Every Christmas season is a new opportunity to honor your family's cherished traditions, while also keeping the celebration fresh and fun by trying something new. That's how I like to approach holiday decorating. Today, I want to share with you a few of my favorite looks for the season, and just maybe give you a few new ideas as you dress your home for Christmas.
GRAND ENTRANCES
When decorating your entry, add a splashy display, like a towering bouquet made of bare sticks, pine branches and a little nest, tucked in for good luck. A shiny silver candy dish on the table cradles a sweet collection of old-time C7 tree bulbs in a bed of pine needles.
SPOIL GUESTS
When friends and family travel to be together for the holidays, it's a joyful reunion. Old memories are rekindled and new memories are made. I like to make my visitors feel like honored guests by creating a guest room that's warm and welcoming. It can be as simple as setting out a service of their favorite teas or coffees, served in a special cup.
LAVISH MANTELS
It can be easy to get into a rut when decorating your mantel. So this year, challenge yourself to come up with something new. A magnificent garland made of a mix of pine needles and leaves is simple yet stunning as it loops through the mantel's year-round display.
BRING THE GARDEN IN
After you clean out your planters for the winter, bring a few inside for your holiday decorating. Garden architectural elements connect us to the outdoors and give us a fine place to stage displays, whether it's holding logs for the fire or your Christmas tree.
DECORATE A LIGHT FIXTURE
If you are looking for a way to decorate your home for maximum impact with minimum work, try dressing up some of your light fixtures. Add greenery and ribbons to the chandelier over your kitchen island or dining table. Or, jazz up some wall sconces.
BEAUTIFUL BOUQUETS
Scout through your china cabinet for a special vase, pitcher or urn, like a family keepsake or a favorite find from antiquing. Then, fill it with holiday greenery to make a lovely centerpiece for your coffee table or ottoman.
QUIET CHRISTMAS MORNING
Holiday tables don't have to be lavish. Dan and I enjoy a quiet Christmas morning bite in our kitchen, the calm before family flocks in for a big Christmas feast. Toss an antique tablecloth over your kitchen table, add a bouquet of fresh flowers, a few candy canes in a little pitcher, and you're ready.
STYLISH STORAGE
During the holidays, your china gets to dance out of the cupboard and sparkle on your table.
Take a moment to rearrange your cabinets so they look like a piece of art.
CREATIVE CENTERPIECES
What do you have in your china hutch that you could use to make a unique centerpiece for your holiday table? We created a lovely display with a few odds and ends in my cupboard -- an old silver riser, a glass bowl and a stemmed glass.
Fresh fruit and flowers, all in shades of green and white, give it a fresh finish.
DINING DETAILS
Sometimes the tiniest details have the biggest impact on your table. Try tucking a fresh sprig of rosemary into your napkin rings when you entertain. It's a clever way to add color and scent to your table.
This column was adapted from Mary Carol Garrity's blog at nellhills.com.
HomeStyle on 12/10/2016