THE HOLIDAY SEASON

This is a wonderful time of the year. Yes, I know---some dread it and never see it through the eyes of a child as they once did, but for those of us who do, it is magical.

I love Thanksgiving because it is such a low key, family time---it doesn't bother me if it's raining, because what is better than a beautifully set table with wonderful food....who needs to go outside?

Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa....there are some easy and simple things you can do to get your house ready for the holidays.

A few of my favorite things to do are:

Fresh pillows---nothing changes a room faster than this quick and easy element.

Throws---first, I love to take a nap anywhere---a true luxury--- but especially on a sofa. I have throws year round, but want them to be warm and cozy for the fall/winter months.

Accessories---it is so easy and such fun to move accessories around or pick up some new ones to change the look of a room from summer to fall/winter.

I recently brought out some wonderful green glass because the color adds a touch of holiday spirit to the room.

Benches---this is a great way to make a room look more cozy...what is more inviting than a bench in front of a fireplace or in a seating group. To me, a bench always says "sit down, even if for a few minutes".

Rugs---this is a great time of the year to move rugs around or buy something new. A simple way to warm any room is to use a white cowhide rug......warm, yet very glam!

Drinks Carts---one of my favorite decorating tools! You can add so much to these. I love to have a lamp on the top shelf along with liqueurs and mixers that are right for winter along with a vase of flowers that say fall/winter. The other shelves may have books and interesting pieces of glass.

Now, after you've done a few of these things, you'll be ready to shop for interesting gifts for your family and friends-----that's what I'll be talking about next time....great ideas for holiday gifts!

NEIMAN'S JAN SHOWERS ROOM

I had a book signing at Neiman's downtown Dallas store and wanted to share a few pictures of the room I created on the 2nd floor. It was a great event and I want to thank everyone who came by and bought books---also, a very special thanks to Kyle Bunting for his fabulous rug made especially for this room at Neiman's. For information on upcoming book signings, visit my Facebook and Twitter pages...

SALE!

Make sure your home is ready for the holidays by taking advantage of our Collection Holiday Sale! Select tables and mirrors are 10% off and can be delivered to you by December 18. Please call Jan Showers Collection at 214-747-5252 for more details.

TWO WEEKS IN DALLAS

Wow!! What an amazing fortnight in Dallas starting on October 12 with the official opening of the Dallas/ATT Center for the Performing Arts on through my favorite event in any city anywhere, Two by Two for Aids and Art.

THE COUNTDOWN:
After the grand opening of the Performing Arts Center on October 12, there was a great U2 concert in the fabulous new Cowboys Stadium. It was a fantastic show in a venue unlike any other, especially viewed from John and Jennifer Eagles' great suite.

Then, the opening nights of the Wyly Theater and the Winspear Opera House which were both spectacular!

Following on the heels of that week, Two by Two for Aids and Art week kicked off with the Sotheby's Preview Night--everyone's first peek at the top tier art that was donated by noted artists and gallery owners from L.A. to London to Germany. This year's art was considered the best ever in Two by Two history.

Two nights later, First Look party which is a fun night with lots of fashion/music people and a wonderful fashion show featuring Christian Siriano, winner of last year's Project Runway and sponsored by Dallas' boutique, 4510. Guests also enjoyed a special music perfomance by Gavin Rossdale courtesy of Kirtland Records.

Next, the Two by Two Gala night which is the most glamorous night of the year in Dallas with lots of star power. Artists and art dealers from all over the world come to this event, along with celebrities---this year, Stanley Tucci and Harry Belafonte, honorary chairs, Kenneth Cole, president of amfAR, and featured artist, Peter Doig. Alan Cumming's performance brought the house down---it wowed everyone there!

Harry Belafonte Alan Cumming

Then Jamie Niven of Sotheby's---yes, he is the son of David Niven, and the funniest man on the planet---took the stage for the live auction.

Two by Two went on to make a record breaking $4 million!

Two x Two tent My daughter Elizabeth & I co-chaired the event

Once again, Cindy and Howard Rachofsky opened the doors of their Richard Meier house for every one of these events. Their major art collection is removed each year so that all of the art donated for the event may be displayed. What a show!

