“A Personal Note Before the Rest of the Year Slips Away” – Michele
December has a particular kind of magic—because we get to shape the atmosphere more deliberately than any other month.
The days are short. We’re indoors more. We host more, linger more, gather more—whether that’s Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali, New Year’s, or simply the stretch of winter evenings that invite people to come closer.
It’s the season I’m most aware of how my home feels.
The other thing December does—when we let it—is remind us that connection is the point.
All of it. The rearranging of chairs to fit one more person. The noise and laughter and interrupted sentences. The quieter moments too, when someone stays late and the conversation drifts somewhere unexpected.
The best homes I’ve ever designed are the ones where the space itself seems to say stay awhile.
This is where I start every winter: light. Not “more lights.” Better light.
We don’t fight the darkness in December. We answer it.
Christmas lights wound through trees. Candles on mantels. The soft glow of a fireplace. We string lights along rooftops and windows, set luminaries along walkways, light menorahs, arrange advent candles.
And when lighting is high quality, your home feels better to live in after dark.
That’s why I’m particular about color accuracy (high CRI and R9 lightbulbs) and thoughtful placement.
It’s one of the simplest ways to get the best-of-all-worlds result my clients want: a home that feels minimal but warm, refined but inviting, beautiful but completely livable.
A few winter principles I come back to:
Layer light the way you layer an outfit. A single overhead source is rarely flattering. A home feels more dimensional—and more welcoming—when light comes from a few intentional places at different heights.
Warmth isn’t clutter. Minimalism can be deeply comforting. The combination of great light and one or two tactile notes—materials you genuinely love living with—creates softness without visual noise.
Light for connection. Winter is social. And it’s easy to anchor gathering spaces with light, gently guiding people together. The right arrangement can help to invite conversation instead of making people feel like they’re intruding on each other.
If I could offer just one thought for the season, it would be this: lean into the light. It’s subtle, it’s powerful, and it supports every other choice you make in your home.
Wishing you a beautiful holiday season!
However you’re spending these last days of December, I hope the people you love are close, and the light is just right.
Michele
