Decorating my home for Christmas always gets me into the festive spirit. The ambiance makes me want to curl up with a fleece blanket in front of a glowing fireplace as I sip a glass of wine, or hot cocoa.
I usually decorate the last week of November, but Pamela Martin, Owner & Operator of The Christmas Villager in Coldwater, starts her decorating on October 1st. “I like to enjoy the entire season and not feel stressed out about getting my decorating done.”
Devon Byrne, Head of Retail Design for Bradford Greenhouses Garden Gallery in Barrie says,
“I always say start with an element that inspires you. The Christmas season is the best time of year to get your creative juices flowing. The front entrance of your home is where most people start to decorate to make it welcoming for the winter.”
“We usually start in the living room. This is where our families gather when visiting. I love to have it warm and welcoming,” says Sandi McMillan, Co-owner with sister Wendy Greene at Our House in Barrie.
Every year I cut lush coniferous greenery such as pine or cedar and make my own decorative planters for the front of my garage. Byrne says it’s a great way to personalize and add texture, especially if you enhance the greenery with coloured ribbon and mesh.
“We find that planters and wreaths are a great do-it-yourself project,” says McMillan.
Byrne says, perhaps you’d like to add “a plaid bow with birch logs and large sugar cones to a decorative container that mimics your love for country, or a sparkly silver mesh bow with glitter sticks and opaque spheres to show your love for a more contemporary look.”
“Follow your likes. You want to be surrounded by décor and items that make you feel comfortable and at peace. Pick a theme, or colour palette that coordinates with what you currently have in your home, and run with it,” says Byrne.
Colour themes can be very personal depending on your style. Bright reds and sparkling silver and gold are some of the classics, but rustic or neutral pallets with a little bit of glitz can achieve an inviting space that make you and your guests relaxed and happy.
When decorating Christmas trees, use oversized jingle bells, rustic lanterns filled with string lights, battery operated candles, light-up gifts, plush snowmen, grapevine baskets with Spanish moss, or real bird nests. “We’re always trying to achieve a sense of whimsy, and an imaginative design aspect,” says Byrne.
Martin says llamas and lanterns are a trend this year, as well as battery-operated snow globe lanterns you don’t have to wind up. “They don’t play music, but when you turn them on, they create a magical glow in the room, and they snow continuously. The cardinal lantern is the most popular.”
And if you’re fond of colourful garden gnomes, they’re apparently quite fashionable for Christmas this year too. Be creative, and have fun decorating!
LOCAL LINKS
Bradford Greenhouses Garden Gallery
bradfordgreenhouses.com
The Christmas Villager, Coldwater
10 Coldwater Rd.
Our House, Barrie
ourhousebarrie.com
