Cushion the insides with tissue before filling each with a small gift box, heart candies or rose potpourri. Each guest's name can be written on a cone placed at a table setting or hung from a chair. To turn the cones into napkin rings, trim off the points at the bottom and slip the napkins through.

To locate a retailer that carries Country Chic and other collections by S.A. Maxwell Co., call (847) 932-3700 or visit www.samaxwell.com.

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