December 9, 2019 In Artisans & Antiques, Designer Words of Wisdom

Tasteful Holiday Decor

Does taste really matter when it comes to holiday decor?  As far as I’m concerned anything that sets your heart a flutter should be splashed all over your home for that one over-indulgent month between Thanksgiving & New Years.  Whether that means your Grandmother’s early Victorian mercury ornaments, your circa-early 2000’s Pooh Bears, or your Home Goods haul from this morning.
With that in mind some of my favorite go-to’s for holiday decorating bring up Christmas memories of yore and the people and places gone by.  Handed down from generation to generation is most meaningful of course, but if you’re lucky you can also swoop up any of these authentic items at an estate sale or flea market.  For that matter, you might even peek around that canny Joanna Gaines section at Target for some decent reproductions….or just search the olde Google.  We really want for nothing these days!
Vintage sleigh (flea market score), old sleigh bells (estate sale score), and a cute little balsam fir from Balsam Hill
  • Sleigh bells– I love those J-i-n-g-l-e bells!  Draped from the door they’ll remind you that Santa Clause is coming to town with every opening.
  • Vintage Sleds, Ice Skates, & Snowshoes (the older the better)!!!
  • On the table – citrus fruits, greenery, some bronze pheasants, white candles everywhere, and there’s no time like the present for the fine China!

Peacock feathers are always a good idea but especially around the holidays, as seen inside the cozy Beverly Hills home of  designer Mary Macdonald. 

  • Garlands draped everywhere from the front door, to the stair case, and around the mantel (basically anywhere you can find a home for them).
  • My personal preference is warm white Christmas lights strung assiduously (not cool white, and not colorful).
  • Poinsettias (loads of them) and sprigs of fresh greens, red and white flowers throughout!
  • Remember not every house needs to look like a Land’s End ad, so throw in a giant lawn blow up for good measure…but only if it makes your heart happy!

This little tree looks just like the one my Grandmother use to have that I had my eye on for years before it was abruptly snagged by a wily New York cousin.  Happily, I found this near replica at Target last year.  
Happy Holidays to you and yours!
xo
Pamela