Nothing welcomes the holiday season quite like a well-decorated, festive home that brings a smile to everyone’s face as they come in from the cold, grey weather outside. Whether you prefer traditional red-and-green decor or think it clashes with your existing color scheme, metallics or neutrals are just as festive and can add a modern twist. Once you’ve decided on a holiday color palette for your home, the fun begins! Your Christmas aesthetic is very personal, and everyone has their own unique vision. Some fill their homes with treasures from Christmases past, and some choose a new theme every year.
Shades and Layers
Is your home is filled with the classic red and green? Consider incorporating different shades of these colors to create a new look and feel. A mint green paired with frosted berry garlands can create a wintery, ice-laden holiday vibe. Layer different shades of flatware, chargers, and trinkets in a variety of green and red hues on your Christmas dinner table. Metallics, such as silver, gold, bronze, and copper, can be mixed and matched, which is a great strategy for adding visual interest and depth to a space. Contrast is key.
Lighting
Indoor lighting adds festive sparkle and whimsy to your home’s Christmas aesthetics. It also spotlights those treasured trinkets and decorations that have been placed with care. It’s easy to add lights into garlands and to drape them over banisters or mantels. You can also add ornaments and lights that are battery powered to glass jars and vases for a beautiful centerpiece. Illuminating your space with flameless candles can add warmth and glow to your space.
Outdoor Christmas Aesthetic
Set the tone for holiday gatherings of merriment and fun with a well-lit, welcoming front porch and yard. If you have porch pillars, wrap them in garlands and hang perfectly paired green wreaths and red bows. Wreaths of layered ticking-stripe ribbons hung from your windows help make a merry first impression. For a quick DIY project, spread cheer out loud with oversized letters on your front door spelling out “Joy” or other festive exclamations. Mini trees—real or fake—strung with lights or decorations and placed in galvanized planters on either side of your front door make for a delightful entryway.
Bedrooms
Festive décor doesn’t have to end where your bedroom begins. Consider these ideas on how to infuse your bedroom (or the guest bedroom) with the same holiday spirit as the rest of the house.
- Scatter an assortment of LED-lit pillar candles on dressers and nightstands
- Line the headboard or an exposed beam or column with garland or a drape
- Interject some red and green throw pillows on the bed and a matching red and green coverlet/throw at the foot of the bed
- Wrap lamp bases with garland or add holiday-themed pulls to your fan
- Hang a DIY lighted tree on the wall and use lightweight ornaments to embellish
- Add a small basket of cinnamon-scented pinecones and travel-size lotions in seasonal scents
Last Thoughts
The essential thing is to remember that you should love your decor, and it should conjure up the nostalgia and warmth the holiday brings. Strive to create an incredibly festive Christmas aesthetic that makes you smile.
Contact us at KJL Interior Design for our complete residential and commercial design expertise.