Ballard Designs Teams with Carson Kressley, Talk Design and Hospitality

November 23, 2022  by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

At his Pennsylvania horse farm, Carson Kressley talks design and entertaining with Ballard Designs and shares his home entertaining tips with decor items like comfy throw pillows from Ballard's design collection.

With the help of the home décor retailer Ballard Designs, Kressley pulls the curtain back on his own home; from tips and must-haves to décor, dinnerware and beyond, and to upping any hosting game.

In a Home Reveal interview, Kressley shared, "When I get the Ballard Designs catalog, the word that comes to mind is graciousness – whether it's the serving pieces, beautiful pillows, it's all things that delight the eye, but also really appeal to the senses; beautiful things to eat off of, beautiful things to lounge on.”

"That creates a really gracious environment and that's what I think of when I think of Ballard - traditional, classic, updated, not too precious, fun, but beautiful – it's about living beautifully."

Curating an intimate gathering example at home, Kressley recommends the following tips and tricks:

• No matter the occasion, always have fresh flowers – It's not about spending a lot, but about showing quality, like with the classic Bunny Williams Silver Wire Cachepot for a vase. Or, professing not to have a green thumb, Kressley likes faux as well, incorporating Ballard's Moss Spheres.
• No need to create an extensive tablescape, people enjoy buffet style to keep it simple and casual. Catch your guests' attention with Celebratory Cocktail Napkins and a focal point statement piece like a Three Layer Cake Dome.
• Keep it interesting and ditch the exact matching set! Kressley is drawn to Ballard's Bunny Williams Campbell House Dinnerware Collection for this reason – it coordinates without duplicates. He weaves in family heirlooms for a personal touch.
• Take risks with fun items you really love; they make great conversation starters. And unique artwork like a curated collection of Suzanne Kasler Atelier Antlers add dimension to wall decor and certainly grab guests' attention.
• Get creative with product uses and utilize items in ways other than their intended purpose. A Classic Garden Stool can act as cocktail table.

Kressley also has advice for guests attending a party at someone's home – never come empty handed. He loves the Bunny Williams Dog Salt & Pepper Cellar and Bunny Williams Beehive Honey Pot as unique and thoughtful host gifts.

For more information on the partnership and décor inspirations in Carson's home, check out @ballarddesigns and @carsonkressley on Instagram.