How to (tastefully) decorate your home for Christmas (and declutter afterwards!)
With Christmas just around the corner, it's time to dust off your baubles and decorate! Whether you're a casual Christmas decorator or go all out with lights and all the trimmings, nothing gets you more excited for Christmas than seeing your home filled with festive spirit.
If you're not hosting Christmas this year or going away shortly after the big day, you'll probably settle for a Christmas tree and a few small decorations.
But, if you're the host of the big event, our handy guide will give you our top tips and advice from experienced interior designers on how to make your home look like a Christmas wonderland (without being tacky).
Start by choosing your Christmas colour scheme
Colour schemes for Christmas look fantastic! Match them in with your current décor, and you'll blend in your decorations like a pro. For example, choose blue, white and grey toned decorations for your tree if you have a modern French provincial-inspired home.
If you have a neutral colour scheme and you're traditional, stick to the Christmas red and greens, mixing it up with some splashes of gold for added sparkle. You can also choose alternative colours, such as purple or pink and mix them with silver for pops of colour.
Don't be shy to play with colours (matching them with your décor) and continue this colour theme from your Christmas tree to your Christmas table and everything in between.
Here are the hottest 10 tips for styling your home for Christmas
Here are our hottest 10 design tips to deck your halls for Christmas:
- Go easy on the Christmas tree tinsel and swap it for cute tassels or bows to create an elegant-looking tree.
- Pop your Christmas tree in a cool planter, or place a plush sheepskin rug under it for a cosy Christmas look.
- Wrap your presents in natural paper, using colourful ribbons (that match your colour scheme) to complete your Christmas theme.
- If you're entertaining, decorate your kitchen (the meeting point of your house) with wreaths, bows or other ornaments to bring the festivities into the room you'll be spending a lot of time!
- If you have an open fireplace, stack some decorative wood, place some ornaments or greenery above your mantel and hang some stockings for a traditional winter Christmas vibe.
- To create a rom-com vibe, hang some mistletoe (using ribbon in your colour theme) over a doorway. Just watch out who you get stuck under it with!
- Style your table. Long tablecloths work a treat to add elegance, then set your table with all the trimmings, matching everything to your colour theme. Create a centrepiece (floral arrangement in festive colours, pinecones etc.) and use candle sticks for added class.
- Use some greenery around your doorways, with decorative snowflakes or stars hanging down around your room to add some layering to your decorating.
- Don't forget to spruce up your outdoor area, as people will gravitate to the outside world on Christmas day to lounge and enjoy a drink. So decorate your space with some plants, comfy cushions and a well-stocked drinks fridge!
- If minimalist is your thing, a few simple Christmas touches is fine, or if you're right into Christmas, go all out. Be creative and be unique. It's your home and your taste.
When it comes to Christmas decorating, so long as you're keeping in with your décor and it doesn't look like the naughty North Pole elves have messed up your living room with mismatched themes everywhere, you can't go wrong!
When Christmas is all wrapped up – it's time to declutter!
The Christmas season is usually when many of us have time off work. It's also a time people consider selling their homes in the new year.
That's why it's the perfect time for decluttering your space.
Most people will have received new items as presents, so it's out with the old and in with the new. Start a box of items that you can donate to local charities.
Go through:
- Your wardrobe to get rid of clothes (and shoes) you've outgrown or haven't worn in ages (hint: when you hang clothes, place the hanger a certain way. When you wear the item, place the hanger the other way. Any hangers that don't move – get rid of that item!)
- Hallway cupboards that accumulate old board games, presents you've never used and so on
- Linen cupboards for bedding that's never used
- Kitchen cupboards for plastics, extra cups and mugs, serving platters etc.
You'll be surprised how many items you'll find to donate to charity.
And don't be afraid to do a tip run. If your items aren't in great condition, organise a council hard rubbish collection, or pay a visit to your local tip. This is also a great way to eliminate any excess cardboard and rubbish you may have gathered by hosting a Christmas gathering at your place.
H2: Need more home decor ideas? Get advice from your friendly interior design team
Contact our interior design team today if you're thinking of selling or are just keen to upgrade your interior design.
As experts at decluttering and making spaces look (and feel) amazing, we'd love to visit your home and discuss your ideas.
On behalf of our team, we'd love to wish you a Merry (well-decorated) Christmas.