December 28, 2011 – CBS 2 News at 6AM

On Saturday night, it will be time to ring in the New Year. So what’s on your table right now?

Old magazines with strawberry jam stains on some of the pages? Coffee mugs caked with sludge left over from last weekend? The stupid purple polka-dot tie your nephew gave you that you didn’t want and would just as soon use as a makeshift Kleenex? Brown evergreen sprigs that only serve to remind you that Christmas is over?

Well then guess what. It’s time to spruce things up.

Joining us this morning on CBS 2 for some tips in that department was Colin Collette, of Surroundings by Colin in Chicago. Here’s a breakdown:

1) Who says you can’t re-gift? As the old song from “Christmas Eve on Sesame Street” goes, “when Christmas is over, save some Christmas cheer.” Go ahead and repurpose a Christmas table arrangement to give it a more New Years Eve look.

Set a bold table, with a crimson tablecloth and a red and white flower arrangement. Just remove the green from the red and green decoration in an arrangement like this one and add silver and gold accessories to complement the red and white tones. Place some champagne flutes on either side of the arrangement, filled with gold ribbons or tinsel.

2) Let it snow! The weather outside is not the slightest bit frightful, and in a year that gave us a 20.2-inch blizzard, that suits us all just fine. But still, a snowy arrangement is truly seasonal. And don’t worry – you don’t even have to use the real thing.

Take a large glass bowl and fill it with faux snow. Tuck in some a fresh potted white hydrangea plant – the blooms almost look likes snowballs! Blue table linens look especially nice as a backdrop. Use snowflake shaped napkin holders or other snowflake accessories. If you don’t have them already, they’re probably on clearance sales right now in post-holiday sales.

3) Bountiful wishes: Fill a container with foods to represent bounty – oranges, apples, cinnamon sticks and star anise. Scatter some of those elements on the table linens – you can use gold, cranberry, brown or orange colors for tablecloths and napkins. Set a small potted rosemary plant on either side of the bowl as topiaries.

4) Think spring! As long as you’re making resolutions (um… you are making resolutions, aren’t you?) resolve to get through your snowy, cold Chicago winter and spring ahead with this arrangement of typical spring blooms. You can get spring flowers this time of year at your florist, so have fun and think color!

You can get truly funky by adding bold pops of color hot pink, lime green and vibrant purple or orange. That way, when regular January days roll around and all of your decorations are put away, you can still have a bit of colorful fun around the house.

Surroundings by Colin has been surrounding you and yours with all things beautiful for 20 years. You can learn more here.

Colin is also participating in the Chicago Flower & Garden Show, March 10-18 of next year at Navy Pier. Advance discount tickets are available online.