TheDesignFile

Tip 17: Set your holiday table with new colors

Have you started thinking yet about how you’ll set your table for Christmas dinner?

If you’re anything like me, you stay with the same general color schemes and ideas in most years. But I’ve noticed a lot of pretty holiday tables in colors that are not what you naturally think of for Christmas.

So Tip #17 in our series of decorating ideas is to try a new color scheme for your Christmas entertaining.

I used to collect willow ware and absolutely loved it but I never thought of using on my table at Christmas.

But look how pretty this blue and white transfer ware plate looks on an otherwise typical red and white holiday table. This photo is from Southern Living and MyHomeIdeas.com.

Blue and white isn’t a terribly unusual color scheme for Christmas but the look above is definitely more beachy, which is why it ran in Coastal Living. I found it at MyHomeIdeas.com.

Above right is a beautiful brown, green and ivory holiday table, which was from Southern Living and MyHomeIdeas.com. The tiny stocking with natural greens tucked inside add just the right holiday touch.

And speaking of brown… what’s not to love about this rustic holiday look? It’s from HGTV. I love the cinnamon sticks and the metal star. So pretty.

Tip 16: Add some holiday pillows to your decor

Sometimes the nicest holiday decorations are the simplest ones – like adding a pillow to the sofa or an easy chair.

So that’s Tip #16: Change out your pillows for Christmas.

I must admit that this is something I never do – and I have no idea why.

My mom always has beautiful Christmas or wintery pillows in her home and they look just great.

And when I visit other people’s homes at Christmas, I’m always delighted by a sweet – or sometimes even funny – Christmas pillow.

I love the pillow at right, which I found at Better Homes and Gardens.

BHG has instructions for making this “believe” pillow here.

I also like the cute reindeer pillows in the photo below. They add to the great red and white color scheme.

And look at the cute noel pillow below in another photo from BHG.

Tip 15: Create a 'mantel' for your stockings

Yesterday, we looked at ways to make your own stockings for Christmas.

But what if you don’t have a fireplace to hang them on? Never fear. Today we’ve got some ideas for that problem too.

Tip #15 is make a faux mantel – or something like a mantel – for your stockings.

Roughly half of American households have a fireplace or free standing stove, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association.

That means half of Americans need a place for their stockings! But finding an alternative doesn’t have to be hard.

Check out the idea at right from Better Homes and Gardens.

You can get detailed instructions for this DIY mantel project at the BHG website.

But you can find readymade, unfinished shelves at your home improvement store or a craft store – maybe Michaels – that would let you do the same thing. Just paint and add the knobs.

Or how about this interesting idea: Draw a fireplace on a canvas and hang it on the wall.

To achieve the BHG look at right, paint a canvas drop cloth with chalkboard paint.

Then use chalk to sketch a fireplace.

Add some twine and hang on the wall,

Then you could hang some stockings above the canvas.

The great thing about this project is that you can hang it anywhere you have just a little wall space.

Get more complete instructions for this canvas fireplace  on the BHG website.

Of course, you can always actually build or purchase a mantel or fireplace surround – even if it’s not going around a real fireplace. Look for instructions for to build your own at the Ana White website.

Tip #14: Make some new Christmas stockings

No fireplace at Christmas is complete without stockings and yet I’ve struggled over the years to find some good ones.

So Tip #14 is to make your own stockings.

This is a goal of mine this year, although with the month slipping away, it might become a great idea for next year.

Regardless, my research yielded some stocking projects worth sharing.

At right is a Better Homes and Gardens stocking made of felt, which is a popular choice for this kind of project because the material doesn’t unravel and therefore the edges don’t have to be finished.

That makes it easier not only to make the stock itself but also to decorate it.

You can get the full instructions for this felt stocking at the BHG website. And here’s a video from HGTV about making stockings – once again with felt. These are so impressive!

You can also use sweaters – start with a shopping trip to Goodwill – to make some beautiful stockings.

