It’s Christmas season once more and if you’ve not already got your decorations up, you might be one of a growing number of people who cringe at the thought of adorning their house with jingle bling.
But Christmas doesn’t have to be about blinding your neighbours with flashing lights on every surface or bobbing inflatable Santas. Follow these tips for Christmas décor that’s more elegant and tasteful than tacky:
- ‘Chic’ decorating might be defined as décor that is elegant, simple and understated. It’s therefore best to choose a straightforward colour scheme and stick to it. A good choice is red and white, a favourite of the Scandinavians and très chic – or opt for a palette of silver, fresh green and white for a more sophisticated Christmas look. Less is more – and as a rule of thumb, any single colour plus white usually works far better than the traditional mash of glitzy colours.
- Decorate just a few areas of the room rather than applying lashings of tinsel to every visible surface. Most people opt for a tree as a minimum – after that, the fireplace, coffee table and window sill are all good areas to add a stylish arrangement. If you’re decorating a fairly small area, opting for a narrow tree will help emphasise the room’s height and save your floor space.
- As you’re adding to a room that’s already decorated, keep the room as free from clutter as possible. It’s a good idea to swop a non-seasonal accessory for each seasonal decoration that you introduce, and remove any accessories that don’t fit with your simple colour scheme.
- Opt for simple white fairy lights on the tree a rather than flashing coloured lights. Their soft inviting glow can be utilised in other areas of the room too, with the battery operated versions giving you endless possibilities. For a chic look, place them in clear glass jars or vases along the windowsill or mantelpiece.
- Try and achieve a rustic home made look with your decorations for true Scandinavian charm. Home-made looking ornaments that are reminiscent of childhood memories help to personalise your Christmas theme and give the room an inviting appeal. Ditch the metallic bling in favour of more natural materials such as pine cones, evergreen foliage, ivy and berries.
- Cinnamon sticks, dried fruit and seed pods are all great for homemade decorations too, and can be sprayed white or silver, or left natural. Pine cones are also perfect for making a whole host of chic decorations – either spray them white, or just paint the tips for a snow –kissed look. If you don’t have time to make your own decs, you can fake the look with ‘Gingerbread’ shapes and felt decorations in the shape of hearts and birds, which are readily available in the shops.
- Your table is the centrepiece at Christmas so if it’s worn out, scratched or wobbly, now is the perfect time to replace it with Christmas bargains aplenty. If the budget won’t stretch to a new table, invest in a plain table runner or cloth to cover up shabby surfaces. And be sure to check out this round-up of three beautifully simple dinner table settings.
- Avoid paper decorations – they are not only tacky but will look tired and drab quickly. This is especially so on the Christmas table where many people reach for the stack of paper plates in the hope to avoid hours of clearing up. Plain white china works well with any chic Christmas theme and can be dressed up with charger plates in your contrasting theme.
- For a unique touch and a talking point, incorporate some of Scandinavian’s Christmas traditions into your décor. For example, the Swedes include red tulips in their Christmas decs, and in Iceland the Children are encouraged to leave a shoe on the windowsill from December 12 up until Christmas Eve. Good children receive a gift from Santa – bad children get a potato! Gleðileg Jøl!
If you liked this, take a look at Kimberly Duran’s thoughts on getting a glamorous festive look in your home this Christmas!
Images sourced via Pinterest. Credits: etsy.com and indulgy.com.
