Changing Your Holiday Décor from Year to Year
Hi everyone, it’s Reena here! If we haven’t met before, then allow me to (virtually) introduce myself: I am the principal interior designer of the firm and a self-proclaimed holiday décor enthusiast. Now, don’t get me wrong, my house has never been the one on the block that stops traffic on the ol’ sparkle tour. While I admire the level of commitment it takes to pull off a holiday decorating extravaganza, I lack the storage space to play in that league. Creative holiday hacks and bang-for-buck are more my jam. Today, I’m doing a little take-over on our blog to share a few tips and tricks that I have picked up decorating my own home and those of our clients over the years . #InspirationIsEverywhere
Pro Tip #1: Invest in neutral “foundation” decor
I have a stash of basic glassware, candle holders, and pedestals that have become the foundation for all my holiday and event décor throughout the year. I use these everyday items to create displays for tabletop, mantles, and shelves; with the addition of fresh greenery and a few holiday specific ornaments, the generic décor is instantly transformed into festive holiday displays. Over the years, I have collected a rainbow’s worth of tree ornaments, so this strategy allows me to change up my holiday look every year without constant reinvestment. Some years, I go with a very simple neutral scheme with fresh greenery, using only white or metallic ornaments; other years I incorporate colour into the displays. Footed bowls, trays, and apothecary jars filled with colourful tree ornaments make an impactful festive statement when incorporated into these otherwise neutral displays.
Pro Tip #2: Holiday décor should “vibe” with your home’s aesthetic
Overdone trees and fussy, traditional décor do not translate well in clean minimal homes. Fresh greenery, simple holiday décor, and sparsely decorated trees are more at home in this type of environment. Your personal design aesthetic and favourite colours should extend to your holiday décor. Practically any colour combination can be made to look festive and co-exist peacefully with your furniture, fabrics, and wallcoverings.
Last year, we decorated one of our client’s home for the holidays and the colour scheme for the family room décor was inspired by the fabrics and wallcovering in the space!
Pro Tip #3: Transform your existing accessories
Instead of removing all of your everyday accessories to make way for holiday décor, transform your existing accessories into the holiday décor. Grouping “like items” such as pillar candles, pottery collections, or glassware together adds instant impact. Adding simple festive touches such as fresh greenery, complimentary tree ornaments, or a string of twinkle lights to the display gives it a festive feel.
Pro Tip #4: Go overboard!
Decorating for the holidays can be the perfect excuse to go overboard. When we design and decorate homes for our clients, the accessories we choose are carefully curated to reflect their taste and the everyday lifestyle of their family. The holiday season is a time of celebration and, for some people, a time when concerns about timelessness and practicality go straight out the window, giving way to sentimental favourites or full-on glitz and glam! The beauty of this approach to holiday décor is that by the time practicality catches up, the season is over and everything goes back to storage until next year.
We decorated the home of one of our clients whose tastes typically run clean, simple, and classic. Her holiday style was over-the-top girly-girl and we were more than happy to oblige with this blush tree and miles of fresh garland on the fireplace mantles and stair rails throughout the house.
Pro Tip #5: Add a homemade garland
There is nothing more festive (and easier to make) than garland! Why spend hours coaxing the same dusty pre-fabricated faux garland into shape when it is so easy to re-make and change it up every year? Garland can be as simple or elaborate as you wish – start with a base of fresh or faux greenery and then just add decorative elements that capture your holiday look. Garland made for stair rails and other high traffic areas must be wired into place, but garland for mantles or the top of cabinets can often be placed loosely with minimal or no reinforcement at all. Inexpensive battery powered LED twinkle lights have made it easy to light garlands with no access to outlets – yay!
Pro Tip #6: In case of emergency, salt dough!
If you have never made salt dough ornaments before, get thee to the kitchen! I stumbled onto this super easy DIY ornament idea one year in a time of crisis. I used most of my own tree ornaments on the office Christmas tree and I didn’t have anything for my tree at home. I made salt dough ornaments for the tree and it was so easy, I fired up the production line a few months later for Valentine’s Day! Learn how to make your own below:
Salt Dough Ornaments
all-purpose flour, table salt, and water
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 250°F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together equal parts flour and salt. Slowly add in the water until dough is a rollable consistency.
3. Roll out dough until it’s approximately 1/4" thick.
4. Using cookie cutters, cut shapes and transfer onto parchment lined baking sheet.
5. If you plan on hanging your ornaments, use a straw to poke a hole.
6. Bake in oven until hard, approximately 3 hours.
7. Once cooled, decorate! (Pro tip: Puffy paint and glitter will most resemble real cookie decorations.)
8. Hang or display for holiday cheer!
This blog series is called Tips & Tricks, where we’ll be sharing some of our team’s favourite design advice! In the meantime, follow along and stay up to date with the In House team on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.
