Every Homeowner’s Guide to Amazing Holiday Décor

Every Homeowner’s Guide to Amazing Holiday Décor

Charmaine Kon by Charmaine Kon on Oct 12, 2016
Why you should care

The holidays are here; learn the dos and don’ts of home decor to usher in the year-end festivities.

Ahhh, it’s that time of year again – dinner parties, family and friends, and inappropriate questions about your love life. Even if it’s not all cheery for you, it shouldn’t be the case for your home!

With Deepavali, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and even Christmas looming, there’s not a more perfect time to refresh the décor in your home. Nevertheless, there are right and wrong ways to decorate your home for the holidays, so take heed, my friends.

Clear the Clutter

A lived-in home will have opened books, gadget chargers, and remotes lying around, and that’s okay! Just stow them away for a neater appearance, especially when you’re expecting guests. Doing this will leave more space on table tops for additions like candles.

Do: Buy cute storage bins and baskets – they not only store the unsightly stuff, but also act as décor!

silver basket home

SOURCE: westelm.com

Don’t: Buy non-cute storage bins, like those transparent ones. Those belong in the kitchen or pantry to contain dry foods.

Focus on the Entrance

Since the foyer sets the tone of the home, direct substantial décor energy and budget to the home entrance.

Do: Instead of festive streamers and wreaths which won’t last past the holiday season, get a festive floor mat instead! A floor mat that’s not explicitly festive can be used all year round. We love this humorous one that only hints at the festivities.

words welcome mat

SOURCE: notonthehighstreet.com

If you have budget for a small home renovation, check out our ideas.

Don’t: Do anything you’ll regret post-holiday cheer, like painting your door or planters in holiday colours.

Practical and Pretty Tableware

What’s a dinner party without food? What’s a great dinner party without happy tableware?

Do: Get creative with tableware without splurging on them. A nice piece of fabric from the fabric store makes for a good table runner or table cloth. Instead of buying expensive plates, decorate the table with things like holiday napkins, bows, and placemats.

We love this Diwali table setting for the dining room – bangles, beads, tealight candles, and artificial flowers are penny wise and make a pretty combo!

deepavali table setting

SOURCE: theeastcoastdesi.blogspot.my

Don’t: Splurge on expensive plates and cutleries, especially if you don’t foresee using them often.

More Seats

Comfy seats welcome guests to sit around and socialise, so add more of those.

Do: Try foldable chairs and pillows. You can also add pillows to those chairs to make them more butt-friendly. The extra pillows can pull double duty for sleep-over guests.

Floor pillow living room

SOURCE: homedit.com

Learn more about welcoming guests in a small home.

Don’t: Spend money on benches or chairs that you have no use for after the holidays.

Pops of Colour

An effective way to usher in the festivities is by adding colour reminiscent of the holiday. Bright pinks, purples, and blues for Diwali, and orange for thanksgiving, for example.

Do: Incorporate these pops of colour into cheaper items like throw pillows, sofa blankets, and table runners. Besides making cosy, welcoming accents, they are also more easily replaceable to match the seasons.

Indian fabric pillows

SOURCE: designsponge.com

Don’t: While we admire their minimalism, steer clear of white décor for the holidays. They’re just not practical for parties!

Re-arrange the Lights

Rule of thumb for warm and cosy lighting – orange and eye-level.

Do: Bring out table lamps from bedrooms and floor lamps from reading corners. Place them around the living room and use them instead of harsher white lights. Add in string lights and candles because when are they not great?

Floor lamp living area

SOURCE: homedesignideas.eu

Don’t: Use every light. String lights are pretty, but don’t overdose on them – it’s just not cool if it’s everywhere. Plus, you’ll save on that light bill.

Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose

Look around your house for items with decorative features, then put them together

Do: For example, an old beaded necklace and a tea light candle in a mason jar come together well as table décor. Ribbons and bangles, on the other hand, are good napkin ties. If you’re not sure how to mix these knick knacks, group them together into colour families – that’s a surefire matching method.

Mason jar vase

SOURCE: Countryliving.com

Don’t: Get carried away with repurposing items. Some old necklaces better belong in the trash. Create a theme and filter your decorative items according to which ones suit the theme to avoid a mish-mash look.

Plan Ahead

Instead of scrambling for seasonal décor, collect interesting items throughout the year.

Do: Buying homeware and décor items on your various travels is a good way to pay homage to those times while collecting unique pieces that are hard to find in your location.

Don’t: Buy seasonal items – Christmas décor is expensive every day in December before the 25th. So buy and collect décor for next year instead!

Cover image from archive.jsonline.com.

Why you should care

The holidays are here; learn the dos and don’ts of home decor to usher in the year-end festivities.

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