The holidays seem to arrive earlier every year. But if you want your house to look its best, you can’t afford to wait until after Halloween. Now is the time to consider how you want your home to feel when your loved ones appear at the door, or when you throw that holiday party for the neighbors. And don’t forget, Calico in-store designers know lots of secrets – and Calico consultants will even come to your home, for free!

1. Want to Open Eyes? Customize!

If you want your house to reflect your style this holiday season, you’ll want to look into custom home décor. How about dining chairs with a solid velvet on the inside, and a pattern on the back? Calico can make it happen – and your palette consists of more than 5,000 fabrics. (Not sure what goes with what? Calico offers complimentary design services.)

There are endless possibilities with mixing dining chairs and fabrics. Showcase your personality – try combining timeless floral patterns matched with modern stripes. — There are endless possibilities with mixing **dining chairs** and **fabrics**. Showcase your personality – try combining timeless floral patterns matched with modern stripes.

2. Don’t Procrastinate.

Custom furniture and window treatments can take 8 or even 10 weeks from the time you order. And even if you could procrastinate, don’t: when the holidays get closer, you’ll have shopping to do, gifts to wrap, cookies to bake, and plans to make.

Custom swags add graceful curves and soft texture to more formal window styles that are perfect for adding a tailored focal point. — **Custom swags** add graceful curves and soft texture to more formal window styles that are perfect for adding a tailored focal point.

3. Performance Fabrics are Ideal for Entertaining.

Who needs the anxiety of waiting to see red wine spilled on your brand new sofa? Stain-resistant performance fabrics are the answer: ingenious fabrics that are easy to clean and engineered to retain their good looks. Performance fabrics are perfectly at home indoors, and come in exciting patterns with a soft hand from makers including Sunbrella, Crypton, Inside Out, Fortress, and Bella-Dura. Calico has 1,000+ performance fabrics, one of the largest selections around.

Crypton’s intelligent indoor fabrics provide function and freedom, engineered so spills bead up and stains clean easily. — **Crypton’s** intelligent indoor fabrics provide function and freedom, engineered so spills bead up and stains clean easily.

4. Quick Ship is Perfect in a Pinch (Even for Pinch Pleats).

Quality window treatments aren’t easy to get in short order, but if there’s need, try Calico’s new Quick Ship program. Choose Pinch Pleat or Grommet drapery panels in 16 colors of our most popular linen, along with drapery hardware sets in a range of sizes and finishes. All will ship free to your home in 10 days or less.

Our classic Pinch Pleat Draperies in Wexford Linen White with matte brass hardware. — **Our classic** **Pinch Pleat Draperies** **in Wexford Linen White with** **matte brass hardware**.

5. Make the Guest Bedroom Better.

Nothing is cozier than a bed fully outfitted with a coordinated duvet cover, bed skirt and decorative shams. With Calico Express bedding, it doesn’t take long to put together a look that’s elegantly put together. Choose from a number of luxurious coordinated sets, most of which include standard shams, euro shams, and accent pillows that complement the duvet and bed skirt. You can get them all in just two weeks!

Inspired by luxury resorts of the British West Indies, our timeless Ceylon will transform your bedroom into an idyllic Caribbean paradise. — Inspired by luxury resorts of the British West Indies, our timeless **Ceylon** will transform your bedroom into an idyllic Caribbean paradise.

6. Make Your Own Table Runner… or Wall Decor

There are simple projects even sewing novices can undertake - and even expensive fabrics aren’t all that costly when used as room accents. Dress up the dining room with a table runner – or make wall décor by stapling a graphic fabric to a wood frame.

Table runners are a great way to dress up any table from larger to small – an easy seasonal update to your home. For larger tables, runners should hang at least six inches over each end of your table. — **Table runners** are a great way to dress up any table from larger to small – an easy seasonal update to your home. For larger tables, runners should hang at least six inches over each end of your table.

7. Don’t Get Overwhelmed.

Start with a good – and realistic – game plan. Calico in-store and in-home consultants are masters of working with what you already have. They know the lead time it takes to get jobs done right. (It also doesn’t hurt that their advice is free!) If you’re looking for new window treatments, they can arrange for professional measures and installation, which is one more thing off your holiday to-do list.