Photo via Stylizimo
“As the days become gray, our homes become the center of our attention. The mantle we had almost forgotten is now highlighted by a roaring fire and suddenly needs dressing. The rarely used dining table is now a perfect place for new décor. And all the projects we’ve been thinking about this past year are now in full production. It’s December, that time of year when we cozy up the house.”
This past weekend, I published my first post with 12th & Broad’s Style Scout: Playful, Modern and Simply Beautiful Holiday Decor. I discussed Christmas decor, new found treasures and how to spruce up your holiday collection. And! I featured a partial round-up of my favorite holiday and winter decor for this season. Today I bring you the full round-up. All 42 fantastic items that will dazzle any home. Enjoy!
{From Left to Right} 1. Decorative Sisal Trees 2. Champagne Glitter Trees 3. Felt Trees 4. Wooden Cutout Trees 5. Gold Bottle Brush Tabletop Tree 6. German Glitter Village
{From Left to Right} 7. Glitter Star Garland 8. Mercury Glass Bulb Lights 9. Champagne Garland
{From Left to Right} 10. Luminous Dots Pillow 11. Faux Fur Pillow (white) 12. Northwood Pillows (penguin) 13. Northwood Pillows (moose) 14. Mongolian Lamb Pillow 15. Faux Fur Pillow (blue)
{From Left to Right} 16. Wood Penguin 17. Hand-painted Wanderlust Globe 18. Reclaimed Metal Reindeer Candle Holder 19. Mercury Cut Glass Hurricanes 20. Threshold Gold Bar Cart 21. Pinecone Wreaths
{From Right to Left} 22. Diptyque Red Tubereuse Candle 23. Tobacco & Patchouli – Paddywax Apothecary 24. Côtes du Rhône Three Wick Candle 25. Izola Candles 26. Woodland Truffle Classic Candle 27. Welton Parfums Kelly Hoppen Candle No. Iv
{From Left to Right} 28. Ferm Living Paper Balls and Stars 29. Birch Reindeer Ornaments 30. Wire Ornaments 31. Set of Three Heart Ornaments 32. Stuffed Ornaments – Squirrels and Pinecones 33. Foiled Gold Ornament
{From Left to Right} 34. Breathless Paper Coasters 35. Gilded Dapper Animal Mug 36. Set of 5 Matryoshka Nesting Dolls 37. Hello Darling Dish Towel (set of 2) 38. Festive Fair Isle Cheese Board 39. Fox Love Tea Towel
{From Left to Right} 40. Lodge Stripe Wool Throw 41. Italian Wool & Alpaca Cable Knit Throw 42. Faux Fur Snow Leopard Throw – Stone White
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This time of year, we are all scrambling to get our homes ready for the holidays. It’s exhausting, I know. In the last few weeks, I have thought a lot about how out of control I feel in November & December. I LOVE Christmas, but the chaos can be downright overwhelming. I have decided to take control of the madness, and find ways to make life more enjoyable during this season. This means I need to get my ass in gear and get organized.
For almost a decade, I have been decorating other people’s homes, store fronts, museums and events for the holidays. And somewhere in between, I decorate my home. My home is always last on the list. By the time I reach for those attic boxes, I am ready to go into winter hibernation. So much to do and so little time. That rush to get it all done is a dreadful feeling. And I am over it.
So, this year I am decorating my home early (and more wisely). I will be hosting Thanksgiving and Christmas, which means decorations for two very different events. With my busy schedule, there is no way I am going to set my house up twice. Instead of two different looks, I’m going to gradually transition my home with the season. Adding and subtracting various elements as the weeks go by. The key is to take notes from nature. The earth transitions from Autumn to Winter with such ease and grace. It is not a chaotic event. It is the same scene but with a simple swap of colors and textures.
The first thing that has to happen before any decorating begins is a deep clean. Scrub, purge, put away and organize the house. Decorating in a messy house is miserable. Wrapping gifts in a messy house brings me to tears. Hosting all the unclaimed furnishings & décor in my bedroom to accommodate the holidays is incredibly frustrating. And yet year after year, this is how it goes. I refuse to succumb to this cycle one more time. So, early cleaning and organizing is a must.
After the house is clean, take away all the decorations that will not be used for the next few months and pack away. This is the stage I am in this week. Freeing up space for holiday décor. To simplify this transition, I have two empty bins that I keep in my office closet. It’s easily accessible. If it’s too difficult to pack things up, it will never happen. I’ll just have a miscellaneous pile of décor sitting on the floor of my bedroom for two months. Think ahead, make this process as painless as possible.
Once you get those first two steps out of the way, you’ll be surprised how free you will feel. I’ve just begun step two, and I already feel like I have gained a few extra weeks on the holiday season.
Now, to decorate.
First, cozy up the home. Place winter throws on the sofa, burn candles, brew hot cider and welcome the chilly weather with warm touches. Next, bring out the Christmas decorations and use everything that is holiday neutral. Aka, winter décor. Winter décor mixed with autumn flowers, pumpkins and leaves look fantastic for Thanksgiving. Throw in a few gold touches and you have a lovely combination. There’s no need to buy a bunch of décor for Thanksgiving. Just look to nature and keep it simple. And after Turkey day, throw out the fall elements and replace with the glitzy Christmas pieces.
As for the Christmas tree and lights on the house, there are no rules. If you want to put them up before Thanksgiving or the day before Christmas, it doesn’t matter. Just plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time to get it done.
I encourage you to do whatever makes you happy this holiday season. Find ways to bring the stress down. Prepare a little earlier, so that you have more time later. Stop playing by everyone else’s rules. And most importantly, enjoy the days to come with your friends and family.
*photos via A Pumpkin & A Princess, The Daily Basics, Resonances and La Petite Cuisine
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