I love getting the house ready for Valentine’s day. It’s the only time that I will get away with lots of pink and girlie accessories and my husband will just have to deal with it. Ha! We are spending Valentine’s day at home (again) as it’s turned into a bit of a tradition for us in the last few years. I love spending Valentine’s day at home actually. I’ve learned my lesson and realised that Valentine’s day/eve set menus in restaurants aren’t for us and I’d much rather get a nice bottle of bubbly, snack on some macarons and watch a cheesy comedy at home.
I like to start Valentine’s day preparation few weeks early. There’s nothing worse than finding out that your favourite napkins or candles have just sold out. Well, at least not for me! I like to keep the decorations to a minimum though – less is more! Candles, flowers, cute napkins, macarons, a nice bottle of sparkling wine.. that’s all you need really.
I always start with the flowers. They set the mood for any occasion and Valentine’s day is the one day that you really cannot have too many flower arrangements in the house. I usually buy one or two big bouquets and put some single roses in mini vases. I love using my old Diptyque candle jars as vases. They are pretty and go with everything. Pink roses are a nice alternative to traditional red roses, don’t you think? I like to use my Iittala pitcher as a vase. A stylish champagne bucket would also look cute with a larger bouquet. Scented candles are a ‘must’ for me as they instantly set the tone for the season and they can make any space feel cosy. I love The Lime Basil & Mandarin candle from Jo Malone which is a very fresh and subtle scent that won’t overpower the room.
Who else is mad about macarons? They taste delicious and come in so many wonderful flavours and colours. They don’t feel as heavy as chocolate which means I could easily snack on them all night long. I like to serve macarons on simple a 3 tier cake stand or a sandwhich tray like this from Newbridge Silverware. I guess chocolates have been replaced by a box of macarons in our house on Valentine’s day now. I’d love to make my own macarons one day (I even have a macaron making kit) perhaps I’ll finally get around to it this year.
I’m not into sweets, or jellies, but my husband and kids love them so I always get some for Valentine’s. Marshmellows and strawberries go nicely with a glass of champagne and we usually have them as a post dinner snack. I try not to cook on Valentine’s day though. I spend so much time in the kitchen that it’s nice to be able to take a break from cooking, so we usually end up ordering a takeaway. I do prepare a little canapé platter but that’s about it. The lips paper napkins and squirrel serving plate are both from TKMaxx.
Valentine’s day celebrations wouldn’t be the same without some sparkling wine of course. If you don’t have pink champagne at hand, just add a drop of Chambord to your drink and voila you’ve got yourself a delicious champagne cocktail. By the way, I love these chic Vera Wang wine coasters. If you want to keep your wine cold a little longer, just place the coaster in the fridge few hours before you plan to serve the wine. Don’t forget to check out second hand shops too. They often have a great selection of vintage coasters that might just need a bit of polish and scrub to bring the sparkle back.
The trickiest part about Valentine’s day is finding the perfect present for my husband. He already has everything, and I prefer to buy practical presents rather than keep sakes. Last year I bought him a new bath candle and some bath salts.
Here are my top picks for this year:
1. Tom Dixon Scented Candle
2. Taylor of Old Bond Street Shaving Set
3. Rock Roller 3 Piece Drinkware set
4. Personalised Man Cave Sign
5. Personalised set of 2 mugs
For the alternative gift guide, head over to the Kate Young Design Blog!
I also love these Valentine’s Craft Party Ideas from Style Me Pretty Living. I think I might get crafting with my daughters few days before just to get them excited about the day too.
Have you made plans for Valentine’s day yet?
