How to decorate your house for winter.
As December rolls around, Christmas decorating is something that crosses most of our minds. A tree, garlands, lights, stockings, bows and bells – and yet sometimes it can be challenging to achieve the aesthetic that we are looking for and that matches our home. Traditional Christmas decorating is abundant and detailed; but in our modern homes, how can we achieve a minimalistic effect that is festive while fragrant of our home’s scent and style?
We took a moment to interview our interior designer, Barb Heeb to gather some of her suggestions for decorating a home for winter and specifically how to create a Christmas effect with neutrals, or a minimalist effect with colour, depending on your preference.
Culling cozy
Something to consider before the Christmas decor, is creating a cozy feeling in your home’s interior during the winter months. Beginning with cozy furniture that is comfortable to sit in, consider changing out the pillows between seasons. Some options to consider could be knit, velvet or fur pillows, for example. Area rugs also have the effect of adding warmth to a space; like a fur rug under a coffee table. “It’s about layering,” Barbara Heeb explains, adding that placing throws in your space, having a basket for extra throws, and mixing textures, sizes and patterns can create the cozy feeling you are working towards. Finally adding candles also adds warmth and ambiance to your room.
Christmas in Neutrals
Neutrals in modern homes are particularly in style, but how does one create a festive feeling with neutrals? If seeking to achieve a minimalist and organic look, Barb suggests using accents such as tea lights, pinecones, white holly, Christmas balls, and/or a green garland on the mantle. Continuing with the suggestion of mixing textures and layering, here are two specific examples of neutral palette combinations: a fur rug; a wooden ladder decked with a green garland or below a white deer silhouette; a green textured pillow or a black velvet pillow; a white advent pillow; pinecones in a white bowl; a green plant or pot pine tree, and a wicker basket chair.
In each or these examples, the accents are carefully selected and specific to the targeted style. Barb sought to achieve a natural look, using wood, such as birch, and by choosing a neutral palette that tends toward silver and white gold, accented with green bows.
Achieving a modern Christmas look however, does not need to be restricted to neutrals. Barb explains that a minimalist, modern effect can still be achieved with accents of colour and does not have to consist of “the clutter in a more traditional Christmas look”. The important thing is to remember to consistently blend and continue the rhythm of colours throughout your home.
The picture on the left accentuates the effect of layering with the grey throw draped over the grey couch. The accent colours, red, green and white, are repeated in the cushions, the ornaments in the pot pine, and the coloured cherries dispersed amidst the pinecones. The bold, red area rug is blended into the surrounding decor. The picture on the right, takes a slightly different angle, showing a white wicker basket for throws placed next to the couch. Additionally, other throw and pillow combinations on the couch blend with the garland hanging on the stainless steel cabinet.
However you decide to decorate your home, we trust that you will be able to glean from these ideas to create the modern effect that you are looking for, to comfortably celebrate this season with your family!