How to Make Your Home Insanely Irresistible This Christmas
Author: Amie Freling-Brown, Guest Blogger
Happy December! We are just two weeks away from Christmas—is your house ready? If you are searching for some serious Christmas decorating ideas or just looking to make some last minute additions to your Holiday decor you have come to the right spot. This happens to be my all time favorite Blogger Home Tour. I’m sharing 7 helpful tips to get you on your way to an insanely irresistible decorated home so grab your cup of hot cocoa, a cozy blanket and come sit by the fire.
1. Start with an Inspiration
As a blogger and interior designer you are always expected to come up with a new fresh take on decor. I fret every Fall when I haven’t a clue as to what my Christmas theme will be. If your like me, stop all the silliness, get out there and find something that inspires you. For me it was discovering these gorgeous embossed red mercury glass trees at HomeGoods. As soon as I saw them all lined up on the shelves the whole picture fell into place. RED was my theme! It was a big departure form last year’s turquoises and green color scheme.
Like any collectible one is good but several is soooo much better! I purchased two of each size. I loved how they were all a little bit different with the embossed glass. A few even lit up! I wove in pine garlands, twinkle lights, and added a few ombre bottle brush trees. Dangling from the garland I hung mini 1940’s inspired Christopher Radko Shiny Bright bulbs.
2. Find a Common Theme
If you put me in front of an aisle of Christmas decor I am immediately drawn to the the glass ornaments. For years my parents have been gifting us collectible Christopher Radko glass ornaments. Before I knew it our collection was large enough to fill a 8 foot tree! Now the Radko ornaments are blended with other less expensive glass ornaments. Mixing high and low is one of my all time favorite tips to creating irresistiblly cohesive decor.
Tree Decorating Tip:
Always start with the largest ornaments first. Bury theses evenly just inside the branches to create depth. Then move onto the smaller ornaments. Lastly, weave ribbon in and out while moving down the tree. I created a large bow with two pieces of ribbon. Never go straight down or place ribbon on the outside of the tree.
3. Twinkle Lights, Ambient Lighting & Candles
I am confident that I am not the only one who loves to drive around town looking at everyone’s outdoor light extravaganzas. The more the better in my book. The same goes for inside lighting. You can never have too many lights. I even love a tree solely decorated with twinkle lights.
A tree becomes magical when you plug in the lights!
Come Winter our coffee table is used so often. The large surface is ideal for wrapping gifts, putting together puzzles and playing games, and is the hub for Sunday football appetizers plus a whole lot more. This year my husband assembled the latest Fixer Upper dollhouse from Joanna Gaines Magnolia line Hearth and Hand from Target. Both Chloe and our neighbor Harper had fun decorating and rearranging all the chic wooden furniture. We added festive cheer to the outside porch with mini bottle brush trees.
Christmas Centerpieces
When it comes to a centerpiece it needs to be something that can be easy moved on and off. This year I purchased a large black iron and glass lantern from Wisteria Flowers and Gifts and filled it with a collection of green and red ombre bottle brush trees and flickering faux wax lights.
Faux Wax Candles
If you’ve ever been on the fence about faux candles let me lay your doubts to rest. I absolutely love them. A few years ago my mom purchased me a set. I unwrapped them and said “well OK these are nice.” She said “you will LOVE them, they look so real.” Mom was right! This trio came with batteries and a handy remote that can run for hours or can be set on a timer. The flame flickers and NO fire hazards.
4. Layer on Texture & Warmth
If you ask me the number one best gift this Christmas is a cozy throw blanket. You don’t need to be surviving an Upstate NY Winter to appreciate these beautiful throws. We use them year round. I am always drawn to plaid…playful fringe and warm sherpa linings are a bonus!
5. Mix New Keepsakes with Older Sentimental Decor
Holidays are all about creating memories. Some of these memories are held within our sentimental decor that has been handed down over the years. Keep these older momentums looking fresh by blending in newer decor.
Off Season…
I scored these vintage nordic skis with leather straps years ago at a local yard sale for $40. At the time I thought that was a bit too much to pay but I never looked back after bringing them out at Christmastime. Where was I ever going to find something so quintissential Winter wonderland like these skies?
6. Start a Collection
One or two snow covered trees are wonderful but image a whole forest? Safety in numbers. On top our grand piano I set up a snowy winter wonderland village. Like in any forest there is a variety of trees, everything from bottle brush, to moss covered pines, flocked, painted and even hand cut birch trees. Twinkle lights muffled under the cotton snow glisten at night. A soft glow emits from each cut out window. It is my favorite place to be transported back to childhood.
I finally found time to restyle our bookshelves. My collection of white pottery stayed out and I blended in additional red decor and a very MERRY light up marquee sign.
Let there be light.
6. Swap Out Art and Add Seasonal Wall Decor
Just a few weeks ago I decide to paint a Christmas theme chalkboard canvas art for the morning room. I do miss my floral art but when I revisited my Pinterest board Christmas is Coming and saw this quote I needed to be reminded how important being with family is around the Holidays.
A simple trio of flocked trees in a navy ceramic tray take center stage on the coffee table
I turned to my friend Olivia Marsh from RocPenInk for some creative calligraphy handwriting. She worked her magic on the quote so that I could enlarged it onto my canvas. The whole painting took under and hour to paint. Several of you have asked for a print so I am working on making that happen. Olivia also created personalized place card setting for our Christmas dinner table that I shared last week on our Christmas Kitchen Home Tour.
I couldn’t help sharing how similar our rescue Bo looks to my Commander Reindeer pillow. I may need to find some reindeer antlers for him.
Just under the new painting is a red metal bus that I found at HomeGoods. It came with a burlap wrapped lit flocked mini tree. I had all intentions of having images of our family members in each window but that didn’t get done before the photo shoot. Next year!
Amie Freling-Brown is a Rochester, NY-based designer and artist who transforms ho-hum spaces into works of art. Her creative designs can be found in many fine homes, restaurants and businesses. Her work has been featured in national magazines, on HGTV and has been sold through many retailers nationwide from True Value Hardware to Nordstroms. Today she proudly offers such professional services as design, staging and color consultations, murals, and custom faux finishes.
