Holiday Decor

Having trouble figuring out whether or not you “got it right” on your Holiday décor? We don’t think it is about design rules, but rather, how your décor makes you feel. Decorating for Christmas is all about creating ambiance. You’ve got to find your preferred balance of whimsy and sophistication, with a heaping helping of warmth.

 

Nothing creates instant ambiance quite like beautiful lighting, and the tree below is a breathtaking example of a gorgeous sculpture of lights from the Netherlands.
from inspire bohemia

Since that’s a little farther than we wanted to go for our Christmas shopping this year, we found some great options that are a bit closer to home, such as the tree of lights below from Restoration Hardware.
rest hard.

Little white lights have the Christmas Décor Three(whimsy, sophistication, and warmth). The twinkle lights below are available from Crate and Barrel and Anthropologie, and are a sweet alternative to the traditional white string lights.
anthro twinkle lightsc and b twinkle string lights

Nature’s little white light, fire(which is more yellow than white but equally gorgeous!), is the best kind of light for tons of instant ambiance. Crate and Barrel have these beautiful lanterns and candelabra’s to display your favorite candles.
crate and barrelc and b candleholder

For some whimsy, try this little town from Anthropologie for the mantel. It’s clean and playful, perfect for a house with or without kids.
anthro town square sculpture

Despite what you may think, “sophisticated whimsy” is not an oxymoron. It’s executed in the details, which also happens to be where the very best ambiance is found. These gift tags from Anthropologie are lovely as one of those details. You can also find some lovely paper tags at HomeGoods for a great price!
anthro gift tags

If you’ve never heard of BlissLights, head over to QVC.com and check them out. The epitome of no muss, no fuss holiday decorating, these lights will make you look like a decorating pro in less than 60 seconds. Purchase a few of these spotlights, depending on the amount of space you’re trying to light, and simply plug them in. Your entire house is covered in tiny ethereal lights. You’ll want to hurry though-these sell like hotcakes whenever they’re presented on air.
from holida projectors

Final Tips for the Basics of Christmas Decor:
*When looking for your basic string lights, look for options with around 300 lights per strand to avoid plugging several strands together(a 300 light strand will fully light a 6-7 foot tree).
*Pay attention to the type of light you want-there are tons of options out there now, and most stores have little displays to show how each type of bulb looks when lit.
*Ornaments are usually on sale after the holidays, so if you are looking for some new tree flair, check out your favorite stores after the 25th. Below are some cute finds from one of our favorite ornament destinations, Crate and Barrel.
crate and bar orn 5crate and barrel paper dog ornc and b silver bell orn

Remember: Whimsy, Sophistication, and Warmth, but most of all Warmth. So decorate with the things that make you happy, and your home will feel like a hug to everyone who walks through the doors! Merry Christmas!