Fresh Design Ideas for the Holidays

As Halloween decorations are being taken down and stored in boxes for next year, decorating for the Thanksgiving and Christmas season works it’s way up the to-do list. Boxes stored in the garage, storage closet or extra room are begging to be opened and plundered for family favorites and treasures of years past. Each trinket pulled from colored tissue offers it’s own memory and sweet story. Baskets of scented pine cones, a simple wreath and beautifully colored ribbons adorn the rooms.

Putting a fresh face on the holiday season isn’t always easy. Using the exact same decor each year, we may not realize that while we make the house look festive and reflective of the season, we may neglect to infuse the personalities of the entire family.

Begin with the Basics

What counts most in any room, says interior designer Alexa Hampton, are balance, color, contrast and proportion. This is equally true when pulling together holiday decorations.

A few Examples

If your family puts up a large tree at the end of the living room, the other end of the room should feature something equally heavy, although dissimilar. A garland wrapped around the stair rail or perhaps draped over a large mirror makes a tremendous impact.

White or ivory walls call for accents in deep purple and red.  Bright pillar candles in glass cloches on a hallway table and brightly colored flowers on the mantle piece. Another option would be to go tonal with white-on-white displays such as white hydrangeas interspersed with a few lemons and and limes for a casually elegant ambiance.

Choosing Colors

It’s your home, your style and should be indicative of that to everyone who walks in. When it comes to your theme for the holidays, think about your favorite color palettes. What color makes you happy? Whatever it is, claim it a yours ad create something fabulous.

Begin outside and work your way in 

Make sure your guests feel welcomed every time they arrive at the front door by putting something uniquely “you” on it. If you lean toward the conventional, try a square wreath rather than a circle, or one made of feathers. Festive and modern, either should set the tone for what awaits inside.

For those who want something more unusual, Morse suggests making or buying a large wood replica of the first letter of your last name or a silhouette of your pet. Spray it a cheery color and hang it up with a poufy plaid ribbon. If greenery says “the holidays” to you, gather a bunch, and then wrap it in paper and tie with a big bow as though fresh from the florist shop. Then hang. If you’re hosting several get-together’s, suspend a framed chalkboard written with a special greeting for each, the type of party it is, directions to the pond where you’ll be skating or simply “Cheers!”

Other simple ideas

• Have the kids cut out snowflakes from construction paper in white or a color that coordinates with their bedrooms.  Tie on various lengths of ribbons in the color of their choice and then, using double-face tape, affix to the ceiling.
• Don’t forget the bathroom, especially the one used by guests. A bowl of lavender plus a sprig of it tied to the shower head look special and add a delicious scent.
• Drape glittering tinsel around dining-chairs and add a smattering of silver stars and bells at the back for pizzazz. Or wrap them with ribbon, a tree ornament or name card tied at the back with a bow.

Sally Morse is the Director of Creative Services at Hunter Douglas and we are thankful for the tips and ideas sent our way. For more information and ideas, visit their site, follow Hunter Douglas on Pinterest, Facebook and download the Art of Window Dressing iPad app on their site.

 

 

 

“