It’s that time of year again when we drag out the dusty bins stuffed with trimmings, stockings, and delicate keepsake ornaments. While the task may be daunting, excitement fills the air with the thought of turning your home into a cozy holiday wonderland; and even though you may not be Clark Griswold, you start imagining holiday stories told by the fireplace under a holly-strewn mantle and family members gathering around a holiday feast fit for a king with decor to match. Decorating your home for the holidays is about bringing the spirit of the season alive and creating a mood within your home with rich colors and traditions. Not sure where to start? Follow our simple steps to accessorizing your home this holiday season and making the most of your holiday decor!
Whether you go all out for the holidays, tend to be more of a grinch when it comes to decorating, or simply don’t budget for grand holiday transformations, you can still take part in the fun of decorating your home this season by adding a few simple accessories throughout your home and enhancing the decor you already have!
Tip #1: Set the Mood
Set the mood by including warm tones and rich textures. Select one main color, such as the ever-popular holiday red, that already matches the colors in your home and then accent it with typical holiday colors of silver or gold. Tie in the color throughout your home easily by swapping out everyday pillow covers for holiday-themed pillow covers to match. Think: patterns, reindeer, snowmen, or even your favorite line from your favorite holiday carol, such as the Nighttime Embroidered pillow by Birch Lane. We love the simplicity of a pillow and the great depth it adds to a room!
Adding a beautifully textured throw blanket to your living space that ties in your chosen color of the season will also bring warmth to the room. Don’t forget the dining room as well – just the simple addition of specifically chosen table cloths and napkins can add a great deal of charm and character. We love the versatility of Pacific & Rose table linens.
Product Recommendation
Marrakesh Vermilion Table Runner
About Pacific & Rose
Founded in 2001 by Elizabeth James, Pacific & Rose Textiles brings a fresh, colorful interpretation to a hand block-printed line of home textile products.
Utilizing vibrant color combinations and organic natural fibers, the collections are designed from a love of Indian handcrafted textiles, coupled with influences living on the California coast, and inspiration from travels. With a long-time collaborator in India, Pacific & Rose hand block’s prints and sews the collections by hand at their fair-trade workshop in Jaipur, India. The end result is a design fusion of East and West that shines through in all of their textiles and products.
Product
Table runners add a bit of color and variety to your life, as well as your dinner table, and that’s why this gorgeous and seasonable red Marrakesh Vermilion Table Runner will be a great addition during the holiday season.
Features You Will LOVE
- Hand sewn and printed
- Fair trade certified
- Screen printed and sewn in California on 100% cotton
- Machine washable in warm water
- 14” x 90”
Perfect For
The Marrakesh Vermilion Table Runner looks seasonal yet classy, and can showcase your Christmas China, or year round, far after the holidays are over.
Tip #2: Enhance the Twinkle and Shine
We all love the glitz of a twinkling tree! By simply adding a mirror to the wall nearby or metallic details around the room, the twinkling of the tree lights will be amplified as they bounce off the surfaces, creating a dreamy glow. Think in terms of golds and silvers; and if a large mirror isn’t in your price range, think about opting for a number of smaller mirrors and collaging them on the wall to make a big impact. We especially like the effect that the Gold Burst Petite wall mirror, featured above, is giving – mixed with other gold accented mirrors, this look gives off a great holiday vibe with its star-like shape.
Tip #3: Think Outside of the Tree
Is your tree overflowing with ornaments, but the room otherwise seems a little bare? Show off keepsake ornaments throughout the room either using an ornament stand designed to look like a Christmas tree, or a beautiful bowl where intricate holiday ornament bulbs and greenery can be gathered and arranged as a centerpiece for a side table. Amazon offers plenty of various ornament holders, such as the Regent Mini Ornament Tree, shown above, as well as intricately designed bowls and vases sure to match any chosen theme.
If you’re looking for special ornaments to display, we absolutely love VivaTerra Kashmiri Hand-Painted Ornaments.
Product Recommendation
Kashmiri Hand-Painted Ornaments
About VivaTerra
VivaTerra began in 2004 with the passionate belief that you don’t have to compromise your sense of style to help preserve the earth’s precious resources. They noticed that the natural world is abundant with color, texture, and stunning design motifs; and in all of their products, they strive to incorporate these inspirations from Mother Nature. Since then, VivaTerra has moved to Virginia but remains committed to the goal of offering customers a wide array of home products that encompass both the value and beauty of sustainable style.
Product
Hand painted by Indian Artisans, the Kashmiri Hand-Painted Ornaments (Set of 4) are uniquely crafted paper mache ornaments that will be holiday keepsakes you’ll cherish for years to come. You can start a new tradition by trimming your tree with a story of culture and craftsmanship that you can pass through the generations.
Features You Will LOVE
- Handmade in India
- Approximately 3″ diameter each
- Artisans recycle paper to make these vibrant ornaments. Sheets of otherwise discarded paper are re-purposed and given new life.
Perfect For
Culture is so important to instill from an early age, and that’s why these Kashmiri Hand-Painted Ornaments are perfect to adorn any tree for a lesson in cultural awareness, and also to simply be beautiful. Hang them from your Christmas tree during the holiday season, or leave them on display year round in a pretty hurricane vase or dough bowl.
