Christmas and the holiday season mean a lot of decorating for many families. Most Americans will put up a Christmas tree, at least 79% and 56% of women answered they like decorating “a lot” in a study done by Pew Research. At Gerard Construction, we think decorating your home is a wonderful time to bring the family together and to strengthen the memories being made within your walls for years to come. Here are a few ideas and tips to help you.
Trending Trees
With a popular color palette in design going to various shades of white, we aren’t surprised to see trees being decorated in white, cream, and simple lights this year. Many of the trees blend ornaments, ribbon, and twinkle lights while letting the lush, green branches stand out on their own. Another trend with a surprising comeback has been flocking trees with faux snow. Instead of an even application, many are opting for a more natural look with piles of “snow” found on multiple branches in addition to having a dusting over the entire tree. In general, many homeowners are using monochromatic color schemes, keeping their trees limited to lights, ribbon, ornaments, and presents adorned in shades from a single color like gold, green, or even purple. For those wanting something trendy, but a little less streamlined, plaids are popping up in pillows, ribbons, and other details.
Mantel Décor
A mantel can be one of the hardest areas to decorate to make sure size and scope are covered. This part of your home is a great place to blend textures and to display all of your favorite décor, whether new or from collecting items over the years. In fact, decorating with items can bring happiness. An action study cited Amy Morin, psychotherapist, and author stating, “Part of the joy that can come from decorating for Christmas comes from nostalgia, which has been shown in studies to stir emotion and increase joy.” Many choose to add a garland of some sort, whether greenery that matches the branches of your tree or choosing fabric or ribbon to bring pops of color. Floral additions are trending this year and the mantel can be a great place to add a plant or faux flowers to test out the look to see if you want to carry it over to additional décor around your home. The mantel is also a great place to display the rustic signs and framed Christmas sayings being made popular in-store or at DIY places.
DIY Décor
From a search on the Internet to scrolling through Pinterest, ideas for DIY décor are everywhere around us right now. Some of the DIY is very complicated and perfect for crafters who have additional time to spend on a multi-step project. Other tasks are simple and perfect for someone who likes to tiptoe into the realm of making something themselves or for families to do with children to build memories. A DIY idea seen through the ages is salt dough ornaments. This craft is versatile in that new versions can be made each year to match your changing décor or to document the year proceeding. DIY décor can also carry over to your gift-giving since it may be on display in your home for a time leading up to celebrations, these tags are one way to show your crafting side.
Kid and Pet Proofing your Tree
One of the largest headaches for parents and pet owners alike is worrying about their décor during the winter months with little hands, swiping paws, and beating tails running around. Investing in a variety of different ornaments, some that are more durable than others can help during this time, but for glass or breakable ornaments on your tree, consider placing them higher out of reach and securing them to sturdy branches with hooks or additional wire. It will take longer to put up and take down at the end of the season but will be worth the peace of mind. You may also consider displaying special, breakable ornaments on a shelf or in a shadow box until you are sure they are safer from little ones. Another helpful tip is to secure your tree with a fishing line or another thin wire by wrapping the trunk or center pole and using nails or screws for anchor points in the wall. By doing this in two opposite directions, your tree should be able to withstand many nudges and bumps.
Entertainment Center and Cabinet Décor
Don’t forget the cubbies, shelves, and cabinet tops of built-ins for adding festive flair to your home. We love adding custom cabinetry and built-ins to homes we build or existing homes and marvel at the different ways families change out what is in those cabinets to add touches of the Christmas spirit or other holiday fun. This idea of using presents to highlight your shelving is a great way to decorate in a streamlined and economical way, with the addition of being able to change out the look with different wrapping paper or ribbons. Rather than adding décor onto displays you already have, consider removing some of your “everyday” items and storing them for the time you have your holiday items out.
To build custom cabinets to show off more Christmas décor or for any other building need you may have, including a home from the ground up, contact us for more information. We enjoy being a part of the traditions and memory-building families have at this time of year and around the calendar.