FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM RUN OF THE RIVER, LEAVENWORTH, WA

 

CONTACT:  Monty Turner, (509) 548-7171

 

WHAT DO TEN THOUSAND TWINKLING WHITE LIGHTS AND A THOSAND PINE BOUGHS HAVE TO DO WITH THE HOLIDAYS?

Run of the River Inn and Refuge shares ideas

for decorating with nature

 

Leavenworth, WA – Run of the River guests have come to expect the inn’s signature sophisticated and yet natural seasonal décor.  Here, the focus is on bringing nature into the inn from the bounty offered by the refuge surrounding the inn, and the Icicle Valley’s treasure hove of natural accoutrements.  Those new to the inn are usually “wow’d” by the expertise of Run of the River’s stylist, Patty Bosket, whose focus is entirely on decorating au natural.  Run of the River, a sophisticated lodge-style inn where the focus is on outdoor recreation and indoor romance and relaxation, makes the perfect backdrop for bringing the outdoors in.  However, while the focus is au natural, the inn sparkles with more than ten thousand white lights indoors and out, adding to the glow of guests finding romance here.    

 

Run of the River innkeeper, Monty Turner and stylist Patti Bosket share their ideas for creative and natural decorating that will WOW your reader’s guests, and offer the added bonus of a romp in the forest to gather decorating materials.  Best of all, everything natural described here can be found outdoors, and the price is right. Free!

 

Window Boxes: After fall when you think the flowers boxes need to be put away, keep them out for Christmas decorations.  They provide the perfect container for seasonal decorating.  Think red and green - gathering assorted pines boughs, rosehips or red berries and twigs.  Then add some pinecones or even twigs spray painted white or red. To get 24-hours of service from this, add some white lights or even a spotlight on the boxes.

 

Vases of Greens: One of Patti’s favorite Christmas ideas involves filling cylinder vases with a few rocks, then small clippings of cedar or any greens inserted into the rock base.  Fill the vase with water and then top with a floating candle or hang snowflakes off the twigs. For a nice table centerpiece, use assorted sizes of vases including six, eight and nine-inch vases  6" 8" 9" as a natural runner down the middle of table, then surround the vases with a natural bed of pine boughs, greens,  cedar, pinecones or whatever you have available.

 

For a variation, Run of the River emphasizes its lodge style by adding a pair of old skis on top of birch logs as a runner down the table.  Atop the skis, the vases with greens and floating candles are inserted into antique ski boots for a centerpiece everyone talks about.

 

Decorations for Entry Ways: Entry ways are the introduction to your holiday decorating, setting the tone and expectation for what is inside. Here are some fun and creative ideas for decorating doorways for whomever comes knocking.

 

·         Ski Lodge Look: Gather old skis, sleds,  snow shoes,  ski poles, snow boots, skates, or any fun recreational equipment with an antique look, and arrange them  off to one side, or in an area that fits your entry way.  Add birch logs or any type of twigs or logs.  Frame the door way with the old skis, then work in pine boughs throughout.  Add some fake snow, purchased at craft stores, and you’ve got an old-fashioned ski lodge look with a wonderful holiday focus.

 

·         Create a Forest: Create a natural forest by arranging assorted sized live trees in large pots painted red.  Differing height trees arranged in uneven numbers along a walkway or in the entry way will give this a more natural look.  Wrap the trees in white lights, and wire in pine cones.  Add a pine wreath to the door with a big red bow to offer an elegant lighted walkway or entry.

 

·         The gift door: Cover the door in you choice of wrapping paper. A solid red for a nice clean bright look is recommended. Add a big bow to the middle of the door, using 3-inch ribbon.  Add pine cones and berries to the bow to give it a natural look, or center a wreath over the bow. For a more natural look, frame the doorway in pine boughs, and add white lights around the door.  Fill some red baskets with empty boxes wrapped to look like presents, and set them off to the side of the door.

 

·         Just Greens:  Take a walk in the woods and gather all the pine boughs (long-needle, short-needle, or both), pine cones, winter berries or bittersweet, grapevine, twigs, and other natural decorations you can carry. Frame the door in greenery, and then work in lights around the doors. Add pine cones, twigs, and berries around the greens.  Fill old baskets or your flower boxes and flower pots with dirt and stick in more of the greens, berries, grapevine or twigs until the container looks full.  Place the containers throughout the entry way for a very woodsy, natural yet elegant welcome.                                                                                                                                      

Themed Trees:  Each guest room at Run of the River Inn and Refuge features its own themed Christmas tree.  Here are a few ideas for themed trees to share with your readers:

 

  • The bird tree: Wire pinecones, white lights, and grapevine twigs to your tree to give it the outdoor feel. Add some of your favorite birds that can be found at local craft stores.  Add loose feathers, bird nests, assorted berries, and you have a tree with a very woodsy look.

 

  • The fishing Tree:  For a more masculine or “lodge look” Start with white lights, then add pine cones, grapevine or any type of twigs.  Fill in with small fish ornaments, and then add a few old fishing poles – either antique, children’s or the real thing.  Fish nets are fun to weave in along with fishing lures of fly ties, and the tree topper can be an old fishing creel with some fish net and a fish hanging out of the creel.  You can stick in a few fishing hats too, which add a fun touch.

 

  • Color Trees: Patti Bosket says, “I love a tree all in all red, combined with the pine, it offers a traditional holiday look”.  Start your decorating with white lights. Next, cut random pine branches off the tree, and spray them with red paint.  Once dry, randomly stick the red branches back into the tree. Next, fill in with red berries, any little red ornaments you have, and then top with artificial snow from the craft store.  A variation on this is the all-white tree, where you start with white lights wired with pinecones. Next add grapevine which naturally curves around the tree.  Fill in with white, clear or Lucite ornaments, and white berries.  Finish by weaving white cheese cloth in with the grapevine, and then fill-in with small bunches of dried baby's-breath or statice tucked throughout the branches.  Add some birch branches and logs at the base of tree for the outdoor look.

 

  • Travel tree: Gather all the memorabilia from your favorite trip. Roll up maps and insert them into the tree, pin on pictures from trip, and add some small lightweight world globes or globe ornaments.  If the trip was a cruise, add some boat ornaments.  If it was a bike trip, add some bicycle ornaments or accessories to the tree.   Most of all just have fun bringing back some wonderful memories.

 

Of course, the best way to really visualize these decorating tips is to plan a pre-holiday getaway to Run of the River, where you’ll see these and many more ideas in living color.  Not only will the decorating ideas come in handy, but a romantic and restful weekend during the height of the holi-daze may be just what you need.  Take a walk in the Icicle Valley, and gather all the greens, pinecones, berries and birch logs you need to create your own refuge and natural look for the holidays.

 

For more information on Run of the River, visit www.runoftheriver.com or call 1-800-288-6491.

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Run of the River Inn and Refuge ▪  9308 E. Leavenworth Rd ▪  Leavenworth, WA 98826