I would definitely bring silver into your holiday decor.

As long as you work in a color palette and you style what you already have within that color palette, it's going to look good together.

I believe that a perfect house is like a perfect person; no one really wants to be around them and everyone secretly hates them. Be the weird person. Be the interesting person, the person that sometimes says inappropriate things or laughs too loud at jokes, and have your home reflect who you are.

Matte or satin sheen scuffs up very easily. So, unless you have it professionally done, definitely paint shelves or cabinets with something with a higher sheen.

Metal shades only give directional lighting, which is great for a desk or work area, but not for ambient lighting. Fabric shades are much softer.

Oddly enough, white is a dead tone in a small room. Choosing something with a more medium tone will make the space feel larger.

I personally would rather be a partygoer than a party-thrower.