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Every December, without fail, we all ask the same question: How is it already almost the new year?

I vividly remember my Grandpa Joe telling me, “The older you get, the faster time goes.” For some reason, I always picture him saying this around Christmas/New Year. I didn’t understand it then—but it stuck with me. Remember how endless summers felt as a kid? Time stretched because our days were defined by exploration, creativity, and learning. That was our “work” then.

As adults, the script shifts. Our roles expand, responsibilities multiply, and the desire to make the most of our days increases—perhaps because we have a better awareness of how brief time really is. Productivity becomes part of our fulfillment, but there’s that tension we all feel: the balance between work and play. Neither extreme is healthy.

Over the past few years I’ve poured deeply into my work—learning how to run a business, sharpening my design eye, understanding the industry from every angle. And I’ve loved every minute of it. But as an empty nester, it’s also been easy to let work take up all the space.

So in 2025, I made a conscious effort to recalibrate. To work hard, absolutely—but not at the expense of everything else. I often tell my kids (and myself):

You can do anything for a season—just make sure it stays a season.

Design Dispatch | A Very Ralph Lauren Christmas

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Maybe it’s nostalgia, maybe it’s cyclical taste, but Ralph Lauren seems to be everywhere this Christmas. Have you noticed? A little tartan plaid, a bit of leather, classic greens, velvet—it's all having a moment.

I have my own updated version of a RL-inspired tree this year—classic reds/burgundy and greens, layered textures like mercury glass and velvet, and topped with a red velvet bow repurposed from my front door last year. There’s something comforting about it, and honestly, it’s my favorite tree I’ve done in a while.

It feels like a return to heritage, tradition, and the warmth of classic interiors—a welcome counterbalance to the clean lines and minimalism of recent years. Even clients who typically prefer a lighter look are craving a little more patina, a little more story, a little more “collected.”

It’s the design equivalent of wrapping yourself in a wool blanket by a fire.

In the Mix | Velvet & Silk Ribbons, Everywhere All at Once

Over the last couple of years, velvet and silk ribbon (unwired) have become my decorating secret weapon. They instantly elevate anything you add them to—and are surprisingly versatile. This year I ordered a new selection and loved not only the colors, but the fact that they came in larger spools. Crucial for not running out.

A few favorite uses:

• Wrapped around candlesticks
• Layered into mantel garlands
• Tied onto the ends of chandelier branches
• Looping through wreaths
• Dressing up tree branches
• Finishing holiday gifts
• Adding softness to a bar cart or console vignette
• A simple bow attaching greens to a lantern

Thin or wide, frayed or clean—there’s truly no wrong direction.

Off the Clock | Speaking of Ralph Lauren Nostalgia…

When I was in junior high, Izod Lacoste Polo shirts were everything along with Guess jeans, Esprit, Kswiss, Benetton etc (yes, thank you ‘80s). Unfortunately for me, I always unwrapped the knockoff versions—Britannia being the polo shirt version. My younger self was devastated; my older self laughs at how little it mattered.

But that longing to “fit in” at age 12–16 is powerful. Maybe that’s part of why the Ralph Lauren resurgence feels so familiar and comforting. It captures an era of classic American style—preppy, tailored, traditional—translated beautifully into interiors right now.

What was the one brand you thought you absolutely had to have? Please tell me I wasn’t the only one with these issues. 🥹

Hot Take | Real vs. Faux Christmas Trees—Where Do You Stand?

This debate runs fiercely in my family. My father is hearty Pennsylvania stock and wouldn’t be caught dead without a real tree. Some of my siblings have taken that stance as well.

My husband worked on me for years to switch to faux. I finally gave in… and honestly? I haven’t looked back. (Well, except for once, eight years ago. Never again.) They’ve come a long way in quality and realism—and don’t even get me started on the convenience of the models with lighting built right into the trunk. It takes my son maybe 15, maybe 20 minutes to get it assembled.

That year we went back to a real tree, despite the constant watering, vacuuming, sweeping— by Christmas the tree was definitely a fire hazard. Northern California’s temperate climate doesn’t exactly help. Months later I was still finding needles. No thank you.

Now we do a beautiful faux tree, and I bring in fresh wreaths and garlands to get the scent, the texture, and the bit of “real” without as much of a mess. For me, it’s a happy middle ground:

low-stress + high-beauty + just enough fresh greens to feel real.

So tell me: What’s your vote—real or faux?

Whatever way you lean- no judgement here! Best wishes for the most beautiful Holiday Season.

🤍

Lisa

PS almost forgot- I've been dying to share a new favorite perfume. It was never a thing for me until I met Jo Malone. Her limited holiday fragrance is phenomenal if you need an idea for someone else (or, yourself!)

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