The air is getting colder. The leaves have all fallen. Stores are starting to advertise upcoming sales, and all the signs are clear: Christmas will soon be here!
Okay, thatâs a little dramatic, but it is true that another holly jolly season will soon be upon us, and I bet youâre already planning ahead for what youâve got to do.
Thereâs obviously gift lists to assemble, youâre calling your mom to figure out whoâs hosting the Christmas dinner (âOh! I am?â), and, bless you, youâre probably stressing over how youâre going to decorate this year.
Every proud homemaker knows that having a theme at Christmas is essential for transforming a house into a home. Itâs not that youâre being vain or anything, but you know that having a house that feels warm, welcoming, and, dare I say jolly, are key to helping enhance the joy of being reunited with your friends and family during this special time.
With that being said, it can be a pain. It takes time, and it can be tough to keep things fresh and interesting, trying to come up with a new, engaging theme, year after year. To help you out this season, and take some of that burden off your shoulders, Iâve put together a few ideas that you can use to really spruce up your house for all of your guests, whether youâre hosting or not (âYes. You are.â).
Classical Style
Classic Christmas themes work extremely well because theyâre, well, tradition! These are the common color and design staples that leave your guests with no doubt that you treasure the season, and look forward to it every year. It may not be revolutionary, but itâs effective, and when the goal is to relax with those closest to you, and focus on quality time with each other, sometimes thatâs exactly what you need.
To capture the perfect classical look, stick with shades of dark greens and bright reds, as well as gold and silver. Common design elements include Christmas trees, reindeer, Santaâs sleigh, and turtle doves. Sticking with naturals decor items, like a real Christmas tree, and a pine need centerpiece, is also a great way to accentuate this style.
Traditional Style
Traditional style during the holidays is all about keeping the same sense of warmth and comfort that you find in classical style, but eschewing a lot of dynamism in favor of a more subtle impression. To that end, the reds, greens, and other colors that make up the classic Christmas palette remain, but are presented in subtler ways.
To start with, you donât have to go overboard with Santa statues, reindeer napkins, nativity bookends, and all other manner of Christmas staples. Instead, you can do simple things, like swap out the throws or pillows on your couch for some dark greens and reds, or incorporate a subdued, but elegant rug to introduce just a hint of the Christmas spirit into your living space.
Unconventional
If youâre someone whoâs never been one to just go along with the crowd, or forced yourself to keep up with the latest trends, good for you! It takes a lot of courage to live your life that way, and you can use that same philosophy to decorate your home for the season, and leave quite the impression with your guests.
You can use colors and designs that mean something unique about Christmas to you, and incorporate them into your decorations. Maybe one Christmas your family took a trip to the beach, and you have a seashell that represents that trip; or maybe you the most cherished gift you ever received was a pair of socks your mom knit for you, and you use them as the centerpiece of your table.
The possibilities are endless with this approach, and the more unique to you, the better!
This is a collaborative guest post. The views and ideas do not necessarily represent those of Mommy Ramblings.
In the end we went with The Concealed Cabinet because we can still make custom tweaks like add a power  strip inside the cabinet, but the basics are done.  The other great feature is that we can customize the door with a print, photograph, artwork from our children or whatever we like and we can change it as often as the mood strikes.
My daughter and I went to Home Goods a few days ago and I picked out some towels that I thought were in the same color family and bought them to hang on the towel bars that will be around the tub. When I found 3 rugs that also looked to be perfect I was ecstatic but a little perplexed.