SHOP
Kashmiri Hand-Painted Ornaments
EXPLORE AND CONNECT
Tip #4: Tie in Greenery
Don’t limit your wreath to the front door. Greenery, whether bare or sugarcoated with berries, is a great way to bring the holiday cheers of the outdoors inside. Replace a wall feature with a stunning wreath and matching bow to tie in your overall theme. We love the Apple Cinnamon Pinecone Fresh Holiday Wreath, not only for its use of fresh Maine greenery but also the classic holiday bow and fragrant cinnamon sticks. Be sure to use greenery throughout your dining room centerpiece to add fullness and depth to the table, and be sure to include greenery on top of the mantle or wrapped around the stair railing if you are feeling really daring. Tie in bows throughout to relate back to your overall theme. A little secret: Greenery is also a great accent to the chandelier above the dinner table, adding a warm touch and tying in the room as a whole.
Looking for great holiday greenery and decor? Joss and Main is your one-stop shop!
Product Recommendation
Joss and Main
About Joss and Main
Joss and Main is THE site for those who seek excitement in the hunt for high quality, on-trend, designer household decor and infinite design inspiration. A subsidiary of Wayfair.com, Joss and Main is a free, members-only site that operates by offering quick, limited-time only flash sales to their members. With new events popping up daily, members are treated to an array of various styles of furniture, household accessories, decor accents, and gifts, as well as a great deal of insight on various designer’s interior design techniques and trends. With an ever-changing product line, members can’t help but check in again and again!
Product
Joss and Main‘s Make It Merry Faux Glitter Pine Topiary may not be available anymore as the Make It Merry flash sale has ended, but have no fear, there are certainly more holiday flash sales happening right now, with a wide array of selections and styles! We are certain that the quality and beauty of the Faux Glitter Pine Topiary can be found in all of their pieces. What we love most about the topiaries are not only their commanding size, but also their incredible durability. The base, wrapped in beautiful burlap with just a touch of glitter, serves as a great foundation for the tightly woven topiary trunk, made to resemble a tree trunk in every detail. The pine shimmers with a dusting of silver glitter and small pine cones act as the perfect accent amidst sprawling branches. While the decor is enough to enchant your holiday spirit, the sturdy branches are the perfect spot for hanging a special ornament.
Features You Will LOVE
- Authentic look
- High quality materials
- Functional, use as a special place to showcase important ornaments
- Durable, will withstand packing away after the holidays
- Adds a soft, beautiful touch to holiday decor with simple shimmer
Perfect For
The Joss and Main Make It Merry Faux Glitter Pine Topiary is ideal for accenting the fireplace, entry way, or buffet table this holiday season. No matter what theme or Joss and Main item you choose for your holiday decor, Joss and Main’s impeccable design taste will make your season merry and bright.
Tip #5: Display Festive Dinnerware
The holidays are synonymous with great dinnerware. While many festively designed plates, glasses, and mugs can be found to tie into any theme, don’t leave them hidden until Santa’s ready for his midnight snack. The kitchen can be the most fun to decorate! Festive plates and mugs are a great decor addition to any kitchen, proudly displayed on a plate easel or hung on a mug rack. Rethink the purpose of some of your items, such as a small decorative plate used as a spoon rest by your stove! We are loving the traditional festive look of Park Design’s Christmas Vacation Spoon Rest, nicely placed on a matching plaid placemat. It automatically adds warmth to the room. If you have an area in your kitchen that is not often used, such as a bar cart, glass front cabinetry, or open shelving, turn it into a holiday showcase by featuring some of your favorite keepsake glassware items.
If you have small children in the house, keep the tradition of Santa’s late night visit alive with Mud Pie’s “Cookies for Santa” Milk Bottle on display all season long!
Product Recommendation
Mud Pie “Cookies for Santa” Milk Bottle
About Mud Pie
Founded in 1988 by current CEO Marcia Miller, Mud Pie is an award-winning manufacturer of uniquely designed and affordably priced gifts. Based in Stone Mountain, Georgia, the company is composed of 3 divisions–Mud Pie Baby, Mud Pie Living and Mud Pie Fashion. Mud Pie is a favorite brand of style-conscious consumers and lovers of unique and timeless gifts.
Product
When you get the kids ready for bed on Christmas Eve, one of the most beloved traditions in many homes is leaving some milk and cookies out for Santa Claus. The “Cookies for Santa” Milk Bottle is the perfect decor item that is functional and adorable. The bottom compartment can house your favorite cookies (homemade or store bought alike!) and the chalkboard back makes it easy to personalize to add a fun, whimsical touch.
Features You Will LOVE
- Size: 7 ¾” height x 3″ diameter
- Beautiful ceramic with rubber cap to protect from accidental (excited) spills
- Features: chalkboard “Dear Santa, this year I am wishing for…” message area on back
Perfect For
The “Cookies for Santa” Milk Bottle is an adorable addition for any home with Santa-believing children inside it, and will be cherished year after year as a fun holiday tradition.
