Winter Elegance

Everything But the Kitchen Sink in Hockessin, Del., lives up to its name with 15,000 square feet of china, silver, crystal, linens, area rugs, lamps, kitchenware, a children’s boutique, stationery, bed and bath, and fabulous gifts.

“Christmas is huge for us,” says store manager Suzanne Edgar. “We usually sell out of our gold and silver wreaths and we carry all kinds of fun ornaments, including hand-blown glass. Another holiday favorite are our battery-operated candles. They flicker and look just like the real thing but you don’t have to worry about a fire. They are made out of real wax and come four to twelve inches tall.

“Our most popular holiday home fragrance is Thyme Frazier Fir. It’s a wonderful winter scent.”

Although it’s easy to wander off into every nook and cranny of The Kitchen Sink, the best way to glamorize your dining room for the season is to check out the table linens. There are exquisite French linens in a wide array of patterns and colors, along with napkins, placemats, and crystal napkin rings that will add pizzazz to your special nights.

For drop-dead chic, look for glass- beaded placemats in gold, silver, and bronze. Use just one as a centerpiece under a crystal bowl filled with ornaments, or go for the bling and use one at each place setting. Add super-sized silver candlesticks, topped with tapers or Christmas ornaments.

The Michael Aram “Forest Leaf” collection of stainless steel and silver- plated bowls, pitchers, and serving platters will add sparkle.

Another way to add elegance to your home is to dig through your family albums for old photos of holidays past, then display them in whimsical picture frames. You might try contemporary glass and chrome frames, Deco styles, or frames encrusted with seed pearls and rhinestones.

Talk about icy winter beauty—create it with collectible art studio glass from Christopher Pavlou’s Turning Point Gallery. You’ll find colorful, eye-catching glass bowls, vases, and sculptures to make your home sparkle. Some of the gallery’s real treasures are in the lower level gallery, where you’ll find art of internationally renowned glass sculptors. “This work should not be in a small gallery in Media,” Pavlou says of the museum-quality American Art Studio Glass on display.

For serious bling, consider a sculpture by Jon Kuhn that puts one hundred pounds of lead crystal on a spinning pedestal, creating a galaxy of diamonds. “One client created a special room just for this piece,” Pavlou says.