No matter your decorating style it’s easy to bring the spirit of the season into your home for the holidays, if you consider where you live. By embracing your home’s architectural style with it’s design style you can creatively distinguish your holiday decor that tells a unique story.
Let me be brutally honest with you, one of my biggest pet peeves during this time of year is a property where mismatched holiday decor has been thrown together on the lawn or exterior of the house — and the homeowner calls it decorated. The same holds true inside the property too. Now, I’m not trying to put anyone down or act like Scrooge, I applaud the effort — but what if I could share with you a few tricks to make your home look seamless this holiday season? Well, in order to deck the halls like the pros, it’s time to find your home’s style.
It All Starts With Structure
Every property has it’s very own unique architectural style. Sometimes a style is created on purpose by the builder combining different architectural elements together or maybe your structure is unique from a renovation project. Regardless, you need to determine your home’s architectural style first before highlighting the property with decorations. Each style has varying formalities, for example a colonial home in Massachusetts is more traditional than an art deco property found in Miami that offers a contemporary, laid back vibe. With nearly 100-different architectural styles, it can be a challenge pinpointing your home’s structure so check out this handy guide from Realtor Magazine, to discover your property’s roots.
Architecture Meets Design
Once you’ve determined your home’s architectural features you can then decide on your home’s aesthetic or design style which should enhance the property’s architecture. A design style helps define the home’s positive features to tell a story that can emotionally connect a buyer or guest. I’ve seen many homes, as a home stager, where the design style doesn’t match the architectural style making the home’s inside feel out of place and uncomfortable. There is over 20-popular design styles to choose from and of course there are many variations within these styles. Choosing the right style is important to the process because it’s how we can subliminally use cues and create a cohesive design style that will show off a lifestyle and promote a warm, welcoming feeling.
I wrote a style post outlining some of the popular architecture and design options that merge well together. If you have questions about which styles best fit your property, email me your question with a few photos.
Holiday Decorating Styles
By having a solid foundation of the styles being represented in your home, we can build on that determination offering holiday decor styles that will positively impact the home’s exterior and interior. Here are 8-holiday decorating styles to choose from:
Can’t Go Wrong Classics
Have you ever noticed what’s old is new again? Classic style holiday decor works well in a colonial or tudor home and with a traditional or transitional design style featured in the home. Now, classic means using traditional holiday colors, old world elements with newer pieces. It’s a more formal style–think Audrey Hepburn Breakfast at Tiffany’s or Charlotte York from Sex in the City.
Start with a Tradition
Similar to the classic style the traditional style again works well in a traditional setting we wouldn’t want to see colored lights or neon decor on these mantels inside these architectural styles. Traditional holiday decor is ornate, it’s a lot of dressed up decor. It’s symmetrical too, see in the Thanksgiving photo above, there are two tree arrangements or in the Hanukah mantel with the blue candles. For a traditional Christmas use colors like gold, burgundy, green and red.
Winter Wonderland
This style is using winter white in your decor scheme to show off your holiday spirit. Creating a winter wonderland can be showcased in any style home, it just depends on the shade of white and what accessories are being used. This style is universal, when you mix different shades of whites together you can create more depth in your decor, for example look at the mantel pictured above mixing bright white with creams.
Rustic or Farmhouse Flair
I love rustic pieces, it’s one of my favorite styles because of it’s simple understated tone. Rustic is using nature as a cue in your style by favoring wood, pine cones, greenery, twigs, pumpkins, grapevine figurines, yarn, wood signs, burlap, plaid and mason jars. All of these different items can help pull together a rustic look. Of course, this style compliments a craftsman home, but you can use it in a contemporary space to warm up the room, even in tudor.
The Glamorous Life
Glam, glam, glam, another favorite of mine– it’s so glittery and shiny! While, silver and gold can be considered holiday classics, you can really create an over-the-top mantel, wreath, centerpiece or tree to make your home rich and luxurious even if you’re on a budget. Play with mirrors, mercury glass and different metal tones and finishes to create a show stopping display in a traditional, contemporary or tudor home.
Modernized Magnificence
A modern style works well in contemporary spaces. But, what defines modern style? Well, bright colors of course and unconventional decor. Now, in most cases, if you’re selling your home during the holidays I wouldn’t recommend displaying this style in your home unless it was on target with your buyer profile. This Hanukah design is from Rita at designmegillah.com and I love how she used the gold, different blues and her coin garland. Looks amazing, right? Such a unique to update the holiday.
Going Coastal
So a coastal style holiday works best if you live by the coast! I have to admit, I’ve always wanted to scrap all of my old Christmas decor and go coastal. Maybe one day?? You can find this style in colonial, craftsman and even contemporary homes by the water. Make your Hanukah celebration a spin off from a boat theme pictured above. To complete the coastal style add tons of shells, starfish,use drift wood figurines, blues, whites and tans to create this style. Look at the snowmen I found at Pier 1 Imports, aren’t they so cute?
A Touch of Vintage
The last style I wanted to mention was going vintage. This style can be used in all sorts of homes: traditional, craftsman even contemporary if you want to showcase something unexpected. Vintage is anything that’s an antique, old school, muted colors and general store style font and don’t forget to feature the “old” old saint nick.
Which style do you love? And does the style you love work with your architecture and design style? Here’s why it’s important to make sure all three styles work together, first it will be a lot easier to reuse everyday decor with your holiday pieces. Second, your entire property will look cohesive and truly create that comforting feeling when a buyer or guests arrives. Third, it’s less effort on your part if use your home’s positive features to your advantage.
If you have more than one style being represented in your property, then feel free to mix n’ match your holiday styles to reflect a well rounded look. Rules are made to be broken when decorating, if you know what you’re doing. I’d love to see your holiday decor, so feel free to share your pictures on our Facebook Fan Page to be featured in an upcoming live episode.
Happy Decorating,
