How to Decorate Your Home Stylishly This Christmas?

 

For most of us, Christmas is the time to for reconnection and celebration with your loved ones.  It’s all about laughter and togetherness through sharing meals, stories and good will from the heart. It's both a festive and a spiritual time when kindred friends and more than one family gather to share or simply be together without distraction. Nothing makes Christmas more inspirational and memorable than a home stylishly and beautifully decked out and decorated with the essence of Christmas spirit.

 

Are you afraid you will create a scheme that may look overdone, gaudy and try-hard?

 

Relax! Christmas is a time when you have total creative license to the hosts with the most, so don’t be frightened to go to town when you create a Christmas look in your home this year. Have some fun and let loose on your usual minimalist look or comfortable colour scheme. This is a time for celebration right? You can play with decorating at this time of year as it is only for a short period of time. Be as eclectic as you like!

 

The ambiance created through stylish and well-coordinated decorations in your home oozes elegance and charm. When you enter a home that has been decorated for Christmas in a tasteful way, you are making a place of true sanctuary and cheer where you and your loved ones can feel at one with the world. You instantly sense your visitors’ peace as they relax into the whole atmosphere and open up their hearts to share the true spirit of goodwill with you. The feeling is contagious as it touches everyone who enters your home. This is what the spirit of Christmas quintessentially is. Love, joy and peace! Christmas is the opportune time where people are able to let by-gone be by-gone and show each other that they truly care.

 

So are you ready to "deck the halls with boughs of holly" and transform your home in preparation for receiving of friends and family? Here are seven festive interior-decoration aspects to help get you started and inspire a different look this Christmas:

 

Your Overall Colour Scheme

 

The use of whites, silver and golds as neutral palates or in combination with vibrant primary colours create breath taking yet serene themes. When thoughtfully coordinated with your favourite sculptures and artwork, you harmonies the ambience beautifully with you current decor. So be sure to tie generous volumes of satin ribbons to chair backs, candlesticks, wreaths, garlands, basket handles, drapery tie-backs, stair rails, and doorknobs. Create your own gorgeous sculptures by dangling baubles is clusters that reflect fairy lights or floating candles.

 

You don't have to stick with red and green and the colours you choose should tie in the rest of your decor. If you can't find colours that blend well, then choose metallic silver, gold, white, green, or red. Ribbons that can be untied and re-tie each year will save money and ensure you end up with a good collection. Iron them before you pack them away. Also be sure to wrap your gifts in the same colours as your scheme. This makes decorating the tree vibrant, zesty and exciting.

Living a life of succulent bliss is about heart & quality not quantity. My last Xmas tree was a stunning frangipani tree in the courtyard simply decorated with big red baubles from $2   Warehouses. Decorated with ♥ love ♥ it looks simply divine!

 

Here are some fabulous schemes suggestions for you. Colour and vibrancy invites love, laughter and excitement. Primary colours are the way to go in glitter or pearlescent finishes to reflect light.

 

Try to stick to 3 main colours like these combos:

 

•           Red - Navy - Pearl White

 

•           Red -Turquoise - Silver

 

•           Purple - Silver - Red

 

•           Red -Turquoise - Silver

 

•           Hot Pink - Lime - Silver

 

•           Lime -Turquoise - Pearl White

 

•           Navy - Lime - Silver

 

•           Red - Gold - White

 

Go to places like the $2 shop, IKEA or Freedom and find some groovy & vibrant napkins or glass candle holders to get your inspiration fired up. It is essential that once you have selected your colour scheme, to stick to it. If you do your home is guaranteed to be oozing a look that is stylish, elegant and radiating heartwarming love vibrations. Or you can simply go for an all-white/silver look and use some mood lighting to give it a different shimmer at night.

 

Wreaths Garlands & Plaques

 

The spirit of Christmas welcomes you and your loved ones at your front door. For instant WOW, place a wreath in the colour theme of your choice this Xmas smack bang in the middle of your front door. Next go on to the back door, inside and out. Also hang one over the mantle.

