Spruce Up Your Christmas Tree and Home Décor This Season
The most treasured Christmas memories come to life with decorations and details. Traditional displays make for memorable holidays, and building on an existing collection can make for even brighter celebrations. A gracious reboot of tried-and-true holiday decorations can be easy and have a dramatic effect, even in the most well-designed home.
If you already have a wonderful tree or a treasured assortment of ornaments, then you have a great foundation. The following are tips, tricks, and ideas to consider for updating your holiday décor.
Location is everything
Try setting up your tree in a new space, like the foyer, the dining room, or even the kitchen—where families tend to gather most. Also consider setting up more than one tree, so you can celebrate throughout the house. Split up your decorations and display them in other rooms; this way you can make way for new additions, enjoy precious pieces in new ways, and create a common theme for your entire home.
New keepsake ornaments perk up old favorites
Adding new ornaments every year makes for a grand collection, and creates a tradition all its own. Select a curated set that blends well with existing pieces, toss in some new basics—in shades of red or white, or mix in some brilliant metallic silvers and golds. Don't be afraid to blend new colors, patterns, and textures with traditional pieces. Keep in mind: ornaments aren't just for trees anymore. Hang them in front of windows; fill glass vases and containers with them; attach them as garnish to wrapped packages.
If your existing ornaments are patterned, highlight them with new solid colors to match; consider gem tones in rich hues of blue, green, or purple. Try new shapes and sizes. If you already have solid-colored pieces, add some new textures and patterns. Also, take a look around the room. Mimicking or picking up on colors or patterns from your interior furnishings and textiles can give your decorations a customized look.
Pump up the volume
If you've traditionally festooned your tree with garland in soft diagonal swags, consider hanging the garland vertically. This method fills the tree faster and creates a more modern line. Make sure to tuck the tops of the garland (or ribbon) under the tree topper. Variation in the length of the garland adds extra dimension. Add twists and turns to achieve even more volume, wiring pieces for stability.
Fill your tree, greenery, and flower arrangements with mesmerizing picks, bejeweled garland, and oversized ornaments. Natural and snow-tipped greenery picks add a neutral element to the mix; consider pinecones, waxy leaves like magnolia or holly, and berries to create a gorgeous organic look; select artificial pieces for longer-lasting designs and minimal shedding. Just a few oversized flowers in bright colors with sequined or beaded details can take the design to a new level. Crystal garlands can turn each piece into a lustrous confection, and oversized ornaments can quickly fill boughs with exceptional color.
Tie it all together with ribbon
For cohesive displays throughout your home, incorporate exquisite Christmas ribbon into almost any part of your décor. Create graceful bows, twist ribbons around garlands, hang strands vertically from the treetop, or add it as trim to anything. Glamorous ribbon with rich patterns and textures can transform everything from wrapped packages to candles and tablecloths to swags and floral arrangements. Don't be afraid to mix multiple designs together; layer different widths.
Makeover from head to toe
Transform your highest branches with a new topper: trade in the star or the angel for a giant bow as a crown or add a bouquet of picks to add more height and volume. Refresh the base of your tree with a new tree skirt. Select fabrics that coordinate well with your existing decorations and furnishings. Aim for the perfect dimensions, with a skirt that covers the tree stand and sits snugly beneath the lowest boughs.
Add some extra character
Tuck elves and birds into branches; pose Santa and nutcrackers beside the foot of the tree; create an imaginative tableau on the table or mantel top. Whatever your theme, there's surely an animal or a figure that would make a great accompaniment to the scene. And just like a party, the more the merrier—fill up the boughs and add them to multiple displays.
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Whether with ribbon, new ornaments, figurines, or simply changing the location of your tree, there are so many ways to refresh your existing holiday décor. When you start with a theme, it's so easy to add some new variations to create even more lasting Christmas memories.
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