BE MERRY: Holiday Decor Tips & Inspiration

Posted on December 17, 2019 under Site News

The fall season of our Designer on Call series wrapped up Thursday, November 14 with a seminar on holiday entertaining tips and finding holiday décor inspiration, presented by Stacy Molander of Rusted Window and Brooke Csukas of Uncommonly Styled. The workshop offered many great ideas for decorating your home and table for the holidays.

Stacy, a floral and event design expert, and Brooke, and party and table stylist, recommended a few key things to keep in mind as we get our homes ready for the holidays.

1. Know Your Audience

When entertaining for a group, it is best to keep in mind who will be attending the party. A sit-down plated meal for adults is perfect for elegant place settings and elaborate centerpieces, but a family-style gathering calls for minimal tabletop decoration (to provide more room for food) and simple table service.

Stacy mentions, “A garland – real or artificial – in a dining room chandelier looks beautiful and festive, and doesn’t need to be moved if you set your table differently throughout the season.” Even paper goods can be chic and stylish.

Stacy shows how greenery paired with pinecones and garland can add a holiday vibe without the traditional use of red.

2. Freshen Up What You Have

Once you know what kind of holiday gathering to plan for, then you can assess what you need. You may have china or crystal to use for your dinner party, but a new runner or flatware may be in order to revitalize your nostalgic holiday decor. Fresh floral arrangements can be made from heirloom vases and placemats are an easy way to change up the look of your table by adding a pop of color.

Brooke shared, “Chargers are another great way to transform a tabletop with sparkle or shine.”

Brooke utilized a uniform color palette to unite different textures and shine.

3. Mix and Match

Both Stacy and Brooke agreed that mixing and matching is key to create a unique and memorable setting. Mixing patterns in tableware with varied textures in velvets, faux fur and feathers is on trend for holiday, as well as using non-traditional patterns like animal prints and florals in holiday applications.

“Using snowflakes or reindeer motifs in a tablescape is a subtle and classic way to bring in a holiday feel without going the traditional Christmas route,” says Brooke.

The green, black and brown palette is thoughtfully layered and finished with the detail of a snowflake plate to feel festive.

Both designers agreed that decorating for the holidays should be fun and should make your home feel festive, so don’t be afraid to do something different. Playing around with color and texture and shine can make your traditional holiday décor truly special. Cheers!