By Elizabeth Yeager Cross
WV Design Team
We find ourselves in the most magical time of year: Christmas. Now that Thanksgiving is officially over, it is time, if you haven’t already, to bring out all of the whimsy and special decorations that make your home warm and ready for Christmas.
We at Yeager Design & Interiors would like to share some of the newest trends we spotted for the season as well as some tips to make small areas feel like personalized vignettes of joy and cheer.
Our “Rustic Elegance” tree (from left) features burlap accents, birch bark ornaments, deer, pine cones, feathers, and layers of jeweled garland. The “Mix Your Metals” tree shows a criss-cross of romantic beaded garland. This “Candy Cane” smaller, flocked tree features candy-striped garland wraps and a top hat
When starting the tree, after untangling strings of lights, perhaps the most important part of the tree decor is the garland and/or ribbon. We have seen a large departure from using traditional ribbon and a push toward jeweled garland that, when intertwined around the entire tree, creates a linear line of sparkle.
Take, for example, champagne garland in an 8-foot run or our red-and-white candy cane braided garland. Both create entirely different looks, yet they serve as a new way to update your ho-hum tree-trimming decor.
Another beautiful example for a touch of glamour are 2-foot-wide jeweled tree necklaces. When mixed with rustic ornaments, this is a great way to add in bits of luxury and sparkle.
Top hats were a huge trend in the Christmas market this season as well. Varied sizes and colors of top hats can adorn not only your tree as a topper, but also your tablescapes and mantle as a nod to the old world, classic decor. This is also a great way to put a pop of color in your decorating scheme.
Find ways to bring often forgotten areas of your home a little bit of Christmas cheer this season. Cute miniature trees, sparkle deer, arrangements of red berries, and seasonal hand towels can easily add a touch of color on end tables, nightstands, and vanities
Our gray and black top hats are embellished with a red ribbon and frosted berries. Sometimes these are also great to fill a hole in your tree that may not be perfectly full or round in its shape.
Another great space filler is our sparkle reindeer. It seems like we can never order enough of these adorable accessories. Whether they are white with fur or gold or silver sparkle, perch these little guys in your tree, on your mantle and even your tabletops to insert an extra bit of fun and glitter into your home.
This year, whether it’s in the fashion industry or home decor, buffalo plaid has taken the world by storm. We chose to feature these Santa’s gift bags to house those odd-shaped gifts for loved ones, or even to stuff with paper filling for a beautiful pop of color.
Stockings, throw blankets, ribbons, tree skirts and pillows all seemed to incorporate this throwback pattern, and we are absolutely loving it.
A lot of times, we have customers who have bought pre-made Christmas items from catalogs, and then find them lacking when they arrive. If you want to personalize your mantle or stairway garland, try wiring or inserting bits of additional decor to give it a more finished look.
If you’re less than thrilled about a catalog or online purchase when it comes in, just add in fillers for a more finished and personalized look. We used this garland purchased online and wired in red sparkle hydrangeas and tucked in little toy soldier ornments for the kids to enjoy.
For example, this year in my home, I purchased the Savannah Garland from Grandin Road. While it does incorporate different types of greenery and lights, I wanted to make it fuller and more colorful.
One of my favorite items from the Christmas markets has been the gorgeous red glitter hydrangeas. By cutting down the stems, scattering them into my garland and attaching with wire, I found the finished look to be warmer and more vibrant for our family.
I also tied in miniature toy soldiers I knew my children would love to see and touch as they went down our stairwell.
To me, decorating for Christmas is all about what makes our family feel the magic of the season. Bringing out boxes of heirloom ornaments, handmade ones from years of preschool crafts and all things that will make my children’s eyes glow with sparkle and merriment makes all the difference to me.
Putting fun tea towels in our bathroom adorned with dangly legged elves and reindeer may not be the most practical items to wash and replace, but I know it brings a smile to all who enter our home.
I also like to place small arrangements of flowers, greenery and red berries throughout each room to put a small touch of color and love in sometimes forgotten places.
Fun platters with Santa’s jolly face or the nose of a reindeer and a spot for milk and cookies makes our Christmas kitchen the most merry of all.
A fun way to share your Christmas magic with others can be in your gift giving, as well. I often find a great way to personalize a gift is to give it in a colorful and fun stocking.
Take the stress out of finding that one big gift for someone and put a collection of thoughtful little things together in a stocking instead. We also love giving bottles of wine as gifts in stockings
YDI is flush with stockings that range from burlap, linen, fur, gold and silver polka dots, and even ones into which you can insert a picture to show your gift recipient how much you really care. Whether you are giving a bottle of wine or stressing over how to beautifully wrap several small things, consider this option this year and leave the stress out of the equation.
This year, find the joy in your decor, mix the old with new and be sure to remember the reason for the season. Yeager Design & Interiors would like to wish you all peace, love, and joy in this magical month.
– To see more pictures of the projects featured in this article: YDI Showroom
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