Although I love this time of year, from an interior design perspective, it also happens to be the most terrifying for me. People are just downright out-of-control. I’ll forgive the lawn full of disparate lighted animals (llamas, and penguins?!). I’ll overlook the retina-burning-blue-Hanukkah-lights. I’ll even give you a pass for the inflatable anything folks have decided is festive. I know that people get excited about the holidays. I get that. What harms me is the Every-single-red-Santa-sparkle-deer-snowman-tree-fugliness approach to holiday decorating. Stop it.
It is absolutely possible to decorate without going whole-hog Wal-Mart crazy. Holiday decorating is just a variation on normal good/eclectic style. However, I know that also means it can be a variation on normal unstylishness too. Insert sad face here.
I don’t do traditional holiday decor. I just don’t know how. Santa scares me, I don’t own snowmen, and I seem to think branches and disintegrating Christmas ornaments from the 50’s are gorgeous. I collect pink ones and if the pink is peeling off, I’m over the moon! I encourage you to find new ways to decorate this year. It’s okay if you’ve already gone bananas. You can edit (or I can edit for you, but you might not like that).
Use things you already have in imaginative ways. I filled these bird cages with ornaments and candles. They look amazing hanging outdoors in the evening.
There is no need to cover every surface of your home in cats with Santa hats, orbs, snowflakes, and empty tree-shaped See’s Candy boxes…It gives me a heart attack to think about it. When it comes to decking your halls, it should be with beautiful, meaningful things, and not every single thing you’ve ever had (or been given). Figure out what you love about holiday decorating and distill it down to a few elements. I like white, silver and feeling like the forest is in my house. So I this year I potted tiny Lemon Fir trees in vintage milk glass and other containers.
Yes, acid green and bunnies do say, “Christmas!” to me. The bunnies are white and spare, the tree is the perfect shape, and bunches of peppercorns are so holiday here at Apartment 46.
Try filling vintage containers with colorful Christmas finds like old light bulbs, beads, and dried flowers from Christmases past. The collection will create a cool, curiosity-shoppe vibe.
Think inside the box this year! Create winter-themed vignettes in old crates and boxes and display on the wall by attaching a few panel nails. You can add and subtract all the holiday-weirdness you want and it’s contained in a sensible and interesting way.
You don’t have to display that singing pig-Santa ornament your mom got you at Hallmark. It’s not cute. You could trade it at an ornament exchange, donate it to a hospital holiday tree, or send it to a children’s shelter. That would be meaningful.
So much says “holiday”. Take a look around your home and in your cupboards. I recently dressed a client’s house for the holiday and we filled her crystal bowls with ornaments, grouped her silver candlesticks in a vignette, piled up colorful trimmings on her vintage Italian trays…It was so much fun to find new ways to use what she already had!
Holiday foliage and floral is another area where people can get creative and still embody the holiday spirit. You aren’t limited to pine branches and horrible Holly. By using shades of green and red and different sorts of Winter berries you can create unique and stylish arrangements that are totally unexpected. There are so many great flowers and greens available this time of year. I love to use tarnished silver teapots, cut-crystal vases, and milk glass. For me, vintage is the only way to go when creating floral arrangements.
It is my sincere hope that regardless of how you decorate this season, or how many stuffed monkey elves you display, you will be blessed with the warmth of friends, hope for a fresh, new, year, and the wonder that comes with living on this incredibly diverse planet.
Happy Christmas!
Melisa
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