Below right is an image from BHG. Below left is one from HGTV. Those were created by the always inspirational Miss Mustard Seed, who provides instructions and templates for making these pretty stockings here.

Tip 13: Give your Christmas tree some oomph

It may be a little bit late in the month to focus on decorating your Christmas tree but – if you’re like me – you’re a little behind.

And I couldn’t let our holiday decorating series go by without a couple more Christmas tree-related posts.

So Tip #13 is to give your Christmas tree a little oomph with some dominant décor.

I love the way this burlap garland gives the tree at right a strong look while making room for plenty of smaller ornaments.

I want to be clear. I’m as crazy as anyone about pulling out all my favorite ornaments – old and new – to put on the tree. I actually get emotional when I get out my old ceramic Snoopy ornaments and hand-painted glass ball that we made as favors for our wedding.

Some of our ornaments are whimsical, some are funny and others are just beautiful. They come in different colors and sizes and styles.

But if you’re not careful, your tree can take on a cluttered look that actually detracts from all those wonderful ornaments rather than framing them.

The key is to create a unified look on your tree with a few key colors and larger additions so that from a few steps back, the tree looks unified. Up close, though, all your wonderful ornaments are still there to admire.

On my tree, I do this in a few ways. First, I use a wide, gold mesh ribbon tucked in and out spiraled around the tree. Because it’s gold, the ribbon really sparkles. But because it’s mesh, you can see through it to the ornaments behind it.

Secondly, I’ve purchased a number of oversized balls in red and gold along with a few other larger ornaments, including some sparkly red snowflakes that are about eight inches across and some big gold stars and diamonds and other shapes.

I put all these ornaments on my tree first, strategically placing them so the tree appears balance. Then I take some medium sized red and gold balls – along with some of those big snowflakes – and hang them inside the branches. That way, they’re peaking out from behind ornaments.

I also drape strings of large gold beads around the tree.

Only then to do I start filling in with all my more precious ornaments.

Now, it may seem like this would actually make it harder to see my favorite ornaments. But actually, I feel like they’re now somehow showcased.

Tip 12: Make an unusual holiday wreath

Today I’m writing about something I’ve never actually tried – making a wreath. But I love wreaths and I’m particularly drawn to unusual ones, the kinds that aren’t made with greenery.

So Tip #12 in our Christmas decorating series is creating an unusual wreath.

I love this candy cane wreath from Better Homes and Gardens and it looks so easy to do.

I mean, that’s easy to say for someone who’s never made a wreath, but, it doesn’t look bad, right? Take a foam wreath form and glue on lots of mini candy canes. Add some ornaments and a bow!

OK. So it probably isn’t that easy and the result might be a little bit sticky, but I still love it!

I also really like both the wreaths below, even though they present completely different looks.

The wreath below left is made from Christmas cookie cutters with a traditional bow on top. It’s almost a little country style. Below right is a BHG wreath made from painted pinecones. What’s amazing about that wreath is the way the cardinals are tucked in there.

Another fave of mine is the cool yarn wreath below with pretty felt flowers. It feels so modern.

You can read more about how to make this wreath at BHG.

I’ve found that I’m drawn to white or light-colored wreaths, like the two below.

Tip 11: Make your table napkins more festive

As we get closer to Christmas, we’ll be doing some posts about decorating your holiday table because, well, I just can’t get enough of that!

We’re going to start with the simple stuff.

Tip #11: Have a little fun with your Christmas napkin rings.

OK. This may seem like a small thing to dedicate an entire post to but I think of napkin rings – or other napkin décor – as jewelry for your table.

So obviously you can choose gorgeous napkin rings from a store and set a beautiful table.

But, it’s so easy to be creative at Christmas time.

Check out the photo at right from BHG, which is so simple and so beautiful – a ribbon tied around a napkin with two vintage ornaments. Love it!

