I am not aware of a store that sells ready-made bed curtains for a tall post bed. However, most interior decorators would be able to fit and construct curtains for your bedstead. Thank you for your kind words about our work here in Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area.

I'm so glad to hear that you are inspired by the fun ideas expressed on the DVD! I mention in the DVD and really can't stress enough the importance of developing a theme. A theme gives your creativity a focal point, like putting one object into focus before you take a picture. A theme doesn't have to be big ordeal. Themes can be as simple as a color you love or as elaborate as an 18th-century English garden. As with everything, you'll have more fun and be more creative if you choose something that you are personally fond of.

On the DVD, I use pineapples, shells, and a garden as some of my themes. Of course, developing a pineapple theme was easy but when choosing such a predictable theme, I like to mix it up by adding something a little unpredictable to keep it interesting. I didn't go overboard on the pineapple motif. Instead I use a striped tablecloth, which grounded the table and made it not so "cutesy." The colored stripes in the tablecloth also gave me some other colors to use as accent colors which diffused the strong yellow and added up to a more interesting look.

My beach-themed table is all about texture, which is another important element.  The use of texture adds visual appeal to almost anything. By surrounding a large pillar candle in a hurricane globe with sand and shells I was able to maximize the natural textures of the beach. I also used wicker chargers under the plates to keep the organic feel and texture going around the table.

The focus of my favorite theme, the garden-themed table, shows how ordinary items from around your house can easily be used to create something beautiful on the table. As you develop a theme and start to work through the details of color and texture, don't forget that inspiration is all around you. A centerpiece can be easily pulled together by an artful arrangement of orange, yellow, and red bell peppers or an antique watering can with a bouquet of flowers bellowing out.  It is so easy to get caught up in the details of your event, don't forget to have fun with your ideas!

Throughout the year, I get invited to be a guest speaker at local and regional garden club meetings. Several years ago, after speaking to the group, one of the attendees told me about a luncheon that she hosted for some friends. She had gone to a local thrift store and purchased very inexpensive teacup and saucer sets for each guest. In each teacup she planted an herb. She then place the herb filled teacup at each place setting with a name card. Imagine it! Not only did these teacup arrangements create a beautiful decoration for each individual place setting, they were also wonderfully fragrant and each guest had a take-home memento from the luncheon to enjoy as it grew. For intimate get-togethers, I think it is a great idea to use an individual place setting arrangement instead of a large centerpiece to keep conversation across the table easy. I get such great ideas when I'm out and about, but that's one I have always loved and I hope you do too!

Well, Marianne, you are right on trend. The concept of mixing styles for an eclectic look is quite popular. The obligation to stick with one decor style is not as stringent as it might have once been. In regards to mixing in some colonial-inspired pieces with your French Country dcor, two things come to mind. Painted wood accent pieces, like small painted tables and chests, will mix well with the style that you have while bringing in the classic lines and shapes from the colonial era. As far as table top accents, I would recommend creamware, or queensware. Creamware is a wonderful neutral that works with most styles but is inspired by the traditional styles of the 18th century and very representative of the colonial-look that you are interesting in mixing into your decor.

Barbara, as descriptive as you have been it would be risky for anyone to make specific suggestions for your decorating challenge without seeing your home. However, I can offer a few general ideas for you to consider. It is perfectly acceptable for your house to have some dark spaces. Particularly in a formal dining room which is often reserved for adults and used in the evening, I would suggest embracing the "darkness." Turn this room into an elegant, romantic space, perfect for candlelight dinners. Secondly, have you thought about painting the dining room with a semi-gloss or gloss paint? Sounds outlandish but you might be surprised how the higher sheen will reflect the light from adjacent rooms and bounce it around in the dark room. This technique is actually used in one of our restored 18th-century homes with great success. With both the walls and trim painted in a gloss finish and mirrored sconces on the walls you can create an unbelievable 18th century glow!

