Elegant ways to decorate your home for the holidays

It feels as though the holiday doesn’t begin until a string of lights are hung or a few (or an armful) of holly and spruce branches are welcomed into the home.

Decorating for the season is the perfect opportunity to welcome warmth to each room as well as your holiday guests. From turning on a holiday playlist and tentatively placing each decorations upon the branches of a tree, through to crafting unique decorations to have pride of place on your festive table, this guide will help you to do so a little more effortlessly and elegantly.

Choose a theme color

It is easy to get overwhelmed by the vast variation of decorations available in store and online. Treating your decorations like an all you can eat buffet could quickly have you creating a vision that is akin to candy canes with your turkey. Both are tasteful, but together the result is not so appetizing. Instead, setting a colour theme will set boundaries to what could seem like an overwhelming array of options. For a modern vision, we are inspired by natural tones and a set colour of white. Be inspired by Scandinavian design and keep the look uncluttered with neutrals and a hint of sparkle through the use of candles and fairy lights. If you are more of a traditionalist, add cozy to your home with the holiday shades of red and green. For an elegant update, add in a choice metallic - think silver or gold and make your tree glisten this year.

Be sentimental

The holidays are a time for appreciating those around you, but also to be nostalgic for traditions and the past. Taking down the holiday decorations from the attic each year can have sentimental significance for a lot of us. Take the time to remember those decorations that tell a story - from the balbals decorated by you or your kids at kindergarten to the candles that, after the dust is brushed off, can once again sit present at your thanksgiving feast. The holiday season is the time for memories - to remember and to create new ones. We love the idea to embrace this in a modern way that doesn’t involve popsicle sticks or spray painted macaroni. How about welcoming family traditions or those who have passed back into your home during this special season with family heirloom, letters, or photographs? Have them present in your decoration as they watch over from the fireplace mantle.

Make your own

Although this could be a little more testing when your game plan is “elegant” decorating, we have some simple ideas that could have you creating a scene that feels hand furnished rather than hand tarnished. Curating a space with minimal decor can be lit up with glass bottles, filled with seasonal botanicals, or perhaps a frozen glass bowl for your cocktail spirits. These paper stars  are simple, and fairly inexpensive to make, and can be arranged as part of a table display or hung upon a tree. For outside decoration, perhaps a natural evergreen star can replace the retro styles of flashing lights. Creating your own holiday decorations can involve the whole family and help to add that extra special touch to your festive finishes!