Turn your home into a festive wonderland with easy and elegant decorating tips. The holidays are fun and magical but can also be busy and stressful. If you’re hosting parties or intimate gatherings, preparing your home for the festivities is also on your already long to-do list. Deck the halls and get your home holiday-ready with these easy decorating tips.
Select a Style
Decide what kind of holiday-inspired look you want to feature in your space. Select a traditional, modern, country, or eclectic aesthetic, or create your own curated look. The dominant theme should match your preference but also look to your home and the existing architecture to land on the right style.
Use whatever style you choose throughout the entire home. Creating a modern living room look, but a rustic dining room will feel disjointed. Working with one consistent style gives the whole home a cohesive feel and will lend the space a professionally decorated vibe.
Choose a Color Scheme
Consistent color helps carry the theme and make the entire look feel deliberate and connected. The style will influence the color scheme. Classic red and green work for a traditional look; deep burgundy and forest green complement a classic or elegant style, while shiny metallics create a luxurious, modern vibe.
Choose two to three complementary colors unless you purposefully want a monochrome look. Feature the selected colors throughout your holiday decor. Incorporate the colors into the tree decorations, centerpieces, wreaths, and any decor items placed throughout the space. Consider how the holiday color scheme will look with your existing decor. You can always swap out accent pillows and even window treatments, but the holiday colors must work alongside the furniture and paint colors already in place.
Use What’s Available
Certain items, like Christmas trees, wreaths, and nutcrackers, invoke the holidays. Other decor items like vases and tablecloths can have a holiday look, but you can fill in your design with non-holiday things you already own. Incorporating items you already have into your holiday design gives the finished space a full appearance while going easy on your budget. Use a mirror as a centerpiece over a mantle or feature a vase containing pine branches as part of a tablescape.
Sometimes, using items you already own in your holiday decor is necessary. While books or your regular decor items can be temporarily packed away, other items on display may not have any place to go. If the houseplants, usually displayed on a bookcase or built-in cabinet, are displaced by a manger set or holiday vignette, cluster the plants on an available shelf or console table to create a lush curtain of greenery. Spead the reaching stems of a Hoya or Pothos along a tabletop or deep windowsill and tuck tall candles or holiday figurines between the foliage. Surround a red poinsettia with green houseplants to make the red stand out.
Put a Bow on It
Ribbons are a great way to give everything a festive and elegant look. Select a wide ribbon to wrap a banister or tree. Add bows to wreaths, swags, or chair backs. Weave ribbon throughout a tablescape or use it to adorn a mantle. A ribbon is a great way to introduce an accent color and provide texture, and using the same ribbon provides consistency throughout a space. What’s even better is that the ribbon is reusable, so pack it away and use it again next year.
Illuminate the Way
Lights are a big part of holiday decor but don’t limit yourself to the exterior of your home or the tree. Feature strand lights along a mantle or console table or string the lights with garland across the upper portion of an interior door or an exposed header in an open concept space. Use battery-powered lights to add a twinkle to a centerpiece or feature light anyplace not convenient to an outlet. Always be mindful of heat generated by lights and battery packs, especially when using lights near pine boughs, tablecloths, and other flammable materials.
Enjoy the Season
The right holiday decor will set the tone for your gatherings and make your home welcoming and inviting. Whether you want an over-the-top statement or a subtle The holidays are about spending time with the people who matter most, so create an atmosphere that makes your guests want to stay and enjoy the festivities.
