Five Holiday Tips for a One of a Kind Look
Have you started to experiment with your holiday decorations with colors other than the traditional red and green? If you haven’t you have probably considered it. Today’s holiday decor today is less about traditional colors and more about blending with your everyday look.
Here are six holiday tips for one-of-a-kind chic holiday look.
Declare a Color from Your Decor.
Today’s interior design includes color palettes that harmonize and speak to one another from room to room. Holiday’s shouldn’t be an exception. Start with selecting colors from your existing palette. Try evergreen, shades of creams and white and one color from your existing décor. (I chose a chartreuse lime green that was already an accent color in most of my rooms.)
Let’s Start Outdoors.
If you want your home to shine and be memorable, don’t be predictable. And please, don’t over do it. Less is usually more. Pick a style and theme and stick with it. I would recommend matching the style your house. If you live in an early century craftsman, bungalow or Victorian, perhaps plastic Santa wouldn’t look as good as white lights wrapped on a vintage sled, a wreath, and lanterns lighting the path do your doorstep. On second thought, in most cases scrap plastic Santa and the blow up snow globe!
Focus on a focal point around your doorway or in your yard. Decorate a sled, bicycle or bench with lights, stars and large ornamental globes. Use your imagination. Once again, make sure your theme speaks to what is inside your home.
Repetition is nice in design. Try triple wreaths on your front door to make a statement. Use luminaries or shepherd’s hooks up your driveway with lanterns. You can also place balls of holly or ornaments on your Shepherd’s hooks. Consider bringing the indoors outside with hurricane glasses with holly and candles. I love that look.
Bring out the Silver and China
I recommend using everyday things in unusual festive ways. Do you have heirlooms from family, vintage finds, and wedding pieces you hardly ever use? Pull them out. The look will be outstanding and the pieces will give you great memories. Mix creams and whites and silvers and golds. Bowls can be used to display color glass ornaments. Trays can be used to display treasured pieces. Try stacking chargers, plates and saucers on one another for a great look. Top the stacked round plates with an ornament or two. Candlesticks can be repurposed as well for the season. Try placing an ornament on one or two for a festive look. If you have a candelabra, now is the time to display it with a bit of garland, ivy or evergreen too.
Use Lighting and Candles Liberally
Do you notice I always seem to talk about lighting? There is a reason. It so overlooked. Lighting will make your home sparkle and glisten for the holidays! Live a little. Add candles with varying heights, sizes and finishes to tabletops. Layer twinkle lights into existing trees in your home. Try placing luminaries down hallways.
Last weekend, I visited Pamela Sandall’s home for her annual holiday party. She is a local interior designer who is a dear friend. Pam has great holiday decorating ideas. Try this tabletop look I spied at Pam’s home. Lay twinkle lights over your tablecloth, add a layer or chiffon or translucent fabric over the twinkle lights. Bunch the fabric over the lights. Your table will glow around the lovely food you prepared.
You can also try this look from my sister Diane in Indiana. Light up pine cones with twinkle lights in a wire basket. Her creation sits next to the fireplace all winter season.
Ribbon, Bows and Garland Whisper “Holiday”
My Mother taught me anything can look holiday with a bow or some ribbon! Am I scaring you? Let me explain before you panic. If you have a statue on your mantle of a horse for example, adding a tasteful bow that matches your holiday décor makes him a Christmas horse. You get the idea don’t you?
Try using wispy garland to frame your front door, mantle, and mirrors. I love round topiaries all year long – bring holiday bling to them with (your guessed it) ribbon. If they have a large stem try adding ornaments tiered in different layers underneath the ribbon.
I love mistletoe! Do you? I think my love affair stems from being a little girl when my older sisters would have boyfriends at our home over the holiday season. I dreamed of being old enough to have my first smooch. I mused that my boyfriend would dip me under the mistletoe for a memorable first kiss. I especially love the homemade look of mistletoe. Try homemade mistletoe with tin silver stars over a doorway or arch in your home.
Also try hanging simple ornaments accompanied with ribbon from your chandelier or sconces like icicles, and glass snowflakes. They are like earrings for your chandelier. Then top the look with a bit of holiday garland. (Make sure to stay very clear of the light source.)
Fresh Foilage adds Texture, Aroma and is Unmistakably Christmas
We have such wonderful options for the holidays freshness here in Oregon. Why buy evergreen for tabletops and displays when you can go cut a few branches outside? Talk about freshness!
I also love blooming paperwhites in urns and pots. You can use them year after year. What a fun tradition to share with the little ones in your family.
Use fresh flowers, evergreen and fruits for arrangements. If you have a touch of amber, terracotta or orange in your décor, try using clementines in a vase and then add the flowers at the top. Limes are also a great addition if you have a shade of green in your décor you’d like to accent. Limes, clementines and cranberries also look great together displayed in a silver bowl.
Add these holiday decorating tips for a unique, personalized holiday look that will add to a blissful holiday season for you and your family.
Photos:
Home of decorator Michelle Morgan Harrison
Nell Hills, Mary Carol Garrity