Each year, December ushers in a pile of holiday cards, invites, and general entertaining mayhem—in the best of ways of course. To help us navigate it all we decided to tap our True Residential ambassador, interior designer Vanessa Deleon, to give us a few holiday entertaining tips. Not only is she the consummate host, but she understands the importance of a well-designed kitchen with the right appliances. Spoiler alert: our products our all over her house! “I designed my kitchen to not only look incredibly chic but equal its appeal in functionality,” says Vanessa. “With a restaurateur husband who is a professional chef, True Residential was the obvious choice: It delivers high-end residential refrigeration backed by a long legacy of commercial performance.” 

While Vanessa chose a black and copper color scheme for her kitchen and outfitted her True Residential units in that striking combination, she also incorporated two of our 30” Wine Columns into her third floor bar design—in a beautiful blend of stainless steel and brass. “We love to entertain,” says Vanessa, “but without the space that the True 48” Refrigerator offers us, their amazing Clear Ice Machine, Refrigerator Drawers, and their Wine Columns, we would absolutely not be able to do so in the manner we—especially my culinary master of a husband—are accustomed to.” For Vanessa and her husband, that equals a lot of delicious appetizers, multiple courses, and flowing wine in a beautiful setting. Would you expect anything less from an interior design / chef couple?

As for decorating and entertaining tips? For Vanessa, the holidays truly begin when she starts to decorate her home. First, she advises, pick a design scheme. This year, Vanessa went with a Winter Wonderland theme that implements silvers, whites, black accents, and lots of sparkle. It also happens to go perfectly with her living room’s color palette of silvers, whites, taupes, and grays—adding an extra layer of brilliance to kickstart that holiday spirit.

At the eye-catching Skyline dining table Vanessa designed for Elbra, a crystal trough runs down the middle and can be raised for additional visual interest. To accessorize the table for a seasonal dinner, Vanessa brought a few of the living room’s holiday decorations and color schemes into play to add a sense of continuity. “Creating a sense of flow is always important,” says Vanessa. Vases are filled with the same silver and gold ornaments that adorn the tree, while candle holders add just the right touch of bling. Silvers, golds, and coppers go hand-in-hand, reflecting the adjacent kitchen’s color scheme to perfection. Place settings showcase a master class in mixing metals (and harken back to Vanessa’s choice of our Wine Columns in a stainless steel finish with brass hardware), with dinnerware from Bernardaud making a big statement. “Never be afraid of mixing metals,” says Deleon, “they create a much warmer effect than you would think.” To soften the palette of the tablescape, Vanessa added in beautiful yet subtle holiday accessories in various shades of lavender—infusing the space with a warm inviting glow.

Lastly? “I always love to add an element of surprise when I entertain,” says Deleon. For example, at one of Deleon’s recent holiday dinner parties, she included a polaroid camera at the entrance for each guest to shoot a selfie. These images took the place of place-card holders and inspired some much-loved holiday cheer. Love her ideas? Take a peek at Vanessa Deleon’s Open House Holiday Decor Tour (begins at 4:08), where you will also catch a glimpse of her fabulous, decked-out kitchen featuring True Residential.