Get Your Home Ready for the Holidays

Holidays are most popular time of year to welcome the ones you love into your home. But at the end of the day, it’s also nice to be able to show it off, right? If you need some extra help this year, book the experts at Chameleon Design for your holiday home decorating.  However...if we're not coming over to your home to do it for you, we'd like to provide you with a few tips and considerations to prepare for the holidays well before the late November/into December crunch time.

Take a Look
Before you take your holiday decorations out of storage, begin by making a plan. Look around your house and determine the areas that need décor. This will allow you to fill in any holes with new purchases, and also keep you from going overboard if you have too many decorations. Once you have your plan figured out, let the decorating fun begin!

Key Areas
The key to creating an inviting home during the holidays is to concentrate on making social areas as warm and welcoming as possible. Key areas in most homes include the foyer, living room and powder room.  Focus on them and be assured that your home will look and feel holiday ready.

Front Door & Foyer:
Your guests’ holiday experience begins at your front door. Set the stage with a beautiful wreath, lights or greenery. Your exterior holiday decor should also reflect your interior decorating style, giving your guests a sample of what they will find inside.  The foyer is the first thing people see when they step inside your home. A beautiful, green garland on the stair railing is a sure fire way to bring a holiday spirit into your home that guests will feel moment guests step inside.

 Photo: Martha Stewart

Photo: Martha Stewart

 Photo: Elle Decor

Living Room:
Friends and family will spend a lot of time socializing and relaxing here, so comfort and style take priority. The living room is a popular place for a Christmas tree, though many homes now have multiple trees. If this is the case in your home, keep the living room tree more formal and classic. That leaves room for a fun tree in the family room- one that the kids can help decorate with brightly colored ornaments, flocking, rainbow lights or whatever they prefer.

 Photo: Elle Decor

Photo: Domino

Powder Room:
The guest bathroom is always a high-traffic space that everyone sees. Wear or tear has nowhere to hide in this small space, so give it a facelift if needed. A sleek, monochromatic palette creates a beautiful look and a little holiday décor can easily be added with a candle and sprig of greenery.

Minimalist
If you're not big on holiday decor, sprigs of greenery, pops of red or over-sized Christmas bulbs tucked around the house are some ideas to keep it modern, yet festive.  Pick a theme and color scheme that complements furnishings. Don’t be afraid to incorporate nontraditional holiday colors, such as gold, bronze and copper. Lime green, orange, purple and pink are also hot.  Less is more. Use a few striking festive items, and pare down the knickknacks. 

 Photo: Pinterest

Photo: Martha Stewart

Special Touches
Every family has special things that they like to display during the holidays. These items are important so definitely don't leave them in the boxes and forgoe them for new decorations! You want your family to feel that your home is not just decorated for guests, but also for them to enjoy.

Collections:
If you have any sort of collection such as Nutcrackers or Nativity Scenes, these are lovely to display during the holidays and also very special as each object tells a story. Make your collection at home with your other holiday décor by creating one area for them to be displayed. Scattering them around the house can be overwhelming and take over your décor, but finding a mantle or credenza where you can set everything up in one place will look best.

 Photo: Pinterest

Ornaments:
Special ornaments that have been saved over the years or that the kids have made should most definitely be integrated into your décor. Hang them on the tree in the family room, or if you have enough, you can dedicate an entire tree to the one of a kind collection.

Christmas Cards:
Many families cherish the Christmas cards they receive each season, and some even save cards from year to year to showcase their family history. The mantle is the most traditional place to display cards but there are other creative ways to consider.  Below are a couple ideas we came across.

Photo: Decor8

Photo: Pinterest

Good luck and happy decorating!  We hope these tips will help, but don't hesitate to give us a call if you need an extra hand.