CHAIRS, CHAIRS, CHAIRS If I had to chose one design element that I have a weakness for, it would be chairs. They are simply irresistible to me. I guess there is a very good reason for this passion of mine....a room has little character with simple upholstered pieces...yes, they make a room inviting and comfortable and every room needs them, but for the most part, they add little personality to the setting. One can completely change the look of a room, simply by changing the chairs. Just ask my husband!! We have a room that I love to redecorate----I have done this most frequently by changing one pair of chairs with another (over and over and over!). You get the idea. The next time you look at what I like to call a "character chair" i.e. one that is not fully upholstered, think about how it might change the entire look of a room. I like to add chairs to my furniture collection that will work in many different interiors. Here are a few examples of what I'm talking about: JSC Syrie chair JSC Gigi chair JSC Clark chair JSC Carleton chair Keep in mind that these are not always the most comfortable chairs in the room...they need to be reasonably comfortable, but you will have plenty of other seating in the room for that purpose. These chairs are all about making a statement----although I would never make a statement with a chair that is also an instrument of torture! HERE IS MY CHAIR HALL OF FAME: the iconic Frances Elkins Loop chair late 18th c. Italian Klismos style chair JSC Loop dining chair JSC Daphne chair SOME SPECIAL CHAIRS WE HAVE IN MY ANTIQUES SHOWROOM RIGHT NOW: So, remember, when putting together a room, don't forget the character chair. It will be the element that makes your room memorable {other than a wonderful piece of art!}. This is a good time to mention buying sustainable furniture. As you can see, some of my favorite chairs are over 200 years old. I continue to be appalled at the number of people who should know better but continue to buy furniture that will be disposed of within the next 5-10 years if not less! I love the old Chinese saying "BUY THE BEST AND ONLY CRY ONCE." What an amazingly true statement. I might add, buy second or third rate, and cry every time you try to sell it or have to rid yourself of it. Remember---quality does matter---it always has and always will. I have a few other things on my mind this month.... CRUSHES MAD MEN---ok, ok, I know I'm obsessed but it just gets better and smarter every season. The clothes, the sets, the acting and most especially the writing!! I was recently asked which current movies were inspiring to me and I simply could not think of anything that is more inspiring to me on every level than this show. If you aren't watching, rent the first and second season which is a great way to see it with no commercials to fast forward through. You can also download it from iTunes on your laptop---fun to watch when you're on a plane. I love Burt Cooper's office with the Rothko, Japanese screen and Hollywood regency furnishings with Asian influences. Betty and Don Draper have just redecorated their living room---it is 1963 when Hollywood regency was all the rage. FASHION---love the great dresses this fall that have been inspired by MM!! ART---can't wait to see the Kandinsky show at the Guggenheim and Georgia O'Keefe's abstract show at The Whitney along with two interesting and creative new shows at the Dallas Museum of Art called All the World's a Stage and the Performance/Art show. Kandinsky's Several Circles - The Guggenheim O'Keeffe's Series I-No. 1 - The Whitney Pietro Paolini's Bacchi Concert - DMA All the World's a Stage Yinks's Shonibare's Un Ballo in Maschera - DMA Performance/Art DALLAS CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS---it's finally here!! Dallas has an arts district that is simply stunning with the Winspear Opera House designed by Norman Foster and the Wyly Theater by Rem Koolhass to add to the Dallas Museum of Art, the Meyerson Symphony Hall and the Nasher Sculpture Garden. If you don't live in Dallas, there has never been a better time to come. TWO BY TWO BENEFITING AIDS AND ART----The art this year is better than ever and, I am happy to say the event is sold out. Dallas continues to support the arts. My daughter, Elizabeth Showers, and I are co-chairing it this year. It will again be in the amazing Rachofsky House hosted by Cindy and Howard Rachofsky who are two of the most dedicated people I know---they are truly remarkable and give so much of themselves to both the Dallas Museum of Art and amfAR. To see all the art that will be up for auction, go to http://2x2online.org/. You will find works from Brice Marden, Francesco Clemente, Marlene Dumas, Olafur Eliasson along with over 100 other works. You may place a bid online, so enjoy!! Francesco Clemente's Allegory a pair of Norman Cherner armchairs, c. 1958 The Rachofsky House DESIGN In addition to my book, Glamorous Rooms, I am so excited about several other books by designers that will be out this fall. Nancy Corzine, Kelly Wearstler, Suzanne Kasler and several others will be available later this month. I plan to buy copies of all of the above to add to my library. I just returned from a book signing party in New York that was held in the beautiful A. Rudin showroom at the D & D building. It was a lovely party and lots of people attended. My furniture collection is now represented by this showroom. By the way, if you live in New York or you are going to be there on October 29, be sure to go by and see Margaret Russell, editor-in-chief of Elle Décor. She will be signing her new book, Style and Substance at 11 a.m. that day. While you are there, be sure to check out all of the wonderful furniture lines that are represented! THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE---I know most people went to see this movie to see how much Anna Wintour is like the Meryl Streep character in Devil Wears Prada, but they came away amazed at what it takes to put a magazine issue together. Grace Coddington is a revelation and creative genius (as Anna admits at the end of the movie). If you love art, how can you not love what Grace does on a monthly basis? PEEVES Not too many this month....already mentioned furniture that is not sustainable and that is disposable. Most of you already know how I feel about wenge wood and cheap finishes that require no craftsmanship as I have written about this several times in the past. REALITY TV SHOWS---sorry, I simply cannot get excited about watching these shows with manufactured dramas. Why watch them when you can watch shows that are well written with great production values? We as a society need people to admire. Who wants to watch a train wreck? By the way, don't Hollywood producers have any new and creative ideas----how many shows and magazine articles can they do on the Dallas stereotype (big hair, bad accents, shopaholics, ect.) which is totally unrepresentative of that city? DOOM AND GLOOM ATTITUDES---we will never have a good recovery from the current recession if we cannot get away from listening to talking heads 24/7 with this kind of attitude. Yes, we all need to save and that is a good thing, but to not spend at all will keep our economy stagnant. I cannot even talk about the negative radio/tv commentators that irresponsibly stir up hatred and fear with no regard for the consequences of their actions. More next month on getting ready for the holidays with some new and interesting ideas for gifts, decorating for the holidays and much more. And, please, enjoy fall---look around and appreciate all that this season has to offer. http://www.twitter.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jan-Showers/91838712518