Have yourself a stylish little Christmas
Christmas is just around the corner, so it’s time to bring out the trees and decor!
Every year brings a fun challenge as I enjoy changing my Christmas theme at home and in the office–from fantastic, fantasy-inspired accessories to more subtle colors and pieces. The trick is finding fresh ways to mix old decorations with new ones. After all, who says we have to start from scratch every Christmas?
Here are some creative ideas to give our homes a festive makeover and get everyone into the holiday spirit.
1. Clean out and organize
Let’s prepare the “palette” by cleaning and organizing our homes. A clean, clutter-free space gives us more room to play around with bigger and better decor.
2. Use unusual furniture pieces
Instead of relying on Christmas decorations alone, we can incorporate unusual furniture pieces into our theme. Think of a large wing chair, an interesting ottoman, a bar cart or a beautiful velvet chaise. Not every piece needs to be embellished with Christmas ornaments to become part of our holiday theme.
3. Think beyond Christmas balls
Besides the usual Christmas balls, we can use other ornaments such as tassels, fans, giant pearls (real ones preferred!), and even old necklaces and bracelets. These can be hung as garlands or used as accessories for our table lamps. It’s a fun way to give familiar pieces a festive twist.
4 .Use tableware as decor
Instead of buying Christmas decorations that we’ll have to store away after December, why not make use of existing tableware? Interesting dessert plates, bread plates and champagne flutes can become part of the holiday display. Hang them on wreaths using metal supports and mix them with wired ribbons for an unexpected decorative touch.
5. Explore colors beyond red and green
Who says Christmas has to be all about red and green? Experiment with burgundy, violet, fuchsia, emerald, citrine and metallic finishes to create a different holiday look. There was even a time when all-white and all-black Christmas themes became popular. It’s up to us how we want to bring Christmas cheer into our homes and make it work with our style.
6. No need for tree skirts
Skip the traditional Christmas tree skirt and try something with more personality. An old ceramic planter, a giant blue-and-white porcelain jar or a martaban jar can make an interesting base for our Christmas tree. It’s a simple way to give the tree a distinctive look.
7. Pick a good spot for our tree
Let’s give our Christmas tree the attention it deserves by placing it in the most strategic location. Choose the most visible spot with the biggest impact, whether by the entry foyer or right in the middle of the living room. After all, our tree deserves its moment to shine!
8. Who says we can only have one tree?
One of my dear friends, Nardy Aquino, had an average of seven to 10 Christmas trees in his home! Each was dressed in an elaborate collection of Christmas decorations, including ornaments passed down through his family. Imagine the stories and memories behind each tree.
9. Try a Filipiniana theme
One of my mentors, Leo Almeria, a fashionable interior designer, likes incorporating Philippine-style baskets in different shapes into his Christmas trees. Whether painted or left in their natural finish, these baskets bring a distinctly Filipino character to the decorations. We can take inspiration from his designs and give our own trees a local touch.
10. Reuse and recycle
Uber interior designer Eric Paras likes reusing and recycling pieces for his Christmas decor. Do the same by giving old Christmas decorations a new look. Repainting ornaments, adding fabric or shredding fabric to stitch into garlands and leaves can transform familiar pieces into something fresh and interesting.
11. Use fresh trees and greenery
Create beautiful wreaths, garlands and Christmas trees using fresh greenery and minimal decorations. The scent of pine alone can fill our homes with the wonderful feeling of Christmas. Fresh Botanicals on Instagram can help us with fresh pine garlands, Advent wreaths and other natural decorative pieces.
12. Match gifts to the theme
Let’s not forget the presents under the tree! One of my favorite Christmas activities is rewrapping gifts using paper and ribbons that match my chosen theme. It’s a small detail, but beautifully wrapped gifts can become part of the overall Christmas display.
13. Create a happy welcome
Let’s make our entrances just as festive as the rest of our homes. Dress up the main doors with giant wreaths, decorate a console and add a festive touch to the chandelier. It’s a lovely way to welcome family and friends and set the mood for the celebrations inside.
14. Go beyond leaves and greens
Be more imaginative by experimenting with unusual materials for our Christmas trees and decorations. For one project, we created Christmas trees for a developer’s showroom using gym balls as giant metallic ornaments. We stacked them one on top of another to create large, eye-catching “trees.”
15. Decorate beyond the living room
Bring Christmas cheer into our hallways and bedrooms. Even small decorative touches can make these spaces feel more festive.
The author is the founder of Chat Fores Design Studio, an award-winning and recognized interior designer known for redefining and elevating spaces. She specializes in residential, hospitality and amenity spaces for different real estate companies. Chat has also collaborated with international design firms to create residential interiors in Manila
