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Community Corner

Bows, Cranberries, Lights: Inexpensive Ways to Make Your Home Festive

No matter how you decide to deck your halls, remember to keep it simple, tie it together with a color scheme and repeat the theme throughout your home.

As the holidays approach, we are so busy with gift shopping, baking, card writing and party hopping that decorating the house seems to be the hardest thing of all to get done. But with a few guidelines you can deck the halls quickly and inexpensively.

Formal or casual

Begin by deciding if you want the look of your home to be formal or casual. Will the silver candlesticks work or would a pillar candle with a Santa design be more appropriate? Do you like a velvet tree skirt or a simple quilted one? These decisions will steer your design choices and get you started.

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Color Sense

Choose a color scheme that will pull it all together. You might base it on the items you already own, the color scheme in your home or from a favorite ornament. Once the color choice has been decided, it will become easier to purchase ribbon and accents to fit the scheme.

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Variety is Best

Try to vary the size and texture of your decorations. Garlands in different widths and styles will add interest to your mantle and ornaments in small, medium and large on your tree will give it dimension.

Repeat Your Theme

Repeat your colors, theme and decorating elements throughout the house to make the look cohesive. For example, I chose a fruit theme last year for my home. I started at the front door with a Williamsburg style fan of apples and a pineapple above the door and a green wreath decorated with apples hanging on the door. I also added greens and swags with apples and pinecones in the window boxes. On the mantle I used greens with golden pears nestled among the branches along with taper candles and on my dining table I filled a large glass pedestal bowl with cranberries and floating candles in water. I chose burgundy and forest green for my ribbon colors throughout the house to tie it all together.

Keep it Simple

Sometimes the simplest ideas are often the most effective. Here are some suggestions.

You can’t go wrong with candles in all shapes and sizes. Keep it simple by buying candles in only one color and grouping them together on a tray or framed mirror. Make sure all the candle holders are the same material and add artificial greens and berries for a wonderful centerpiece.

Just adding simple bows in your chosen color throughout the house adds a festive touch! Tie onto doorknobs, chandeliers, around vases, on picture frames and of course on packages.

Small white lights are beautiful on a tree but also consider placing them in glass containers for a magical look.

Remember to use your holiday dishes every day instead of saving them for company.

For a quick decoration — place bowls or baskets of shiny ball ornaments throughout the house.

Go natural — gather pinecones and nuts, evergreen boughs and holly together. Spray tree branches white and place in a tall urn with a colored bow.

Enjoy the season!

No matter how you decide to deck your halls, remember to keep it simple, tie it together with a color scheme and repeat the theme throughout your home. When you are finished, enjoy your own traditions and share your home with others in the true spirit of the season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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