Translate your decorating trends into your holiday decor.
Well, it’s that time of year again! If you’ve been out and about in the retail stores, you know that the holidays are creeping around the corner. Already among the Halloween tricks and treats are your decorations for fall harvest: pumpkins, gourds and botanicals in your favorite autumn colors. Sitting discreetly on the shelves, waiting for the perfect moment to make their entrance, are boxes upon boxes of holiday lights and ornaments. And you know, that as soon as the ghoulish displays are cleared, the Christmas trees seem to pop up out of nowhere.
Don’t let the holiday season sneak up on you! While you don’t have to get your own decorations out of storage just yet, you need to at least start thinking about what you want to do this year, and maybe get some ideas and inspiration. You may not realize it, but holiday décor gets dated, too! Yes, there are classic themes: you will always have Christmas trees, Santas, Nativities, and angels. But the design representations of these themes change to follow what’s current in home fashion. Also, there are holiday themes that are new and popular just for this season, and you may want to get on the style bandwagon for ideas to make this holiday season truly memorable and one-of-a-kind.
You may have noticed, that GRAY is everywhere this year. It is the hot, new neutral of the next decade – a soft, calming color that people find comforting in tough times. “Gray for the holidays? Isn’t that kind of depressing?” you say. Not if you “bling” it up with some sparkle and shine! Because then, gray becomes the classic SILVER that we all know and love. As the gold tones of past years evolve to a deeper, darker bronze shade, silver is the festive metal that will lift our spirits up this year. The decorating possibilities are endless, with polished, satin, and antique silver finishes reflecting varying degrees of light.
By itself, silver already makes quite a statement; but combined with color, it can create a stunning backdrop for your holiday get-togethers. The trend is in UNEXPECTED COLOR COMBINATIONS that express your own individuality and personal style. The best part is, there are no rules! You can pretty much combine any colors that make you feel good. Traditional holiday colors have always been red, green, and gold. These colors will never go away, but their tones and shades will change from time to time. This year, red is leaning more towards the berry tones, while green is represented in pear or granny smith apple. Gold is split into both ends of the spectrum, with bronze shades on the one side, and citrus colors on the other. So do not be surprised if you find combinations like orange, silver and chocolate this season, or raspberry, purple and lime green. If it makes for a happy holiday, it’s all good.
The trend towards delicious, edible color references is also no accident. It reflects our desire to go BACK TO NATURE, to things that are pure, simple, fresh and alive. So the scent of fresh evergreens will be much more pervasive this year. Mmmm… Fruits, nuts, berries and branches will abound, but in novel and unique treatments. Pinecones may be painted in unusually vibrant colors, and sprays of feathers will be a popular alternative to your traditional tree topper.
SO, are you going to decorate with the same old stuff, or did you get inspired to do something a little different this year? If you’re having trouble remembering what you did last holiday season because year after year seems to be the same, then it’s time to shake it up a little. Go ahead and look at what you’ve got – a little sparkle and shine here, a little color there, add something fresh, and voila – it’s a holiday season you and your family will always remember.
By: Leslie Sarmiento, owner of Interiors by Decorating Den - Kingwood. She is a speaker, author and interior decorator. She is the author of the “Come on Over - Design Series,” which is a series of decorating guides and also developed “The Decorating Dreambook,” a project planner designed to simplify the decorating process. Leslie can be reached at (281) 686-9293 or online at www.LeslieSarmiento.com. To purchase her books or planner, go to www.penworth.com/products
