Decking your halls with a touch of holiday cheer!
written by: Sandi Fedorchuk, Design Consultant
You've only got a couple of weeks before the holidays arrive, so now's the time to get inspired! Discover ideas for dressing up your Christmas tree, setting out decorations, hanging ornaments and creating centrepieces to make your rooms more festive. You'll find unique ideas for displaying your Christmas cards and decorating to complement your existing decor.
Create a clean Christmas look with a neutral palette for tree and presents...
All-white decorations give this pre-lit tree a dreamy quality, bringing a snowy winter wonderland indoors. White-wrapped presents are trimmed with metallic gold and silver ribbon for sparkle. A gilt-framed mirror, candelabra and the glossy dark floor exude luxury and refinement.
Decorate to complement existing decor...
A fluffy white Christmas tree sparkles with golden lights, while candles of different heights add interest as a simple centrepiece. Tree ornaments play off two panels of blue and gold wallpaper, used to create a feature wall. These decorations, the modern colour scheme, harvest table and refined chairs set the scene for a sparkly, candlelit dinner.
Fitting a Christmas tree into a smaller space...
Use an existing console table. This wide walnut console in the front window, normally loaded with books, is the perfect place for a four-foot-tall live tree. Elevating the tree enhances its scale in the room. Metallic silver, blue and green ornaments were used with white lights.
Creative with Christmas cards...
Strike a festive note with a vintage-style, do-it-yourself display board in your front hall. An elegant white side table and mercury glass candlesticks underneath create a sparkling tableau.
To make a similar board, paint a vintage frame white, fit it with bulletin board and then use spray adhesive to affix pretty wrapping on top of the cork. After the holidays, the board can be used for mail and shopping lists!
It's as simple as adding a centrepiece...
This glamorous Christmas table setting includes giant "diamond ring" napkin holders, elegant tableware and frosty-looking flowers. A crystal chandelier and silvery wallpaper are sophisticated counterpoints to a glass dining table and icy blue chairs. A medium-grey commercial-grade carpet was used to unify the living and dining room design, and to draw attention from the parquet flooring.
Again, the simple addition of a centrepiece can be festive...
A restrained holiday palette is both festive and chic. A stunning centrepiece of large silver balls and sprigs of evergreen add holiday cheer to this winter-white formal dining room. Dark glossy floors, warm wood furniture and natural light streaming through the windows offer warmth and sparkle!
Be creative with a holiday buffet table...
Create a festive and functional party buffet. A chandelier overflowing with fresh greenery is lit with faux candles to give off a soft and warm glow during meals. For a party, dining chairs are pulled away from the table to create an instant buffet. All-white square serving platters offer an orderly presentation and let the food take centre stage.
Bejeweled holiday candelabra...
A twig candle holder does double-duty, offering a spot to hang pretty necklaces and a few small Christmas ornaments. The refined silver, off-white and blue palette works beautifully during the holidays and year-round.
Simple touches look so elegant...
Add a dash of whimsy with an artful arrangement of ornaments featuring classic Christmas characters. Here, a silver-robed Saint Nick and glittering reindeer were used, then mini glass balls on branches were added and a dusting of faux snow to suggest a picturesque snowfall. The all-white scheme lends modern elegance to the traditional decorations.
**photography courtesy of www.countryliving.com, www.freshome.com, www.aboutdecorations.com and www.allthingschristmas.com