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Ask A San Francisco Expert: How To Decorate Your Home For Thanksgiving

November 20, 2016 / 5:00 AM PST / CBS San Francisco

(courtesy of Sandra Gaska)

Sandra Gaska
2247 Union St.
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 474-8826

www.Teevan.comSandra Gaska is the Lead Interior Designer at Teevan, a San Francisco-based company that restores and remodels homes and commercial properties around the Bay Area. Her creative eye and sound designer judgment bring the beauty of Thanksgiving into your home.

Gaska graduated from Cornell University with a degree in interior design, Department of Design and environmental analysis. Teevan is proud of its talented team of expert advisers, designers, craftsmen, painters and restorers who work together to make any project, whether big or small, a seamless experience for their clients. The dedicated Teevan professionals are very committed service specialists and go above and beyond to eliminate stress from each project.

Uniquely known as "today's restoration experts," Teevan has, throughout its 50 years of experience in the San Francisco Bay Area, been welcomed into thousands of homes to create dream spaces and restore houses to their original splendor. True experts in their field, the Teevan team is equally trusted to care for and restore places of worship and iconic historic buildings in the Bay Area.

Sandra, as lead designer, is responsible for the design and innovative creativity that achieves excellent results for Teevan customers. Teevan is rightly proud of its dynamic history and enthusiastic about its future. Here are her tips for how to best decorate your home for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Draw Inspiration From The Architectural Style Of The Home

Thanksgiving is a celebration of bounty, family and gratefulness. Houses hold memories of the generations of families coming together to observe the holiday.

Rather than picking unrelated themes, design within the context of the integrity of the house. Select details from the period the house was created as a backdrop.

Appeal To All The Senses When Making Your Design Decisions

Thanksgiving celebrates the beauty of the harvest. Set the stage for the dining experience. Remember the table design is just one small part of the overall experience. Select beautiful music, sumptuous smells of food cooking and beautiful organic decorations.

The table design and the food are one part, but the experience should start when you approach the home. Consider adding festive lanterns, outdoor plants or a crackling fire.

Centerpieces Should Be A Simple Organic Representation Of Abundance

Think of color, texture and shape. Something as simple as single huge dahlia blooms resting on staggered white side plates can create an architectural table runner.

Nametags could be attached to richly colored apples. Impromptu vases can be made from hollowed gourds and pumpkins, which is a perfect height for conversation.

Create Areas For Spontaneous Conversation

A traditional table setting isn't conducive to impromptu conversation. Create opportunities for your guests to socialize by setting up small gathering areas. Make a prep station so that guests can assemble their dishes while having an opportunity to talk. Gather around an outdoor fire pit, or invite musically inclined guests to bring instruments. Usually the best conversations happen in relaxed informal settings.

Encourage Guests To Bring Their Signature Recipes In Their Favorite Serving Platter

Nothing makes a table more festive and personal than an array of pottery that reflects the unique style of the individual who brought it. Adding the personal touch may also encourage storytelling centered on the history of the platter, bowl or serving piece and the memorable events it took part in.

Melanie Graysmith is a writer, artist and educator based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She writes on adult education, art and culture, business, and lifestyle topics, and enjoys writing short stories and poetry. She is also a part of the Bay Area independent film community..

Thanksgiving