HOLIDAY MASH-UP
Meld contemporary flair with traditional touches, fresh greens and bright pops of colour
Blend modern, traditional
Ring in the holidays in true festive spirit with some dazzling design.
“Half the battle when it comes to decorating for the holidays is knowing what feeling you want to create,” says designer Angela Marchese of Edmonton’s Luxe Design.
She suggests turning to your current space for inspiration.
“Chances are that you will want your holiday decor to reflect the way your home feels all year,” she says.
One of the simplest ways to capture that feeling is to incorporate items into the design that you already have — items like vases, baskets, candle holders and frames filled with photos.
Add fresh greens to the vases, fill the baskets with a few birch logs, sprigs of eucalyptus and a string of mini lights and tuck the framed photographs into the mantel design, alongside candles and fresh boughs for a personal touch.
“Adding fresh greenery is such an inexpensive way to bring the outdoors in — and the look and scent are incredible,” says Marchese, who adds that it can be easy to make the design pop over the holidays.
This year, pretty much anything goes. Try mixing it up — take the latest in holiday trends and layer in pops of nostalgia, a few of your everyday favourite pieces, and some fragrant fresh boughs — and voila! It’s a fresh and fun makeover for the season.
Marchese is taking these concepts and creating some design holiday magic in Brookfield Residential’s Walsh show home in Edmonton’s Chapelle Gardens community. The home has a modern farmhouse vibe, with crisp white walls, white cabinets, and grey hardwood. The open-concept design lends itself to entertaining, and Marchese has amplified the cosy and inviting farmhouse feel with a black and white holiday theme sprinkled with pops of colour and fresh greens.
Like the Walsh, Brookfield’s Carlisle model, which is available in several new communities, including Calgary’s Seton and Livingston and Airdrie’s Chinook Gate, lends itself to the holidays and entertaining with a great room fireplace that takes centre stage.
“Put a great piece of art on the mantel, something sculptural. It will add contrast to the boughs, stockings and garlands,” says Chloe Leung, Brookfield Residential’s show home co-ordinator in Calgary.
And she suggests stepping out from the traditional and adding more colour and texture with boughs fashioned with feathers, sequins or twine. She suggests checking out retailers such as Homesense, Bed Bath & Beyond and Bouclair Home for on-trend ideas.
“Holiday decor has really upped its game and there is some pretty cool stuff available with a more contemporary feel,” she says.
Jenelle Erickson and Stephanie Smith of Smith Erickson Design in Calgary suggest adding unique items and marrying holiday decor to your personal taste.
“It’s nice to create traditions with your family and loved ones, whatever that means to you,” says Smith.
Their advice is to keep it elegant. “Add simple, natural elements like woods, greenery, large leaf eucalyptus, nothing too glittery. Whites, browns, silvers, brushed bronzes are all beautiful colours,” says Erickson.
Weave in lots of colour, switch out the toss cushions on the sofa, plunk down cosy throws, add some flickering candles and it’s an unbeatable formula.
And don’t forget about the first impression — add some warmth and welcoming vibes with bright seasonal accents to the front porch and entryway. String some industrial lighting, fluff in some fresh greens, arrange a grouping of potted plants, or drape cushions and a throw blanket across a bench — it will go a long way to defining the esthetic.
“Mix and match and play around with it. Really, the sky is the limit,” says the Calgary design duo.
Another option is to whip up some holiday memories with a stunning tree. Marchese shares these tree decorating tips:
Before you do anything else, spend some time fluffing out the tree’s branches. It takes a little time, but it will make all the difference to the look, adding fullness and symmetry.
Begin by weaving in the lights to add dimension. Start by wrapping the trunk, and then expanding outward. Pepper the tree with your favourite ornaments, hanging the largest ones first, and remember to layer them in at different depths from the trunk.
Weave in ribbon or tulle to fill in the empty spaces on a tree, create movement and add coherence. Swag it on randomly for a more casual feel.
When decorating, keep some balls aside and layer them in a glass bowl to display on a nearby table.
If you are in the mood for a change, suss out some new balls, ribbon or even a dashing new tree skirt. It will refresh the look easily and with minimal cost.
If you are wondering how to display all of your kids’ school and homemade ornaments, consider putting a smaller tree in the bonus room or in the kids’ rooms and give your youngsters full creative licence.