It’s finally here, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year! The holidays are such a great time to express your creative side with home decor. It’s time to update your home for the holidays. You can go crazy with glitter, be bolder with colors, and fill every nook & cranny with cheer! The temporary nature of seasonal decor allows us to do things we would normally be more timid about. Neutral colors and “sensible” fabrics can get tiresome but they are actually the pieces that allow us to bring in variety in many more ways.
Our focus today is holiday decor, but consider this all year long. Each season you can change your environment with colorful pieces like pillows and throws, flowers, or tabletop items without a big investment, financially or emotionally, because they are temporary. Having a theme is important and will keep your home from looking like a department store.
Color is Key
Selecting a specific color scheme is an easy way to do this. Even if the items are not in the same style they will be pulled together by their common color. Also layer items of different textures to create more interest. In addition to the holiday items, add pillows and a throw in your color scheme. A few simple ways to infuse your color are bowls of ornaments scattered around the room, various sizes of candles in your theme color, and ribbons tied around wreathes or on a tree.
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Add touches of nature indoors
Nature is a beautiful winter theme and works for people celebrating any religious holiday or those just looking for some cheer. We spend more time in our homes during the colder months so it is an ideal time to liven things up. Create natural environment spaces with pine cones, nuts, birch logs, or an abundance of greenery.
Make spaces for decorations with small trays placed on any surface laden with pillar candles, fir branches, and some glittery pinecones. Surround candles in hurricanes with nuts or cranberries. One of my favorite holiday projects is making oranges dotted with cloves. It is a traditional idea but you can use modern designs to make them more current.
no room for a tree?
Your dining table and mantle are the most obvious places to decorate but think about other places to establish vignettes like bookshelves, the top of a cabinet, or a chandelier. Wreathes are another excellent way to decorate, especially if you want the look of a tree but don’t have room. Garland draped over picture frames and mirrors has a big impact and can be decorated with ornaments and ribbon just like a tree.
Pictured Above (from left to right):
Cristina Chiti Made In Italy Luxury Cashmere Throw, $149.99
World Market Birch Candles, $4.99-$16.00
Anthropologie Shimmering Bark Candle Holder, $18.00-$48.00
Crate & Barrel London Large Clear Hurricane Candle Holder, $39.95
Z Gallerie Feather Wreath & Tree, $38-$46
Sur La Table Snowflake.Table Runner, now $13.96
Etsy Winter Frosted Pine Cones, $7.95
Best wishes for a joyous season!
– Madeleine Donovan
Fountain of 30 is pleased to introduce our new Home & Interiors Editor, Madeleine Donovan of madeleinechicago.com. Madeleine is an Interior Designer and founder of Madeleine Donovan Interiors. She believes an interior should be a direct reflection of its inhabitant, whether it is a residence or workplace. Each project is a manifestation of her clients’ wishes and needs, guided and enhanced by the vision and expertise of her design team. Visit madeleinechicago.com and on Facebook @mdichicago.
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