It's that time of year again! Consumerism and holiday cheer are at the height of prevalance, and people around the globe are flocking to spruce up their surroundings for one of the year's biggest interior-decorating holidays. Now for the average consumer and holiday décor-enthusiast, this task alone would be no easy feat, but for the eco-conscious purchaser, the difficulty richter scale goes borderline off the charts. Thank goodness we have professionals like Kari Whitman to turn to for all of our holiday "greening" needs!

Kari Whitman, founder of Kari Whitman Interiors (KWI), specializes in residential and commercial projects ranging from condominiums to estate homes, boutique hotels to large-scale developments.  A former actress, green designer and accredited member of the American Society for Interior Design, founder of Greener Pup LLC (eco-friendly doggie merchandise), founder of Ace of Hearts (a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing dogs and putting them in loving homes before the day of their scheduled euthanasia), and star of WE's reality TV show: Designer to the Stars, Kari's resume is irrefutably well-rounded and undeniably impressive.  Accustomed to working with A-list Hollywood celebrities, Kari is well-versed in working under high-pressure and high-profile environments. She must not only ensure the deliverance of impeccably unique interior décors, but she must also do so with the undoubted assurance that every room she completes is dog, baby, and people-friendly. Her list of celebrity clientele includes Jessica Alba, Virginia Madsen, Emilio Estevez, and Don Henley. She was also selected to act as main designer for Park La Brea, the large development in the historic Miracle Mile district in Los Angeles.

Her rolodex alone proves her credibility ten-fold, but it is her impassioned advocacy and dedication to animals and the environment that sways us to give her two thumbs up, and invigorates us to turn to her for green holiday décor advice! According to Kari, just follow these simple steps to enliven and brighten up your homes with Christmas delight and holiday cheer, all with a green-spirit that garners no less than the utmost respect for the environment and our family's health to boot:

• Design your own holiday carpet to jazz up any room.  A fun and easy way to add some seasonal flare to your living room, kitchen, or dining room is to make your own eco-friendly carpet!  According to Kari, it can be cheap as well! First, choose a carpet remnant (carpet scrap or leftover) from your local carpet store- most will either give them away for free, or sell them inexpensively.  You can take this opportunity to explore with and choose colors/patterns that will vary with the seasons (and with your moods). After choosing your carpet remnant, you can also opt to bind the sides with a complementary trim for only around $30-70.  (Or just leave the remnant as is!)  This is a quick and green way to add some spice to your décor...and keep leftover carpet scraps out of our landfills! To find a carpet store around you, use this carpet store locator.

• Create a beautiful Christmas centerpiece. Scented or colored candles really set the mood for the perfect holiday ambiance!  To create a simple holiday centerpiece, Kari suggests going to your local flea market to find fun and funky salad plates-mix and match sizes, patterns and colors.  Arrange pillar candles of different heights on the collection of plates-beeswax and soy candles are both inexpensive and earth-friendly.  Depending on your climate, collect an assortment of seashells or pine cones, and arrange them around the base of the candles.  A simple project that will add warmth and personality to your holiday decorations! To find some great organic beeswax candles online, go here.

• Conjure your own holiday tablecloth from household scraps. Rather than splurging on a new tablecloth this holiday season, Kari suggests you create your own out of remnants from fabric house backrooms or overstock fabrics.  You can often find small pieces of leftover designer fabrics-or any fabric that suits your mood and décor-and you'll be amazed at the variety of beautiful and high-quality options available.  Take your fabric of choice to your local dry cleaner or seamstress to have them stitch up the edges for a tailored look (unless you can talk Mom into doing it!).   

• Adopt a new family member from a shelter! Adopting a pet will not only save a special life, it will also be the gift that keeps on giving, always reminding you of the '09 holiday season! Pamper your newest furry family member with one of Kari's Greener Pup custom green dog beds (www.greenerpup.com).  A beautiful addition to any room, Greener Pup beds are also eco-friendly and 100% of ALL profits go back to saving animals.  As Kari is a huge animal rights advocate and pet-lover, if you email proof that you rescued a dog to greenerpup@gmail.com, you'll automatically get 25% off your entire first order!!  With custom covers made from overstock or discontinued fabrics, and fillers made from recycled plastic bottles, every effort is made to ensure the beds are as eco-friendly as possible.  Greener Pup beds help save lives and the earth, and will make this a special holiday season for all!!

• Rejuvenate that old couch or bed with personalized, colorful pillows. Add some holiday color to your couch or guest room just in time for visits from loved ones with new pillows.  Either get crafty yourself or find a local seamstress to transform old pillows into new seasonal accents.  Kari suggests to use fabric remnants to reupholster or create slipcovers for old pillows you don't use anymore-it's inexpensive and a great way to recycle.  Don't have any old pillows to spare?  Get adventurous and order pillow fillers online made from recycled plastic bottles or even corn!  They're soft, durable and hypo-allergenic.  Best of all, they're good for the earth and your wallet.  

Most of this advice is cheap, easy, and requires minimal effort on our part. How often, other than when we dress ourselves in the morning, do we get the chance to creatively express our personal tastes and unique style in our day-to-day lives? Kari has provided some great tips to infuse warmth into our homes, indulge our seasonal craving for holiday decor, and to tap into our inner creativity, all the while promulgating some seriously green and eco-friendly methods to do so. For more information on Kari Whitman, please visit her website: http://www.kariwhitmaninteriors.com/about.html.