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Holiday Decorating Tips

Holiday Party at Mission San Juan Capistrano - Courtesy of Corporate Diversions

Simple Ways to Brighten Your Home


The task of trimming one’s abode can be overwhelming with the frenzy and stress of the holidays. Michele Holmen, design and production project manager for Corporate Diversions, gave us a few tips and holiday accent ideas to make decorating easy.

Personalize: Try not to stress by making your home magazine-perfect.  The holidays are symbolic of family. Focus on personalizing your home with photos, albums, mementos, children’s artwork or anything that “tells a story”. Your guests will welcome a setting of warmth, charm and perhaps a bit of imperfection.

Use what you have: You might be surprised what Mother Nature has provided in your own backyard. Presently, I have boxwood, iceberg roses, and trees with berries growing in my backyard. Combine all three and you have an instant holiday arrangement.

Raid your potting shed and convert your hodgepodge assortment of flower pots into decorative “candle pots”. Gild your pots silver or gold, fill with gravel and add a candle or a clustered group of candles. Line your walkway with your candle pots for a bright and festive welcome.

Go with the flow: Try to keep décor style similar to that of your home. Folksy and woodsy accessories will look out of place in a contemporary home. For an updated look in a classic home think “traditional with a twist”.

Back to OC Insider - Nov/Dec 2006
 
10 Easy Holiday Accents

Cylinder Vases: Fill a cluster of different sizes with mercury balls, glass ornaments or natural elements such as pinecones, twigs and fruits.

Ribbon: Wrap everything - vases, front doors, sconces, lanterns, lampshades, dining chairs, even the family dog – and when suitable, add a bit of holiday greens.

Greenery/Trim: Use on mantles, add to floral arrangements and any “key areas”.  It smells wonderful too.

Candles: For a natural look, wrap with magnolia leaves, cinnamon sticks or willow twigs.  For an elegant look, candles can be spray-painted with gold or silver metallic paint.

Mirrors: For a sophisticated look, create your own pattern of 12x12-mirrored squares on a table. Add clear glass centerpieces and votive candles to create beautiful, reflected light.

Martini glasses: Fill with floating gold candles or anything for that matter, to add a chic touch.

Holiday fruit: Pomegranates, crabapples and citrus fruits look great inside cylinder glass vases or in floral arrangements and garland.

Faux snow: Fun and festive when combined with potted plants or dusted on holiday greenery, floral arrangements, mantle displays or table décor.

Chandeliers: Decorate with crystal cut beads, ornaments, glass icicles or foliage and floral, such as curly willow, birch twigs, roses, moss, berries, or cedar fir.

Table linens: Purchase inexpensive bleached white burlap fabric and cut it into runner-sized pieces. Iron each side under to make a hem and line both sides with calyx leaves for a dramatic table runner.