COD alumna gives ideas for elevating your holiday decor

In 2015, Sheri Bolton, College of DuPage alumna and Chicago-based interior designer, was selected by then first lady Michelle Obama and her staff to join a team of volunteers to decorate the White House for the holiday season.

She shares the lessons she learned to help you prepare for the holidays and create lasting memories for you and your family.

• Preplan and purchase ahead: The White House recycles and you should too. Almost all of the White House decorations were recycled from previous Christmas/holiday themes. Only 10 percent of the items used were new purchases.

Refresh your holiday décor by purchasing the most expensive items postseason. Enjoy savings of 50 to 90 percent off decorations from the previous year in the months of January and February to be fully prepared for the next year.

• Make it thoughtful: Adorned around the 18-foot Christmas tree in the Blue Room at the White House, from top to bottom, was a ribbon with special messages of hope and gratitude to U.S. troops at home and abroad. After the holiday, the ribbon was cut and the messages of hope were mailed to military families.

The power of a thoughtfully placed handwritten note or message of love and gratitude never goes out of style. Instead of using name cards around the dinner table, replace them with personalized handwritten cards as an alternative.

• Add an element of surprise: The White House decorating days started at 4:30 a.m. On-site were thousands of boxes, wrappings and décor in every room. It was truly a race against the clock to get everything finished on time. One day, President Obama's butler let Bolton spend time with the presidential pets, Sunny and Bo, after their dog walk. She was delighted and so surprised at this unexpected opportunity. Not only did it put a smile on her face, but it gave her the push to continue throughout the long decorating day.

The reason people love gifts is because of the unexpected element of surprise. Try to find an unexpected gift that will surprise and bring joy to the entire family. Perhaps it's the appearance of a family member no one expects to see or a box of beautifully wrapped chocolates as a parting gift for your guests.

• A touch of texture: Bolton worked closely with the London-based designer Duro Olowu to decorate the numerous Christmas trees throughout the White House with vintage fabrics. She also wrapped gift boxes in colorful fabrics from African prints, as well as fabric ribbons and pom poms. The end result was a room that was layered in texture and bold color.

Transform your décor and gift boxes by adding vibrant colors and textures. Design with personality and artistic flair by wrapping gifts in interesting and colorful fabrics instead of traditional wrapping paper. Textured and patterned wallpaper will also do the trick.

• Create an unforgettable sweets table: Bolton dined for lunch every day in the State Dining Room. The dessert display was traditional yet surprising. There was a 500-pound gingerbread house that was an exact replica of the White House and gumball tree created with 4,000 gumballs.

To take your sweets table from flat to fabulous, Bolton recommends organizing all your sweets in the same place, whether a separate table, buffet or counter. Drape a festive fabric or layer two fabrics together as a table covering. Position cakes, pies or cupcakes directly on the table and add depth by placing them on cake or cupcake stands. Display decorative glass jars in varying heights and add everyday candies or small bite size treats. On the table, place scoopers or spoons, tongs and small festive paper baggies, and invite your guest to scoop away. Lastly, add festive décor to your table, like sprigs, greenery, ornaments, garland or figurines and watch your guests exit with a smile.

• Glam it up: More than 70,000 ornaments and 62 Christmas trees adorned the White House. Bolton spent a significant amount of time decorating the lower-cross hall into a winter wonderland and hand-fashioned more than 4,000 silver bells on the archways. Each room bombarded your senses with color, texture, glam and an element of surprise.

Elevate the ambience of your room, bringing sophistication and a wink of glam by adding faux fur to your décor using a table runner, a throw pillow, stockings, a blanket to accent on a chair or a tree skirt.

• Design from within: Every room in the White House told a love story of American history, values, hope and timeless tradition.

Think about the story you want your space to tell. Design from your heart and choose décor that you love. Add elements and décor that are meaningful and thoughtful.

Visit Bolton's website at sheribolton.com to learn more about her and her work.