Newsletter Archive

“Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but pearls are MY true gem!”  ~Holly Holden My classic interior design mantra for my first book was: Design once, for a lifetime, which also applies to jewelry. Pearls NEVER go out of style! They are precious, rare, and have been prized for their enduring beauty for centuries. Pearls are appropriate and charming any time of day. My second book, Pearls of Palm Beach, features eight timeless and tailored houses… elegant and quietly understated, just like pearls!  “The pearl is the queen of gems and the gem of queens.”  ~Grace Kelly Pearls are rare because they are not easy to find or harvest and are indeed the gems of royalty. Kings and queens have prized pearls for their unique luster, luminosity, rarity, and symbolism for centuries. Queen Elizabeth II consistently wore her triple strand of pearls (given to her by her father) or her double

One decorative practice I discerned while filming an episode inside the Private Apartments at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England, left an indelible impression: to utilize the space under a piece of furniture! In the Blenheim episode, you will view elegant interiors in the company of Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill. The time-honored decorative elements are inviting and charming, albeit practical too. At the end of one of the gloriously long hallways, you will spy an elegant console table featuring a blue and white porcelain collection. Below, three large blue and white vases grace the floor. They enhance the entire vignette created around the portrait by Paul Cesar of Consuelo Vanderbilt, the Duchess of Marlborough, who was married to the 9th Duke. The soft blue hues depicted in her dress complement the blue and white porcelain collection.  The entire visual is perfection! So, look around your house for “unused real estate” under a

“There are two ways of spreading light, to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”   ~ Edith Wharton Candlelight can turn a mundane event into a celebration! A candlelit dinner somehow magically becomes… more memorable. Candles have been integral to celebrations for centuries, from churches to dinner parties and atop birthday cakes. Candles create significant moments. Mummy always said, “Everything tastes better in candlelight.” And I think everyone “looks” better in candlelight! What is a simple way to “double” your candlelight?  Place candles in front of a mirror! This technique has been used for centuries. The double reflection of candlelight in a mirror is alluringly majestic. While filming my television series at Blenheim Palace, England, in the private dining room, a pair of dramatic candelabras doubled the reflected candlelight between resplendent mirrors. Simply magical! Why are white and ivory candles the most traditional choice of color? Let’s take a

What is the most sincere type of sympathy note? A handwritten note, not a “store-bought” sympathy card, is the most sincere way to offer your condolences. There is no need to buy a sympathy card, EVER. Your words are a “thousand times more meaningful” than what is printed on a store-bought sympathy card! What kind of stationery is most appropriate? White stationery, preferably a fold-over informal card (pictured above) or a flat card. Old-school formality is to have your name engraved.  Another option is to have your name embossed or with thermography.  Both are less expensive than engraving. Other than a note card, what is another option? Another suitable option is plain white or ecru (off-white) writing paper, preferably in a heavy stock. My favorite stationery companies are Dempsey & Carroll, Tiffany & Co., or Crane and Co. What color ink is appropriate to write a sympathy note? Black ink

After a long “non-social-interaction” hiatus during COVID, I think the “when to stand up” topic is worth revisiting! A darling subscriber reminded me about this simple courtesy, which sadly seems to be disappearing these days. “I would love to see you discuss how a young person should stand up when an adult enters the room. My children were always embarrassed and said, ‘Mom, none of my friends stand up.’ I replied, ‘It is the polite thing to do!’ It seems that even with our grandchildren, it is not done much anymore.” I agree wholeheartedly and am an enthusiastic advocate of this polite gesture. So, let’s discuss a few more standing-up scenarios: Who stands for whom when a person enters a room? ~Ladies and children stand when an older person enters a room. ~Gentlemen stand when a lady enters a room. ~A gentleman also stands for another gentleman when greeting him. Standing

How to properly butter your bread!  When my darling grandchildren from Germany visited this summer, I noticed they buttered their entire piece of bread or biscuit at the dinner table, versus the American etiquette of buttering only one bite-sized piece at a time.  (They have polished table manners thanks to their parents, who insist on a sit-down dinner together every night… practice, practice!) Etiquette varies in different countries, which inspired me to write about bread and butter protocol in America. Millennials, if you are invited to a business dinner…let’s brush up on your “bread and butter” skills.  (Pssst… this little secret speaks volumes about your table manners.) Take it or leave it, but at least you will be aware of this simple polished gesture! When bread is served to you, take the piece of bread and place it onto your butter plate, which is to the left of your dinner plate,