by Jennifer Ingram, owner of Gracious Spaces
The Christmas season is upon us along with all the cooking, shopping, parties, and decorating that come with it. Every year it seems like I switch up how I decorate our home. There are endless combinations that you can come up with to create different styles of decorating. This year I chose to add more cozy, farmhouse touches to our décor. One of the easiest ways to achieve that look is by stepping out into your backyard for inspiration.
We have an artificial tree in the living room where I decided to start layering interesting natural elements to create the foundation. I started by cutting grapevine (looks like long rope) from the backyard and wrapping the tree in about 4 sections. It adds such a nice rustic touch to the green branches. I tucked and secured them into place and then started adding burlap ribbon and spray painted pinecones throughout the tree. I added a $5 “snow” sign to the top of the tree to give it a winter theme. Then I chose 3 different coordinating wire ribbons from Michael’s and cut them to 18-24” long and folded them in half. I tied them together to make a loop and placed them on the tree like ornaments. I’ve been loving the cotton stems this year so I added lots of stems into the tree to brighten the green branches. I also added some cascading white florals I had used in other arrangements that add a romantic touch to the tree. Finally, I added lots of varied snowflake ornaments to the tree along with some bronze and gold ornaments.
On the mantel I chose to use pre-wired garland first. I fluffed it all out and laid it out evenly. I decided to use white feather trees from my stash but thought I would elevate them to look like a winter wonderland by placing them on wood candle sticks. I love the effect! Then my 15 year old spray painted reindeer were placed below the trees so that they gaze at each other. A few pinecones were tucked into the garland and then I cut small snippets of shimmery, silver sprigs and stuck them all through the garland. The idea for any mantel is to add varied heights, dimension, and texture to keep it interesting. Colorful or sparkly accents are always other great touches.
On the fireplace area I used a large woven basket full of red snowflake pillows to add some color. The other side is adorned with a vintage Santa from my childhood who looks like he’s standing watch. I placed an olive metal basket full of glittery pinecone stems next to Santa for another rustic, farmhouse touch. New white and red monogrammed stockings were spaced out in the middle of the mantel that add a cozy touch.
Shop your house for cake stands, candle holders, baskets, and everyday items that can be used in your holiday décor. Re-think how they may be incorporated in a fresh, creative way. Take pictures of your work when it’s all complete. Looking back at them will cause you to see what needs more tweaking. Sometimes it’s about balancing the scale of your décor while other times you see that you need to scatter more color around the room. Taking photos is the best way to see your home with real perspective. But don’t forget to have fun! Play Christmas music while you create your magical, Christmas home and take time to soak in all your hard work.
Jennifer Ingram is the owner of Gracious Spaces, an interior styling and home stager in the Brentwood area. Follow her on FB and Instagram. Email [email protected] orhttps://www.gracious-spaces.net.
