Flip through the pages of any home décor magazine this time of year and you’ll see perfect holiday scenes, complete with an exquisitely decorated tree sitting atop large area rugs and gorgeous boughs of fresh garland. For most of us, our attempts at achieving this dream end up looking more like Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree. The difference is that those magazine editors have what most of us usually don’t: a professional decorator and plenty of cash.
With that in mind, even the most style-challenged homeowner can achieve a holiday look straight out of a magazine with a little know-how. From inexpensive area rugs to craft store finds, this article will take three popular holiday decorating trends that have the potential to break the bank and show you how to pull them off without spending a fortune.
Read on to learn how to take your holiday dreams and turn them into reality!
Fresh greenery
The dream: Fresh evergreen garland and wreaths – There’s nothing quite like the scent of a fresh holiday wreath. There’s nothing quite like the price, either. A fresh balsam or fir wreath will set you back a good $50. And if you want fresh garland to decorate your staircase or mantle, be prepared to pay about $5 per foot!
The reality: Artificial garland and wreathes have a come a long way from the stiff, plastic-looking pieces they used to be. Today’s evergreen garland and swags pull off the look better than ever and sometimes even come pre-lit. You’ll pay just a fraction of what you would for the real thing and it will still look just as fresh after 6 weeks. Best of all, you can store it and use it again next year! Pick some up at and craft store. While you’re there, create your own one-of-a-kind wreath with tiny pine cones, ribbon, beads, and other accents. You can even take a cue from a popular outdoor retailer and do a beach-themed wreath with shells, starfish, and sand dollars to bring home that Christmas at the Cape feeling for less.
A picture-perfect tree
The dream: A custom Christmas tree – Drop into any mall after November 1st and you’ll see trees positively dripping with expensive ornaments and blinged-out bulbs that look like each decorative element was meant to harmonize into one glorious creation.
The reality: You could hire a professional to custom create an elegant tree for you (seriously – search “professional Christmas tree decorators”), or you could steal a few of their tricks and make them your own. First, choose a color scheme that you love and choose ornaments that complement that color. If you have a lot of sentimental ornaments you’ve collected over the years, balance them with bulbs and other ornaments in this color scheme to make them feel like they’re part of your theme. If you don’t have a pre-lit tree, you can fake it by carefully wrapping your lights around the base of the branches. It will give your tree the appearance that it’s glowing from the inside out! Instead of shiny tinsel or garland, go for ribbon or a string of beads to round out that designer look. Finally, remember that less is more, instead of splurging for a pricey tree skirt you can only use once a year, choose red area rugs instead. If you have an overabundance of ornaments, create a collection of them in a basket, fill in the dead spaces with pinecones or tinsel and – voila – an instant centerpiece for your table!
A perfectly set table
The dream: Tablescapes – What’s a holiday magazine spread without a perfectly set table? Keeping up with the glossy photo will require fine china, crystal glasses, and a flower arrangement.
The reality: Just because you’re having family and friends over for a holiday meal doesn’t mean you have to have expensive china or a holiday pattern. Bring out your favorite dishes and play up one color with inexpensive cloth napkins and large “charger” plates you can find at your favorite discount home store. You can even create holiday table settings with solid-colored melamine plates in gold, red, green, silver, or blue. Stack the differing colored plates at each setting for a put-together yet fun look. Use a solid-colored tablecloth and create an elegant-looking runner out of wide satin or velvet ribbon run lengthwise down the middle of the table. For whimsical place mats, use a needle and thread to sew small jingle bells onto the corners of cloth napkins. Finally, don’t forget your centerpiece – it can be something as simple as votive candles floating in a crystal bowl or a collection of greenery that you’ve perked up with pine cones, sparkly glass ornaments, and a bit of wired tinsel.