It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday season is the perfect time of year to create new traditions and try out some new winter-themed decors. Whether you’re on the naughty or nice list, you deserve to treat yourself to the finer things this holiday season (maybe this even includes asking Santa for a new bedroom set).
Out with the fall, in with winter; now is the time to start imagining what your personal winter wonderland should look like. Will there be plenty of candles? Maybe some mistletoe?
It was designer Tom Stringer who said, “A house is not a home until there is a story attached to it.” So, as you make decorative plans for the holidays, think of including decor items that lead you to reminisce of Christmases past.
The Christmas Tree: Does Placement Really Matter?
For many, the Christmas tree is the penultimate symbol of the holiday season. If it’s the first Christmas in your home, you may be asking the question, “Where do I place the Christmas tree?” The placement of your Christmas tree isn’t as important as how the surrounding furniture pieces are arranged.
A tree bedecked with dazzling lights, dripping with ornaments, is going to be the focal point of the room no matter where it is placed. Therefore, the furniture should be arranged so that each visitor can sit and admire the tree with a sense of childlike wonder. Arranging the furniture in a sort of semi-circle also helps everyone to equally enjoying a view of the children opening presents on Christmas morning. As the character, Charlie Brown said, “It’s not what’s under the Christmas tree that matters; it’s who’s around it.”
Keep it Toasty with an Electric Fireplace
Have you seen the latest faux fireplaces? If you have, you may have even mistaken them for the real thing. Some of the most impressive use a misting cassette that is filled with water and then flame-coloured projections are cast onto the mist. The effects are stunning. Plus, you have the benefit of having a safe heat source while also humidifying your room — a double-win for those cold, dry winter days. Of course, there also some faux fire models that emit no heat at all, making them a stylish option no matter what the weather is doing outside.
Wreaths to Ring in the New Year
Have small kids in the house? One of the best DIY Christmas wreaths is by having kids trace their hands on red and green craft paper, then glueing these together to form a wreath. This project is always fun for kids and parents alike!
On Etsy there are tagged images for magnolia wreaths, which are perfect for that transition from fall to winter. If you are using a fresh arrangement of magnolia leaves, you can even use some spray glue and sprinkle some fine silver powder onto the leaves to make the wreath ready for the New Year!
Making a Very Merry Mantel
If you have a mantel above your fireplace, consider yourself lucky; because a fireplace mantel will be one of the centrepieces of your holiday decor. To draw the eyes into the pieces on top of the mantel, taller ornamental pieces should be positioned at the sides of the mantel, while smaller items should be situated toward the middle. Having shorter decorative items toward the middle also frees up visual space in case you want to hang a decorative wreath or another wall-suspended decor item.
You don’t have to go expensive with decorating your mantlepiece; some pine cones, cutout paper trees, and some candles can do wonders in transforming your mantle into a beautiful winter scene. The Midwest Living website has some additional ideas on decorating your mantel for the holidays — check out their 50 Gorgeous Holiday Mantel Decorating Ideas article, today!
Decorate a Leaning Ladder for the Holidays
One great holiday decorative touch we love is featured in the December 2018 issue of Real Simple, where the editors have decorated a wall-leaning ladder with an assortment of holiday-themed items. You can enliven this stark, ordinary piece by attaching some pine garland swag, stockings, or even dangling some Christmas lights so they weave whimsically through each wrung.
Something Sweet and Scenic
The holidays are no time to be watching your figure and that is why we love the idea of including edible arrangements, such as wreath-shaped sugar cookies on a cake stand crafted from red glass.
Ho, Ho, Ho, Hot Cocoa
Expecting visitors for the holidays? Create a hot cocoa station complete with a mug stand. Many of these also have a base or top designed to hold Keurig or instant coffee pods, but instead of using this area for instant coffee pods, you can toss in some small tree ornaments or even some pinecones!
We also recommend reading big company-distributor feedbacks before you purchasing any furniture items. Check out 1StopBedrooms reviews to make sure you’ll have the best shopping experience.