 

Decorate your wreaths using grapevine, driftwood, bamboo and cluster with berries, fruit, seashells, coloured baubles, raffia, ornaments, or sweets. To keep wreaths year after year, buy or make artificial wreaths that will last. Remember, you'll need room to store them!

 

Decorating Your Christmas Tree

 

A highly decorated evergreen tree with colored lights ablaze inspires warm memories and festivity.

Decide where to place the tree, giving it a focal point but keeping it out of high traffic areas where it might be bumped or where someone might trip on light cords. Place lighting on first, then garlands as they both need to be spaced well and tree ornaments could be bumped off if they are in the way.

 

Space tree ornaments evenly. Usually you would have some more expensive or more attractive hanging tree ornaments that go on first, and then add all of the filler ornaments in between. Place ornaments and other decorations 'inside' your tree, in addition to the tips of branches. This will add depth and interest. Last of all comes the ribbons and bows. These will be the link to your colour theme.

 

Ornaments & Lighting

 

Christmas ornament displays are a gorgeous way to spread Christmas joy and share the love all through the home. A small table in the hall or entry is the place to start. Combine a few select Christmas Ornaments together with Christmas Candles and create the ‘Oh WOW’ people will admire as soon as they enter your home. Other places for ornament display settings are Coffee Tables, side boards, mantles, book shelves, display cabinets. Hang stunning clusters from in windows and frame the window with gentle flickering lights. In addition to lighting your Christmas tree it's nice to have some window lighting that shines out and tells evening passers that this is a home that celebrates the joy of Christmas. Perhaps a star or lighting curtain will add that something extra to the home. Outdoor lighting in this day and age is a whole other subject.

 

Don't forget children's rooms where some budget priced Christmas ornaments can really make them feel an important part of the festivities. Here is where the funny faced Santas or crystal angels can hang, playing and dancing rainbows.

 

Table Centre Pieces

 

A table centre piece create an excellent focal point to inspire your visitors. Decorated Candles, a platter of small ornaments and vases of gorgeous flowers make for stunning centerpieces. Showcase one beautiful Christmas figurines or matching candlestick holders on your holiday table. Whether it's a family heirloom or new purchase, this could be the focus of your Christmas table.  Arrange your candles on the dining table and dine by candlelight every evening not just in December, even if you're just having leftovers. Every meal will feel special forever more.

 

Table Settings

 

Use Christmas tableware for every meal in December. Search through your cupboards and find any dishes that look festive. Collect a set of suitable plates and add Christmas bowls and platters that harmonise beautifully with your selected colour scheme. Your Christmas dinner tablecloth must be something special especially tied in with Napkins and Christmas Napkin Rings. Oh, and don’t forget the colour themed Christmas crackers…an essential for any great family feast that goes off with a bang!  

 

Creating Ambience

 

The Christmas Sprit in your sanctuary home does not happen by accident. You create it through thought, love and care. When you decorate from the heart others feel this and bathe in its radiance. It takes vision, focus and attention to detail. Things like lighting the candles, having serene or uplifting and groovy music playing softly in the background all really set the mood creating an intoxicating atmosphere of pleasure, laughter and sharing for you and your beloved guests to have a Christmas to remember forever.

 

I wish you a peaceful and vibrant Christmas filled with fun and laughter. Remember that LOVE is the greatest gift you can give so open your heart and shine this year.

 

Victoria Millar-Wise

For more inspirational ideas on creating love, laughter and connection in your home this Christmas and throughout the seasons, goto www.createyourdreamsanctuary.com and nab your very own copy of the limited edition book, “Create Your Dream Sanctuary”.  It makes a delightful, convenient gift and can be delivered gift-wrapped all in-time for Christmas!

Limited Offer:  First 100 book orders attract special Christmas pricing, are personally signed by the author, and are assured delivery before Christmas to any metropolitan address (within Australia) so be quick to beat the rush. Full details are available on the website.

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