Swap holiday decorations for everyday accessories
"If all the year were playing holidays, to sport would be as tedious as to work." William Shakespeare (1564-1616), English playwright and poet, I "Henry IV"
Dear Readers: As we approach the holiday season and time for decorating our spaces, I would like to offer, what I hope to be, a helpful hint. Holiday decorations tend to hold special places in our hearts for specific reasons. We were given a particular ornament or stocking by our parents or grandparents; or we bought a favorite Santa or menorah on a trip. And we’re very proud of our holiday trimmings and can’t wait to show them off, sometimes to excess.
There are ways to incorporate holiday accessories into your existing décor without making your house too crowded and without overwhelming your space. The key is to edit.
Chances are that if you like to decorate your home for the holidays, you enjoy having a home that is warm and welcoming year-round and has your special touches throughout. If you have the "decorating gene," you will have furniture, art and accessories that complement your lifestyle and were chosen for their appeal and importance to you.
OK, so now it’s holiday time and you’re anxious to see and display your holiday decorations with the same exuberance you display your possessions with throughout the year.
Here’s the big dilemma. How do you incorporate your holiday goodies into your existing décor?
If put your holiday things on top of whatever you have now, neither will be that impressive. Before you start putting out the snowmen and snow globes, try to envision how the finished product will look. When you are shopping for your home throughout the year, more than likely you get a visual image of how each piece of furniture or accessory is going to look, and match what is already there.
When decorating for Christmas or Hanukkah, try to get that same visual image. Don’t lose your sense of style just because it’s a holiday. Clutter is seldom attractive, and clutter consisting of fat Santas or snowmen, no matter how cute, is no more appealing.
So, what to do? Remove some of your day-to-day accessories and replace them with your holiday décor pieces.
Some homeowners go to an extreme and even remove the art from their walls and replace it with holiday paintings or wall hangings. If your collection of holiday decorations is that large, you should definitely remove most of your day-to-day things. And, as much as you love your things, look at it this way: Pack them away for a few weeks, put out holiday stuff, and then, voilá, after the holidays, unpack your day-to-day things and it’s like seeing old friends again. It’s a win-win!
People have said to me over the years that doing the accessory switch may work for some, but that it is very difficult to do when there are small children in the house. Actually, it’s a perfect time to pack the "adult" decorations away and make it truly a Christmas or holiday house. And what fun for the children — everything magical and merry — and probably red and green.
These ideas can certainly work. Just use the same editing skills you employ year-round. If you use a little restraint, I think you will find that less holiday trimmings can, in fact, be more.
I hope you enjoy whatever you choose to surround yourself with during this holiday season, and that you have a safe, peaceful and happy experience.
Carolyn Muse Grant is a founder and past president of the Architectural & Decorative Arts Society, as well as an interior design consultant/stylist specializing in home staging. Send questions to creativemuse@cox.net.