'Tis the season for homes decked out in their holiday best…looking all warm and cozy and ready for welcoming family and friends. Christmas decorating comes in all shapes and sizes, textures, and colors and has no boundaries as it comes down to your personal tastes. While many people tend to lean towards the reds and greens, the beauty of white, silver, gold, and blues adds just as much charm and seasonal glow to a home. Let your creativity bloom when decorating your home and let it be a reflection of who you are!

If you’re looking for a few pointers on getting started, here are some things to consider:

1. Will this space be used for entertaining? Remember to create ample space for your guests among the decorated areas.

2. If you’ll be serving food and drinks, create a space in the room to accommodate an easy access point for guests to come and go.

3. Measure the size of the room you are decorating, taking into consideration the windows and doorways.

4. Where will the tree and larger items be placed?

5. What is your desired color scheme?

6. What type of look do you want to create; classical, seaside, contemporary, nostalgic, modern.

7. Materials you may need; lights, ornaments, ribbon, pinecones, candles, tinsel, stockings, lantern, garland, mantel or table runners, tree skirts, plants, etc.

Once you have decided on your theme and assembled your materials, map out your space and desired look within your room. Keep in mind this can, and probably will change a few times as you begin to decorate, but that’s OK.  The fun is in the creation of your masterpiece!

Remember, you can utilize many materials and items to decorate! Here are some items you may not have thought about that make excellent decorations on their own or part of centerpieces:

• Flowers
• Mixed metallics- gold, silver, bronze
• Seashells
• Cookie Cutters
• Paper Snowflakes
• Fruits & Vegetables
• Candy Canes
• Antlers

Make sure to grab some hot chocolate or eggnog, Christmas cookies, and put on those Christmas songs to complete your decorating experience!

Need a little inspiration?  Here are some of the decorating photos we just LOVE!