The holiday season is a time for joy, celebration, and creating a festive atmosphere in our homes with holiday decorating. Whether you’re a minimalist, maximalist, or somewhere in between, there are endless holiday decoration ideas for creating a festive atmosphere. In this article, we will explore the expert tips and tricks from professional designers to help you create a magical holiday atmosphere that will bring joy to your family and friends. So, let’s dive in and discover how the pros love to create and celebrate holiday magic!
1. Embrace Maximalist Holiday Decor
When it comes to holiday decorating, some people prefer a minimalist approach, while others love to go all out during the New York holidays. Jung Lee, an event designer and founder of Fête, falls into the latter category. For her, the holidays are all about spoiling loved ones and creating a festive environment. She believes that the most important thing during this time is to slow down and focus on being with family and friends.
Jung Lee’s approach to maximalist holiday decor involves filling every corner of her TriBeCa apartment with holiday cheer. She loves to stuff her Christmas tree and garlands with an abundance of Christmas decorations and lights. To create a joyful and whimsical dining experience, she sets the table with mismatched dishes and glassware, creating an atmosphere that feels relaxed, and unpretentious and even includes kitchen grapes decor.
One of Jung Lee’s favorite holiday decorating tricks is transforming store-bought wreaths into custom-made Christmas decorations by adding greenery and ornaments. She clusters ornaments together, creating bunches that resemble grapes. This technique adds an impactful and visually stunning element to the Christmas wreaths. Additionally, she repurposes leftover greenery to create table decorations, preventing any waste.
2. Embrace Minimalist Holiday Décor
On the other end of the holiday decorating spectrum, architect Elizabeth Roberts takes a minimalist approach. She believes in surrounding herself with the plants and flowers she loves, creating a natural and serene atmosphere in her home. Instead of a traditional Christmas tree, Elizabeth opts for growing flowering bulbs, such as paperwhite and amaryllis, which add a touch of elegance and beauty to her space.
Elizabeth keeps her holiday decorations simple and personal. She hangs magnolia wreaths on her front doors and plants hellebore and evergreen shrubs in containers to soften the look of her stoop. Inside her home, she decorates with live plants like juniper and asparagus ferns, spreading greenery throughout her living room. She also incorporates fresh lemons on tabletops to add a pop of color to her predominantly white interiors.
One of Elizabeth’s favorite holiday traditions is forcing paperwhite and amaryllis bulbs. She finds joy in watching them grow and bloom over the course of the holiday season. It’s a process that brings anticipation and excitement, almost like a grown-up advent calendar.
3. Create a Miniature Winter Scene on Your Mantel
If you have a fireplace, it becomes the focal point of your living room during holiday gatherings, just like a fireplace in a NYT article. Architect Peter Pennoyer and interior designer Katie Ridder have a tradition of creating a miniature winter scene on their Christmas mantel, transforming it into a magical display. This tradition allows them to bring the holiday spirit into their home, even when they are unable to travel.
To create their winter scene, Peter and Katie clear away their usual art and decorations, providing a blank canvas. They then add bottlebrush trees, animal figurines, and log cabins to create a snowy landscape. Cotton balls are stretched out to mimic snow, and sometimes they even incorporate ice skaters for an added touch of whimsy in their Christmas decorations.
The couple believes that the holidays are a time to pull out all the stops and decorate. After years of traveling during this season, they are thrilled to celebrate at home and create a festive atmosphere that reflects their family traditions and brings them closer together.
4. Personalize Your Decorations with Sentimental Ornaments
When it comes to holiday decorating, it’s not just about the aesthetics. It’s also about the sentimental value and personal meaning behind each Christmas ornament. Peter Pennoyer and Katie Ridder cherish the holiday decorations they have collected over the years, including Christmas ornaments given to them, ones their children made, and ones they collected themselves.
