People look forward to the onset of fall and winter for a variety of different reasons. For some, it’s the beginning of football season and tailgates, while others see it as the hallmark of another season. A season where you can shine — the holiday season. This amount of time allows you to really let your creative design tendencies flourish as you decorate your home to your heart’s desire.
There is, however, one pitfall that can occur and that is to have your decorations display that is put together in a way that will have your neighbors talk about it in unflattering memes inspired by “The Office” and Chevy Chase’s “Christmas Vacation”.
If you don’t want to see your home plastered on someone’s Facebook page with a disparaging caption, here’s some advice for making your home a decorative holiday masterpiece and not an eyesore.
Door décor
Start by decorating your door. This can be done in a multitude of ways depending on the type of home you have and how much time you want to devote to the decoration process. If it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas, a wreath can serve as an attractive focal point in your entryway. You can add special touches to it using ribbons or ornaments.
If you want to go bigger, put up ornate ribbon displays in the eaves alongside their doors. The decorations might also spur you to add a new coat of paint to make everything more vibrant. Red has become a popular color for front doors and it’s one that can work year-round.
Carefully placed candles
Candles are an excellent way to heighten the good feelings of your holiday festivities. Halloween lovers
can place candles in groups of four at strategic and safe points throughout their home, which is perfect for a haunted house ambiance. For Thanksgiving and Christmas, having candles with scents like pumpkin spice or pine provide an air of comfort and joy within the home.
And you can never go wrong with candles as the centerpiece to your dining room and living room tables, just make sure to use unscented candles in these areas so as not to overpower the aroma of your meal.
If you want to get creative with your candles, you can also make your own candleholders. This is especially cool around Christmastime where you can employ tall glass containers, glue and some seasonal elements such as pine tree branches to create them.
Stage the staircases
Don’t neglect your staircase during the holiday season. It can serve as both a neat way to add more zest to your holiday festivities and as a conversation piece for visitors. For Halloween, you can’t go wrong with draping cobwebs about the bannisters. And for Christmas, you can drape string lights along the guardrails and use bows as charming accents on the bannisters. For a quick and easy accentuating touch, get some holiday-themed runners for the steps.
Window wreaths
You’re probably familiar with the song “Deck The Halls,” but there’s no reason why you can’t deck your windows, too. Extra Christmas ornaments that didn’t make the cut for your tree would be lovely in a simple display hanging in the window. You can also opt to get diminutive wreaths to hang within the window frame. In this case, less is definitely more when it comes to visual appeal.
Light it up!
Lighting is an essential part of any holiday display, no matter the occasion.
Halloween allows you to be a little more unique with things like hollowed-out pumpkins (always exercise safety with those on your step) and other themed novelty items.
Thanksgiving and winter holidays give you more leeway to experiment with traditional lighting schemes. Garlands draped along the foyer add a whimsical tone, and twinkling lights can be used outside and inside of your home for an enthralling effect.
Add some color
Lastly, don’t be afraid to mix things up when it comes to color and texture palettes. Aim to incorporate deeper tones that exude warmth in places throughout your home to heighten the atmosphere. A few examples can include the inside of a bookcase or that end table in your living room that has seemed a bit blah lately. You’ll find that adding color can really go a long way when it comes to lifting the moods of your guests! One design trend that has been on the rise? Metallics, such as silver and gold, which can add a regal touch to your holiday gatherings.
Bring in some good cheer this holiday season with these decorative tips and your new home will be an absolute mecca of merriment.
Christopher Smith is a freelance writer when he’s not sampling the best cuisine in his hometown of New York City. Prior to that, he worked in film and television post-production, and counts the honor of working with Eartha Kitt among his milestones.
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