Below left, in a photo from Southern Living and MyHomeIdeas.com, a ribbon is wrapped around a napkin like a package. Below right, yarn – with bells and other accents – is used to tie up some pretty napkins.

Ribbons and yarn are, of course, are obvious.

So how about the ideas below. In the BHG photo below left, a flea market fork has been bent around a napkin. Below right, in another BHG photo, a scrap piece of burlap is wrapped around napkin, hot glued closed and topped with a button.

I found so many interesting ideas. In an HGTV photo below right, an old, painted drawer pull decorates a napkin. Pretty and unique – but a little heavy!

Tip 10: Don't forget to decorate your windows

A great thing about decorating your windows is that you get a double impact. You can generally see your displays from inside your house and outside – although that can also be challenge.

The key, I think, is to keep it simple and stick with basic color schemes so you’ll end up with something festive and fun.

That’s why Tip #10 is decorating your windows for Christmas.

Lots of people decorate their windows but they often stop at garland around the inside trim and a candle on the sill.

But there’s so much more you can try.

The photo at right is one of my favorite examples.

A few ornaments, some sprigs of greenery and a length of store-bought garland – more like a string of beads – and you’ve got a beautiful look. This photo came from Better Homes and Gardens.

Ornaments are of course a fantastic thing to hang in the window. See the way this home at MyHomeIdeas.com uses colorful ribbons and ornaments to dress up an otherwise plain window.

Ornaments, of course, aren’t your only option.

Check out how pretty pinecones look hung in a window. The photo below from Cottage Home and MyHomeIdeas.com.

Below are a couple more ideas in photos from BHG.

Tip 9: Display your holiday cards creatively

I bet your mailbox – you know, the one outside your door, not the one on your computer – is filling up with holiday cards.

It’s so fun to get cards from friends and see their family photos and read their notes.

But what do you do with them then?

It feels like a sin to just toss them in a drawer – or worse yet, the trash.

But how do you display them all?

That’s Tip #9 on our list of holiday decorating ideas.

The key to effectively using Christmas cards is to take advantage of their beauty and make them part of your décor.

In the photo at right, cards were tied to branches in a vase on a table. Simple and pretty.

My favorite idea is the one below, shown in photos from Chiot’s Run, which I found on Flickr. The cards are just clipped with clothes pins onto garland. What’s great is that – as long as you have a good amount of garland – you can handle lots of cards.

I like the way the cards seem to be just part of the décor. Nice!

I broke down this year and purchased this cool and versatile hanger than I can use for my cards and for ornaments and maybe for photos in the future. It’s on sale for $27 at Crate & Barrel.

But I had a gift card to spend and I realize that most of us are looking for low-cost ideas for displaying cards.

Tip 8: Natural elements add special touches to gifts

I plan to spend at least part of today wrapping gifts – in part because I think the Christmas tree just looks better with presents underneath but also so I don’t fall behind.

This year, I want to use some natural elements on my gifts and so I browsed the web for new ideas.

That’s why Tip #8 in our series of Christmas decorating ideas is ways to give your gifts a natural look.

The image above from HGTV is so many ideas wrapped into one.

One of the gifts is wrapped in craft paper, which also makes for a natural look. Then there’s the simple ribbons, the pinecones, feathers, and evergreen sprigs. Even the palette is perfect!

]And although it’s not a natural element, the use above of sheet music for wrapping works great with this look.

Of course, adding a touch of a natural element doesn’t have mean such a, well, neutral color scheme.

Look at the beautiful gifts at right, which I found at Better Homes and Gardens.

Although the wrappings are colorful, a couple of these presents have little sprigs of greenery and berries.

It’s just enough to suggest a natural look.

A key to this look is using ribbon to tie simple bows. Store-bought, fluffy just don’t work well with natural elements.

Another key is not to go too crazy with your berries, twigs and other items. Look how simple but beautiful the BHG packages are below.