15TH. WELL, PUTTING UP A CHRISTMAS TREE MAY BE A HASSLE FOR SOME, BUT FOR ONE LOCAL WOMAN IT BRINGS A LOT OF JOY. SO MUCH JOY THAT SHE ENDED UP AT THE WHITE HOUSE. WVTM 13 BRYCE JOSLIN INTRODUCES US TO TAMMY WEST. SHE IS ONE OF THE WOMEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE DECORATIONS THIS YEAR. TAMMY WEST LOVES DECORATING FOR THE HOLIDAYS. ALL RIGHT. HOW YOU DOING, BABY? I’M DOING GOOD. OKAY. SHE’S MADE A CAREER OF IT. IT’S BETTER WITH A TWO MAN JOB, TOO. THAT’S ONE THING WE DID LEARN THIS YEAR. HER SKILLS TOOK HER TO WASHINGTON, D.C. SELECTED AS ONE OF AROUND 150 VOLUNTEERS TO DECK THE WHITE HOUSE HALLS, WE WERE GIVEN THE GRAND FOYER, WHICH WAS THE LARGEST ROOM IN THE IN THE WHITE HOUSE. SO VERY EXCITING. IT WAS 30 TREES. THE THEME HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS. SO THE COLOR PALETTE WAS RICH BURGUNDY TONES GREEN. IT WAS JUST VERY RICH. AND WE USED A LOT OF CANDLE HOLDERS AND CANDLE STICKS ON THE TREES. SO IT WAS ONE OF MY VERY FAVORITES. WEST SAYS THEY USE THOUSANDS OF STRANDS OF LIGHTS, MAKING SURE EACH BULB IS SET JUST RIGHT. HAVING TO DECORATE A FRESH TREE IS A LITTLE CHALLENGING, BECAUSE YOU’RE DEALING WITH THE NATURAL ELEMENTS OF A TREE AND HOW IT GROWS. EACH DESIGNER HAD TO FOLLOW A FORMAT, AND IN THE FOYER, IT’S WES FORMAT. WITH MY EXPERIENCE, I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY DO THE ONE TREE THAT THEY APPROVED OF, AND ALL THE TREES WERE ACTUALLY BASED OUT OF THAT ONE DESIGN, WHICH WAS KIND OF COOL. WHILE IT WASN’T EASY, WE WERE WORKING 14 HOUR DAYS STARTING AT 6:30 A.M. IN THE MORNING. YES IT WAS. IT WAS PRETTY INTENSE. IT WAS REWARDING CONNECTING WITH OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE SAME INDUSTRY AND JUST LEARNING FROM THEM. I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY MY VERY FAVORITE PART. NOW BACK IN SWEET HOME ALABAMA, SHE’S HELPING OTHERS SHOW THEIR HOLIDAY CHEER, AND SHE HAS A LITTLE ADVICE FOR EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO GIVE IT A SHOT. BE CREATIVE. HAVE FUN WITH IT. THERE’S NO RIGHT OR WRONG WAY TO DECORATE A TREE. JUST, YOU KNOW, FIND YOUR STYLE, YOUR VISION, AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE FUN WITH IT. IN TUSCALOOSA, BRYCE JOSLIN WVTM 13. WEST SAYS SHE AND OTHER DECORATORS HAD CREATED A GROUP CHAT TO KEEP IN TOUCH AND HOPE
Alabama decorator brings holiday cheer to the White House
Tammy West, a decorator from Alabama, was selected to help decorate the White House for the holidays, bringing her unique style and creativity to the grand foyer.
Tammy West, an Alabama decorator, was selected as one of around 150 volunteers to decorate the White House in Washington, D.C., this year, where she worked on the grand foyer, the largest room in the White House, featuring 30 trees. “We were given the grand foyer, which was the largest room in the White House. So very exciting. It was 30 trees,” West said.The theme for the decorations was “Home is Where the Heart Is,” with a rich color palette. “So the color palette was rich Burgundy tones. Green. It was just very rich. And we used a lot of candle holders and candlesticks on the trees. So it’s one of my very favorites,” West said.West noted the challenges of decorating fresh trees, emphasizing the importance of setting each bulb correctly. “Having to decorate a fresh tree is a little challenging because you’re dealing with the natural elements of a tree and how it grows,” she said.Each designer followed a specific format, and West’s design was used as the basis for the foyer’s decorations. “With my experience, I was lucky enough to actually do that one tree that they approved of and all the trees were actually based out of that one design, which was kind of cool,” West said.The work was demanding, with long hours starting early in the morning. “We were working 14 hour days starting at 6:30 am in the morning yes it was pretty intense,” West said. Despite the intensity, West found the experience rewarding and cherished the opportunity to connect with others in her industry. “Connecting with other people that are in the same industry and just learning from them I think that was probably my very favorite part,” she said.West described the experience as unforgettable and felt honored to be part of history. “It’s an opportunity of a lifetime and the fact that you are there at the White House you felt like you were a part of the history,” she said.Now back in Alabama, West continues to help others with their holiday decorations and offers advice to those looking to decorate their own trees. “Be creative have fun with it, there’s no right or wrong way to decorate a tree just find your style your vision and have fun with it,” she said.
Tammy West, an Alabama decorator, was selected as one of around 150 volunteers to decorate the White House in Washington, D.C., this year, where she worked on the grand foyer, the largest room in the White House, featuring 30 trees. “We were given the grand foyer, which was the largest room in the White House. So very exciting. It was 30 trees,” West said.
The theme for the decorations was “Home is Where the Heart Is,” with a rich color palette. “So the color palette was rich Burgundy tones. Green. It was just very rich. And we used a lot of candle holders and candlesticks on the trees. So it’s one of my very favorites,” West said.
West noted the challenges of decorating fresh trees, emphasizing the importance of setting each bulb correctly. “Having to decorate a fresh tree is a little challenging because you’re dealing with the natural elements of a tree and how it grows,” she said.
Each designer followed a specific format, and West’s design was used as the basis for the foyer’s decorations. “With my experience, I was lucky enough to actually do that one tree that they approved of and all the trees were actually based out of that one design, which was kind of cool,” West said.
The work was demanding, with long hours starting early in the morning. “We were working 14 hour days starting at 6:30 am in the morning yes it was pretty intense,” West said. Despite the intensity, West found the experience rewarding and cherished the opportunity to connect with others in her industry. “Connecting with other people that are in the same industry and just learning from them I think that was probably my very favorite part,” she said.
West described the experience as unforgettable and felt honored to be part of history. “It’s an opportunity of a lifetime and the fact that you are there at the White House you felt like you were a part of the history,” she said.
Now back in Alabama, West continues to help others with their holiday decorations and offers advice to those looking to decorate their own trees. “Be creative have fun with it, there’s no right or wrong way to decorate a tree just find your style your vision and have fun with it,” she said.