Putting the holiday in your home is more important than ever. Two designers from the 2019 Kappa Kappa Gamma Holiday Homes Tour reveal how Kansas City florists are making spirits bright.
Classic, Fresh, and Fun
Katie and Bryce Gahagan’s Prairie Village home has classic contemporary down pat. Monica Faught of Fresh Fleur, who had designed the couple’s wedding florals, added light-hearted and festive to the mix. “We used classic Christmas colors—red, green, gold, and silver with a pop of Pink Floyd roses to make it fun and unique,” says Faught. “The black-and-white ribbon is not necessarily traditional, but it helps tie it all together.”
And that garland up the staircase! Says Faught, “One of my tricks for seasonal decorating is more! More lights, more ornaments, etc. I doubled up the sections of garland on the entire railing which gave me more surface area to attach the ornaments and helped create a stunning garland with wow factor.”
Left: A table runner filled with Pink Floyd roses is eye-catching, yet easy for diners to converse over. Right: Pink dominates in the daughter’s room, where her favorite color shows up in the custom-flocked tree and the bedside bouquet.
On the hall chest sits a large, three-tiered silver-and-gold serving piece that Faught filled with red and hot-pink poinsettias.
Faught created the round, topiary-like arrangements flanking the fireplace with red and hot-pink carnations. “Carnations have a bad reputation sometimes, but in the right application they can truly be surprising stunners that are a great value,” she says. Plus, the arrangements lasted four weeks with regular waterings.
In the dining room, “Keeping the rose and carnation centerpieces low, narrow, and dense ensures that guests could carry on unobstructed conversations and the hostess would still have room for serving pieces,” says Faught.
The tree in daughter Evan Gahagan’s room is a custom-flocked real Frasier fir. “Woody, the Christmas tree guru at Family Tree Nursery on Nieman Road, was able to flock Evan’s tree in the perfect shade of pink,” says Faught. “It’s something magical and almost cartoon-like that kids love.”
Says Faught, “My gift from my mother is ‘making things pretty,’ and during this very ugly year, when so many things are still uncertain, I am really looking forward to making things pretty during the holidays again at my house.”
Tradition with a Twist
This 1922 Plaza-area grande dame, owned by Jeff and Amy Hargroves, features classic lines, rosy brick, and white pillars and porticos. “It was a fun house to work with,” says Dan Meiners, of Studio Dan Meiners. He started with black urns filled with evergreens, a ropy garland, and a welcoming wreath of shiny baubles that can withstand the elements. “If you want to make your own wreath, hot-glue the wires into the ornaments first,” he advises, “then wire the ornaments into the wreath frame, pulling them deep inside so they stay put.”
Using cedar for scent and elegance and white pine for softness and airiness, Meiners decked the halls with fresh greenery. He added accents of colorful ornaments, sprays of berries, and pinecones to pull it all together.
Working with the existing color scheme of teal, brown, and yellow, Meiners added two contrasting hues—salmon and emerald. On the hall console and the dining table, he created lush arrangements featuring salmon amaryllis and English cabbage roses. “We paired traditional elements with contemporary details,” he says.
And don’t forget the remote controls to turn all the holiday lights on and off; they will make your life so much easier, he says. “Hide your cords and enjoy the lights.”
Left: The family room is a symphony of gray, silver, pale blue, and white holiday decor. Right: A garland comprised of fresh, scented greens and accented with holiday ornaments cascades down the bannister in the entry hall.