When the temperatures drop and your favourite local coffee shop breaks out the festive takeout cups, it can only mean one thing: it’s time to decorate your home for the holidays. It’s not just about hanging a wreath or trimming a tree, though – holiday decorating can include your whole home from the front porch to the mantle and tabletops.
This year, many families took decor inspiration from one of Pantone’s colours of the year, Ultimate Gray, or Benjamin Moore’s 2021 colour of the year, Aegean Teal. If you painted a room in one of these colours, it’s a great opportunity to get creative and add complementary holiday decor accents. No matter what colours are featured in your home, here are a few tips to get you started.
Tradition with a twist
Red and green are a classic holiday colour combination that looks good year after year. Decorative pieces in these traditional colours work well with a neutral paint colour like Ultimate Gray or a soft, creamy white. Want to modernize this colour scheme? Forgo brighter hues in favour of deep, elegant forest green and cranberry red. Consider adding candles of varying heights and vases in modern, abstract shapes (ivory and metallics will play well with those darker tones).
Next, add texture with throw blankets and accent pillows in materials like faux fur, velvet, or cable-knit wool that’s as cozy as your favourite sweater. If this decor style is speaking to you, In House Living in Burlington has an excellent selection of textiles and accent pieces that will liven up every room.
Take inspiration from nature
If you’re looking for a design approach that’s rooted in the beauty and simplicity of nature, consider some decor from House Warmings in Oakville. “We like to work with nature’s elements, incorporating light raw wood and organic elements such as moss, pine cones, real pine, and cedar,” explains designer Cara Almeida. “We let nature guide the colour palette and add in soft textural elements like a chunky cable knit throw draped around the base of the tree, felt tree ornaments, or some large woven baskets filled with firewood.”
You can bring in that Ultimate Gray shade through textiles if it isn’t already on your walls, and Aegean Teal can be subtly introduced as an accent colour. Holiday candles are perfect for illuminating a room while adding a cozy feel, Almeida adds, so choose a festive scent and light it up!
Contemporary cool
If your home features shades of blue, green, or that gorgeous Aegean Teal, consider using metallic accents along with touches of soft grey and cream. This will create a festive winter wonderland while maintaining a modern look. A set of small metallic urns or a standing wreath from Pure Boutique in Burlington will add sparkle and create a space for decorative twigs or greenery. Instead of bright silver, consider accents in richer brass or pewter tones. Slim tapered candles in a marble or wooden base will look trendier than tea lights. Wrap it all up with a few soft touches like a textured throw blanket in pale grey or ivory, and you’ll be ready to celebrate the season.
Create ambiance
Scent is one of the best ways to create warmth and ambiance in your home – and if there was a holiday scent of the year, it would be Frasier Fir by Thymes Canada. Available at Lakeside Livin’ Home Decor in Oakville, these woodsy candles are available in a variety of sizes and styles including gold, forest green, and white ceramic. The Frasier Fir scent also comes in ceramic reed diffusers, hand soap, and more.
Not cozy enough yet? You can create additional layers of comfort with a Foxford throw blanket made from 100% lamb’s wool (they make a great gift, too). Welcome guests with some cheeky-yet-inviting throw pillows, a charming platter full of gingerbread cookies, and a mug of cocoa, and it’s official – the holidays are here.
LOCAL LINKS
In House Living, Burlington || inhouseliving.ca
Lakeside Livin’, Oakville || lakesidelivin.com
Pure Boutique, Burlington || pureboutique.ca
House Warmings, Oakville || housewarmings.ca
Campbell & Co., Dundas || campbellcohome.com
Shae Rose at Home || shaerose.ca
