In this handsome and accessible guide, a popular decorating expert offers tips and ideas for re-creating her classic, relaxed style in the reader's own home.

The decorating pride of Atchison, Kansas, Garrity has compiled her favorite tips, tricks and techniques from her stores Nell Hill's and G. Diebolt in this illustrated volume.

From the author of "Nell Hill's Style at Home" comes unconventional wisdom for beautifying a home throughout the holiday season.

From the founder of a popular home and lifestyle retailer, a guide to hosting parties year-round, with ideas for food, décor and themes. “I love it when I catch someone's reaction at my stores when they turn a corner and come upon something unexpected. Maybe it's something they didn't know they had to have until that moment, or it's the way we've displayed something that's a little out of the ordinary that they might be able to use in their decorating.” —Mary Carol Garrity Mary Carol Garrity, founder of Nell Hill’s, tries to guarantee that her customers shopping trips are worthwhile by personally providing them with inspiration on how to improve their homes and decor. This book is the culmination of her many years of experience both selling tabletop and listening to her customers most-often-asked questions about entertaining. Nell Hill's Entertaining in Style is organized around the changing seasons and the holidays and celebrations that go with them. Nell Hill's is renowned for its tabletop medleys, and the book shows you how you can create similar effects. Also featured are creative party themes, delicious menu ideas, and tips to make every guest feel special. The ideal gift for people who are intimidated at the thought of throwing a party, Nell Hill's Entertaining in Style gives readers Mary Carol's tips and tricks for breaking each step down into a manageable plan, along with spectacular photographs of the celebrations in Mary Carol's 130-year-old home as well as in the homes and gardens of her friends.

One of America's hottest little retailers." --Fortune magazine * Mary Carol Garrity lends her trademark advice on planning stylish, affordable, and memorable weddings in Nell Hill's Stylish Weddings Nell Hill's enterprising entrepreneur Mary Carol Garrity delivers practical yet elegant tips on creating lavish weddings without expending huge amounts of time, money, and energy. * Garrity puts forth shower, wedding, and gift ideas and presents readers with a call to action to spend wisely and create memorable experiences with maximum impact. The centerpiece of the book is Garrity's own daughter's wedding held at the Garritys' Atchison home. Garrity takes readers step by step through the planning of this summer event, with food, flowers, and friends gathered for the evening gala. Readers also learn tips from weddings that Garrity has attended and helped plan, including inventive ways to involve friends and family and creative touches that combine old family traditions with newfound keepsakes. * The Wall Street Journal has hailed Garrity as a "one-person economic-development force" in her hometown of Atchison, Kans. Garrity's stores have become landmarks in the decorating world. The Mary Carol Home Collection, an extensive line of home decor products, is distributed nationwide by the Gerson Companies.

Mary Carol Garrity and her home furnishing emporium Nell Hill's have become synonymous with delivering creative and stylish advice on all facets of home decorating and entertaining. Inside Nell Hill's O Christmas Tree, Mary Carol offers seasonal decorating tips for all tastes and budgets by inviting you into her own 130-year-old Greek Revival home decked out in the season's liveliest shades of evergreen, pinecone, and holly. To showcase how her holiday tips can transition into different design styles, Mary Carol also takes you inside a suburban ranch, an urban condo, an arts and crafts bungalow, a new-construction town home, and three historical period homes in Kansas City. Deck your halls like never before with Nell Hill's O Christmas Tree.

How small, one-of-a-kind businesses can break through among giants Megachains like Walmart, Starbucks, Home Depot, and The Gap attract Americans to thousands of outlets by offering a large selection of goods and services. But this doesn't mean that independent stores can't compete with the big guys-and win. Retail expert George Whalin identifies and explores twenty-five highly popular and profitable independent stores from around the country. Unlike the mom-and-pops of yesteryear, these businesses embrace technology and innovation, generate word of mouth, and turn their size into an advantage. They include: ? ABC Carpet and Home in New York City ? Powell's City of Books in Portland, Oregon ? The Junkman's Daughter in Atlanta ? Jungle Jim's International Market in Fairfield, Ohio Readers will be inspired by how these independent stores are thriving and take away lessons they can apply to their own businesses.