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Holiday Decorating

By
Home Stager with Fusion Design Consulting

 

 Choose a theme – Having a theme organizes the look and feel of your decorating.  It helps you keep the decorating under control and prevents it from looking cluttered.  You can choose a theme based on colors- red and green, turquoise and silver, or pink and gold, purple and green are a few examples.  The colors don’t have to be traditional Holiday colors.  Or you can decorate based on a style such as traditional, modern, Victorian, country, etc. These images are from Country Living Magazine, you can see many more at their site.

 

Carry through to wrapping paper- Choose wrapping paper that matches your theme.  You could use plain brown paper with a colorful ribbon for a country theme or all silver paper with any color of ribbon to match your decorations. Quality ribbon makes a big difference in the look of your wrapped gifts.  You can find ribbon by the yard at craft stores or online.  Lastly, handmade tags are a nice finish that personalize the gift.

 

Tip:  instead of using tags for your children, wrap each child’s presents in their own gift    wrap- green for Jack, red for Lauren.

 

Use clear lights- Plain, simple, festive.   

 

Use what you have in different ways- You don’t have to buy all new decorations to make a change, create a new look by using what you have in different ways:

·         Ornaments in a bowl for a centerpiece

·         Garland around windows

·        Table runners on coffee and side tables

·         Gather fresh greenery from the garden

·         Decorate with fruit, flowers and food- ok, not such a good idea if you have pets or small children...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Help with Holiday Decorting or more tips call or email Fusion Design Consulting.

 


 

Comments (9)

Michelle Molinari
FEATURE THIS... Real Estate Staging & Interior Decor - Lafayette, LA
Feature This Real, Estate Staging & Curb Appeal Concepts

Great tips Gina!

About 13 years ago I moved out of state and sold all my Christmas stuff before "the move." We were flat broke that year , but I  couldn't not have a non- pretty Christmas. So, I went to the grocery store, and bought a bunch of nuts in the shell - Walnuts, pecans, and filberts. I hot-glued a wire to each one, and strung them on a clothesline, and spray-painted them metallic copper. I bunched them attactively and added some silver ribbons and attached them to our meager presents (wrapped in white butcher paper stenciled with copper oak leaves) and plastered all the rest of them all over our Charlie Brown Christmas Tree. It was absolutely gorgeous with plain white lights. 

I dearesay it was my favorite Christmas Theme ever - "Just Nuts!"

~Michelle

 

Dec 07, 2009 08:06 AM
Michael A. Caruso
Surterre Properties - Laguna Niguel, CA

Gina,

We usually have the same theme every year. The fresh tree in the family room has all the favorite decorations that we collected through the years. The fake tree in our living room is usually more modern and formal. Three times in our 29 year marriage we did a themed tree. Once, we did a Topiary tree, with all fruit, bird and leaf ornaments. Another time when our children were little, we did a Kids tree, just Disney & Sesame Street character ornaments, handmade & musical ornaments. Obviously, that was one of their favorites.  Lastly, a beach themed tree, when we went on a Caribbean cruise.

Michael

Dec 07, 2009 10:09 AM
Terrylynn Fisher
Dudum Real Estate Group - BuyStageSell.com - Walnut Creek, CA
HAFA Certified, EcoBroker, CRS, CSP Realtor, Etc.

Lovely ideas, lovely photos...you are one talented lady.  Thanks for sharing. 

Dec 07, 2009 02:13 PM
Cathy Lee
CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA
ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

GREAT post!! You must know our family. We have a theme every year. And my 3 grand boys-each one has his own color..orange, blue and green. It is so easy this way-they never mix their drinks, plates or blankets, etc... up!!  Love your photos!!  Thanks for sharing.   

Dec 07, 2009 03:45 PM
Gina Dougherty
Fusion Design Consulting - Redondo Beach, CA
Home Staging Redondo Beach, CA- FusionDesignConsulting.com

Michelle, your ideas are so good- anything can be done w/spraypaint and a glue gun!

Michael, I love the themes you chose.  We have 2 trees each year as well.  The fake tree that I theme decorate is referred to as the "ugly tree" by my children because the BEAUTIFUL tree is the real one decorated with all of their handmade ornaments. 

Thanks Terrylynn!

Cathy, I'm glad you enjoy changing the theme as well!  And using the different colors for the kids helps keep things hassle free!

Dec 08, 2009 10:04 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

I've been wrapping the kids presents in their own wrap for many years now.  It's so much fun on Christmas morning for them to figure out what paper their gifts are in.  They usually figure it out, without my help.  They are all grown up now and starting to have kids of their own.  Now I have to add grandbaby paper to the bunch!

Dec 08, 2009 10:56 AM
Kim Dillon
Creative Eye Home Staging - West Chester, PA

I've done the individual paper thing for the kids as well.  I usually use two different ones for each so that it isn't too monotonous and don't tell them which paper is theirs until it is time to open gifts.  Much easier, and makes it fun for them to guess as well. 

Dec 08, 2009 11:49 PM
Deena Cottingham
GreenApple Staging & Images, Calgary Staging & Photography - Calgary, AB
Home Stager & Photographer

Gina, great ideas for Christmas decorating. A monochromatic theme is one of my favorites! I also like your suggestions for re-purposing what we already have. This makes it feel like we got new stuff without the extra expense or clutter!

Dec 10, 2009 07:10 AM
1~Judi Barrett
Integrity Real Estate Services 116 SE AVE N, Idabel, OK 74745 - Idabel, OK
BS Ed, Integrity Real Estate Services -IDABEL OK

Gina, These are great ideas for this time of the year and they make use of things that are usually already in the Christmas storage boxes.  Love it.

Dec 13, 2009 08:53 AM