Everyone gets in the holiday spirit in different ways, and for some that means enlisting designers to make their home merry and bright. We asked five designers—Yvonne McFadden, Nina Nash, Josh Pickering, Mally Skok and Mary Stewart—whether they accept holiday decorating jobs.
Bring it on
“We love helping clients get their homes ready for the holidays! It is always so much fun revisiting old projects, and it’s nice being able to refresh items where needed. We’ve found our clients appreciate utilizing our team to decorate since we’re able to personalize their decorations and provide them with quality items they’re able to use year after year. We charge our same rates for these types of jobs.” —Yvonne McFadden, Y. McFadden Interiors, Atlanta
Personal task
“I think holiday decorating is a personal thing, especially where children are concerned. They tend to want their ornaments and stockings in the same place as always, and I won’t know where that is. But if it’s their first time decorating for the holidays and they don’t know where to start, then I would take the job.” —Mary Stewart, M.Stewart Interiors, Bear, Delaware
Party favor
“Typically, I do not do holiday decor, simply because it just takes too much time and manpower. It pulls me away from the more pressing work of the interiors. I assure you, if they are going all out on seasonal decor, then they likely also have a list of interior tasks that I am busy trying to rush for the Yuletide deadline. At most, I will do a festive table setting for a client’s gathering and provide instructions for them to implement on the rest. The same merchandise markup and hourly fees apply.” —Josh Pickering, Pickering House Interiors, Dallas
The designer who stole Christmas
“I think my clients have given up asking me to do their decorating for Christmas, probably because I am a bit of a Grinch about it! I don’t love those dusty old garlands that look half-dead, dragged out of a box in the basement every year. Tired decorations are almost worse than not decorating at all!” —Mally Skok, Mally Skok Design, Boston
Yuletide assistance
“I’m often asked to help my clients with their holiday decor, but it’s not something I typically do—have you seen me on a ladder?! It’s dangerous! In all seriousness, I don’t physically do the holiday decor for clients anymore, though as a courtesy to my really good clients, I do help them with suggestions as far as what I think would be the best colors to incorporate. I’m pretty close with my clients, so if I see something I think they’d like, I’m happy to suggest it to them and assist at no charge. I don’t like to nickel-and-dime my clients for something like that. Truthfully, the big holiday stuff needs to be left to those who professionally do seasonal decor, and for me personally, I feel less is more and advise to keep it simple, classic and pretty.” —Nina Nash, Mathews Design Group, Atlanta
Homepage photo: A project by Josh Pickering | Courtesy of Pickering House Interiors
