Courtesy of English Hampton Gardens
Holiday Decorating With East Hampton Gardens’ Michael Giannelli
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Michael Giannelli, proprietor of East Hampton Gardens, is a master of holiday decorating. He gave us a peek into Holiday 2022 and his vision of style this year is silver tinsel-wrapped in nostalgia.
Jack Frost
“This is a winter wonderland of snowy whites and shimmer that brings elegance to your tree, interiors, and tabletop,” he explained. “Frosted trees twinkling with lights, silver garlands, and vintage ornaments are the focus. Antique silver glitter covers pine cones and accents of crystal icicles, glittery blown glass ornaments are grouped together in a wintery scene. Pastel-colored cottages finished with glitter sparkle under the tree or placed on a console with antique white and gold miniature trees to set a frosty holiday mood. Take out all your vintage silver pieces and accents and display them around your home filled with ornaments, greens, or candy. Frosted garlands are placed on mantles with crystal and silver candle sticks and everything shimmers in a layer of glitter.”
Woodland Wonderland
“Here we use natural elements that bring the outdoors inside. A large quirky tree with plenty of branches for ornaments that are burnished and have a patina,” continued Giannelli. “Large magnolia branches in vases used on console tables or mantles. Mixed garlands of pine, cedar, and magnolia draped on the staircase. A large wreath of pine cones, large and small, mixed with juniper berries. A large bow of shimmering organza finishes it off. Beautiful birds in all varieties are tucked into the tree, garlands, and wreaths as a surprise element. Garlands are laid on the dining tables with pillar candles, votives, glittery deer, and pine cones. Napkins are wrapped with simple jute with greens tucked in.”
Highland Holidays
“This is our nod to a classic, more traditional Christmas,” Giannelli said. “A large, classic tree filled with white lights, red, green, and silver beaded garlands, and painted plaid ornaments in glass, candy canes, and peppermints in apothecary jars on mantles and tables. Vintage-inspired ornaments hang in mass on the tree finished with retro tinsel that sparkles. Satin tartan tree skirts and stockings add to the traditional mix. Tartan ribbons are woven in garlands and finish a beautiful wreath layered with greens, pine cones, and winterberry. Our signature red satin bows are placed on boxwood wreaths inside and out. Tables are set with a mix of heirloom china and grandma’s crystal glasses, and napkins are finished with dress pleats and are tucked into silver napkin rings. Boxwood topiaries are placed in small silver containers to add shimmer and reflect the candle’s glow.”
How does Giannelli incorporate these styles and holiday looks into client homes? He applies the classic principles of design to holiday décor methodically within a reverse engineered philosophy. “We use a lot of what clients have, and then add or subtract.”
He says that according to his classic design principle, groups of three are ideal although groupings in general help create an impact. Giannelli recommends gathering similar items together for a holiday display. For example, an effortless way to create this is with a congregation of candles on a table or sideboard. “Put mini-trees, like a small forest, together on a shelf, and keep the groups bundled close together, rather than spread out.”
To decorate a tree Giannelli recommends starting with lights, working from the inside of the boughs outward to the tips. Whatever styling has been chosen for the rest of the house can be extended to the tree. He prefers the slow-twinkling white lights with the formula: “for each three-foot tree we’ll use 60 feet of lights.” Giannelli recommends boughs of greenery draped on the mantel, twisted down the banister of the staircase, or curled into a centerpiece surrounding a candle on the festive table.
“There are a few ways for you to use ribbon on your Christmas tree,” he explained. “I’d particularly like to use a four-inch wide wired ribbon. I also look for double-sided ribbons so sometimes they have a plaid, on one side and a gingham, on the other or contrasting patterns, which makes the tree more interesting. The first way you can use the ribbon is to start at the top of the tree and secure the ribbon with floral wire to a branch then working vertically you loop the ribbon and tuck it into the tree and you work your way down the Christmas tree looping the ribbon to the left or to the right to create movement, you can also use this technique by going around the Christmas tree. I use the back of my hand to help make the loop and then tuck it into the tree and secure it with wire. You can also make multiple loops almost like a half bow at the top of the tree and then give yourself another 12 inches of ribbon and into the tree, then create sort of three little loops and tuck those into the tree. The trick to using ribbon on a Christmas tree is I usually keep the ribbon on the spool and use the entire length of ribbon while I’m working because I don’t want to pre-cut the ribbon because eventually, you’ll run out so if I’m working from the top of the Christmas tree down, I would make the loops continuously working left to right and then when I get to the bottom of the tree, I would leave a tail and then continue again starting at the top.”
To learn more about Giannelli and East Hampton Gardens, visit easthamptongardens.com.