Thanks for your interest in the WILLIAMSBURG Style DVD series. Currently, there are two DVDs available–WILLIAMSBURG Christmas Style and WILLIAMSBURG Spring Entertaining Style. You can see short clips from both DVDs in the Style Section of WilliamsburgMarketplace.com and they are available for purchase through the website or in many of our retail stores here in Williamsburg. To view excerpts from the WILLIAMSBURG Style DVD series, click here.

Marion, the Botanical Flowers lamp has such a unique look that I would be careful not to pair it with another lamp that might fight with the design. I think a solid color, like the Bamboo Green lamp, would be attractive. Or if green doesn't work with your décor, you could pull out the rose tones of the flower instead. In either case, to balance the two lamps I would put a small plant or a small botanical-themed accent in front of the solid colored lamp to carry the floral motif over to the other side of the room. This will also help the solid lamp to not look too "heavy" as compared to the botanical printed lamp.

There are some great accessories that you can re-purpose to give a bathroom a more colonial feel. Try using a classic wooden tea caddy on top of the commode tank for soaps or scented sachets. A Chippendale-style wall shelf, typically used for displaying figurines in formal areas of the home, makes a great shelf for towels and brings a traditional element into the bathroom at eye-level where it won't be missed. Lastly, incorporating a cluster of colonial-inspired prints, Catesby, Furber, or prints of Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area, will add some color and personality to the room.

Accessorizing is very personal. Just like with accessorizing your wardrobe you want to develop your own style or flair. The first step towards creating that sense of accessorizing style is to pinpoint your personal preferences. There are several routes to recognizing your style. One suggestion is to group every accessory you have in the middle of the floor. Step back and see if you notice any commonality. Is there a lot of red, a floral motif, items with an Asian theme? You are looking for any number of items that "talk" to each other in any way. Or, another option is to look through home magazines like Southern Living, House Beautiful, or Veranda. Even the most accomplished interior designers get ideas from others. As you are flipping through the magazines be aware of when you stop and look twice at a room setting and tear that page out. Then lay all the pages on a table and notice if there are common elements. This exercise will teach you a little about your likes and dislikes as well as what you need and don't need.

Once you have determined your home décor "personality" you will be able to move ahead more confidently in purchasing your accessories. Based on your description as "unwelcoming," I would guess that you need your accessories to create warmth and soften the edges of your space. As you go through the exercises above, think about accessories that might provide some color and interest while removing the hard lines of your rooms. Throws, pillows, plants, colorful books, and artwork will all achieve this goal. Good luck and have fun with it!!

Congratulations to the den for earning their Heritage Award. What a great accomplishment! I would suggest you look at the selection of charms we offer which could easily be pinned (or stitched) to a uniform. Our charm selection includes a wonderful choice ranging from a quill pen to a miniature replica of the Governor's Palace. Hopefully you can find something that speaks to your projects.

The Girl in Garden Framed Print is 20"H x 14"W. The portrait's young subject wears a white lace dress and holds purple grapes and red roses (presumably gathered from the nearby plant!) in her hands. The girl's captivating gaze is set against a brown background, with hints of sage and tan-a lovely combination of neutrals sure to complement any room's color scheme. Our earthtones giclée print is framed in wood with burnished gold beaded accents. A beautiful addition to any traditional home.

This giclée image is reproduced from a circa-1840 oil painting, Girl in Garden, in Colonial Williamsburg's Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum. The picture was a gift to Colonial Williamsburg from Abby Aldrich Rockefeller herself. The artist is unknown.

Good news Sue! Reed & Barton is introducing new hurricane shades which should be available in late spring. Called "candle glasses" in the 18th century, these shields for candle flame provided safety and economy. Candles were expensive in colonial Virginia. Shades did double duty, reflecting and magnifying light while protecting the flame from drafts, allowing the candle to burn slowly. Interpreted in three sizes from a large 18th-century original in the Colonial Williamsburg collection, these shades will be hand blown, just like the antique example on which they are based. The glassblower folds the foot as he shapes the molten glass. Slight variations are desirable characteristics of these hand-made icons of WILLIAMSBURG style.