Their Christmas tree is a reflection of their family’s journey and experiences. It’s adorned with Christmas ornaments that hold memories and stories. From hollowed-out eggshells filled with diorama-like scenes to paper ornaments with juvenile paintings and photos of their children, each ornament tells a unique tale. They also incorporate mercury-glass balls, silver ornaments, and quirky Christmas decorations from friends, adding layers of charm and personalization.
The couple’s approach to holiday decorating is a mix of tradition and creativity. They embrace the hodgepodge of Christmas ornaments, creating a tree that is distinctly personal and far from a decorator’s touch. It’s a celebration of their family’s history and the joyous moments they have shared.
5. Make Use of Natural Elements and Greenery
When it comes to holiday decorating, natural elements and greenery can bring a touch of elegance and freshness to your home. Whether it’s Christmas wreaths, garlands, or potted plants, incorporating greenery creates a connection with nature and adds a sense of tranquility to your space.
Jung Lee and Elizabeth Roberts both emphasize the importance of using natural materials in their holiday decor. Jung Lee adds greenery and Christmas ornaments to store-bought Christmas wreaths, transforming them into custom-made masterpieces. She also repurposes leftover greenery to create table decorations, minimizing waste.
Elizabeth Roberts takes a minimalist approach to holiday decorating by surrounding herself with live plants she loves, such as juniper and asparagus ferns. She also incorporates magnolia wreaths from home depot and evergreen shrubs to add a touch of natural beauty to her Christmas decorations. Additionally, she forces paperwhite and amaryllis bulbs, bringing the beauty of nature indoors.
6. Experiment with Different Color Themes
One way to infuse creativity into your holiday decorating is by experimenting with different color themes each year. Jung Lee likes to change things up and create a fresh look for her Christmas tree. Some years, she opts for a monochromatic color scheme, such as deep reds paired with vibrant pinks or orange with bronze. Other times, she embraces an Ombre tree, transitioning from chartreuse and lime green at the top to royal and marine blues at the bottom.
By playing with color, you can create a unique and visually striking holiday display. It allows you to express your personal style and set the tone for your festive holiday decorating celebrations.
7. Incorporate Personal Touches and Family Traditions
The holidays are a time to celebrate family and create lasting memories. Peter Pennoyer and Katie Ridder embrace this sentiment by incorporating personal touches and family traditions into their Christmas decorations. They hang Christmas ornaments that hold sentimental value and reminders of shared experiences. They also create a miniature winter scene on their mantel, a tradition that brings joy and magic to their home.
Elizabeth Roberts also adds personal touches to her holiday decorating by incorporating plants and flowers she loves. She cherishes the process of forcing bulbs and enjoys watching their progress. These personal touches create a sense of warmth and authenticity in her Christmas decorations.
When decorating your own home for the holiday, don’t be afraid to incorporate personal touches and family traditions. It’s these details that make your holiday decorating unique and meaningful. So, how do the personal touches make your holiday decor stand out?
8. Don’t Second-Guess Yourself – Have Fun with Holiday Decorating
The most important thing to remember when it comes to holiday decorating is to have fun and not second-guess yourself. There are no strict rules or right and wrong ways to decorate for the holiday. Whether you prefer a maximalist or minimalist approach, the key is to create an environment that brings you joy and makes your family and friends feel welcome. So, how do the different approaches affect the holiday atmosphere?
As Jung Lee wisely advises in the context of holiday decorating, “You should have fun and play with it — there is no wrong. If it brings you joy, it’s right.” So, let your creativity shine, embrace your personal style, and create a holiday atmosphere that reflects your unique personality and brings happiness to all who enter your home.
Conclusion
Creating a magical holiday atmosphere at home with your unique holiday decorating ideas is a wonderful way to celebrate the season and bring joy to your family and friends. Whether you embrace a maximalist or minimalist approach, incorporate natural elements or experiment with different color themes, the key is to infuse your holiday decorations ideas with personal touches and family traditions. Don’t be afraid to love, create, celebrate and let your creativity shine. Remember, there are no rules when it comes to Christmas decorations — if it brings you joy, it’s right. So, go ahead and create your own holiday magic with your Christmas decor on your Christmas mantel!