Are you really back to normal or running a bit behind schedule with your holiday decorating? For some, getting back to previous habits and schedules has been a challenge. If you are one of those not up to full speed and in need of little prodding for fine-tuning or completing — or maybe even starting — your holiday sparkle, here a few ideas.

As you survey your house, hone in on the spaces that visitors will see first. Set the stage with your entryway — make it fabulous. Add some touches that make it glitter—add some glam.

Next, turn your attention to the living room or the room(s) where family and guests will gather. Make them warm, celebratory, and full of reminders of holiday joy. When you’re limited in time and inspiration, concentrate on spaces where most of the hosting and holiday activities will take place.

When adding color with your holiday touches, red, gold and silver are great colors that can be incorporated at the beginning of the season and even last until spring.

Don’t overlook smaller places that can have an added touch for the holidays. Replace that display of family photos with some holiday nick knacks. Windowsills, armoires, and yes, even bathrooms deserve a little touch of holiday magic. And, don’t forget to add some holiday spice to the guest room.

Shine, glow, sparkle.

Accessories are the jewelry for your interior decorating, even more so during the holidays. Ornaments aren’t just for the tree. A simple holiday accent can be created by placing ornaments in a crystal bowl or glass urn. Round glass balls can even be used as table place cards when you write each guest’s name on them.

Christmas place card holders from The White Company.

Soft glowing light is complementary to you and your holiday guests. Once you’ve turned the lights down low, bring out the candles by the boxful. From tall and tapered to short and stout, candles set a celebratory tone. Grouping candles in odd numbers and varying heights can add interest or consider displaying them on a silver platter for even more light and shine.

Mirrors, picture frames, and metallic vases will help your room sparkle and shine. Don’t be afraid to mix it up with lots of different metals.

Be natural.

When looking to Mother Nature for inspiration for adding holiday cheer, think beyond the obvious poinsettias. Fill vases with bouquets of fresh flowers in addition to the usual holly. Consider beautifully shaped topiaries covered with pepper berries. Or how about draping your dining room chandelier with a pine garland or holly.

Stroll down the produce aisle of your grocery store for some simple and unique holiday decorations. For example, spray paint walnuts and gourds in silver or gold and display them in a decorative basket. Or fill a crystal bowl with red and green apples. Simple and festive.

Set your own style!

Above all, make your holiday décor reflect your family’s personality. Are antique toys a personal passion? Are you a dedicated beachcomber? Try incorporating your passions or your children’s or grandchildren’s into your holiday tree design and other aspects of your decorating.

Do not be afraid to give your festive decorating an unexpected feel, a feel that relates personally to those who will use the space most often. Sometimes simple fits your style. It’s the holidays so don’t over complicate it.

Happy Holidays from Golson Designs!

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With such an iconic holiday staple gaining the attention in your living room, family room or whatever area of your home it resides, it can feel difficult to make sure the rest of the room is up to par. To ensure you make the Christmas spirit flow throughout the room, we have a few tips for decorating around the tree.

Make the mantel the star of the show
The mantel is the perfect place to set the tone for Christmas — a blank slate can help you set the foundation for more holiday decorations without taking up any floor space. Mini decorative trees, holiday ceramics, lights and candles are simple objects you can use to spruce up this space and help the eye wander around the room instead of focusing solely on the tree.

Be merry and bright twinkling lights
What’s Christmas without an array of lights? Decorating with string lights may be the most popular for the exterior of your home, but you can create your own living winter wonderland in the living room with the right amount of twinkling lights. We recommend white lights, as this is a timeless option that can go with nearly any color scheme.

Go festive with a red and green theme
When the red and green décor comes out, you know it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. The tree will surely take precedence when it comes to laying the foundation for this color scheme, but a collection of red and green décor surrounding the tree can make the room feel more complete. Consider red and green accessories such as:

• Accent pillows and blankets
• Area rugs
• Tableside accessories
• The Christmas tree skirt
• Picture and artwork frames
• Candleholders
• Coffee table décor
• Window treatments

With the right mixture of holiday hues throughout your living space, the Christmas tree will become more of a single piece of the puzzle than the entire masterpiece.

Play the Christmas classics all season long
As soon as the room is filled to the brim with holiday decorations, there’s a simple finishing touch you can add to ensure you achieve the holiday atmosphere to its full potential: Christmas music or movies. You can play your favorite Christmas songs in the background while baking cookies, wrapping presents or reading Christmas stories to the children. Likewise, a Christmas movie marathon offers the perfect opportunity to embrace the decorations and settle into the Christmas vibe to its fullest extent.

Happy Holidays from Kathie Golson and her team.

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With this year’s Christmas season a little different than last year’s, we need to emphasize joy and the decoration of our homes more than ever. Just because the guest list may be smaller, having a well-decorated living room for Christmas is the extra pinch of spirit we need.

We’re happy to help you and your loved ones find that spirit by giving some festive recommendations.

Appreciate the “Good Old Times”

This year is the perfect time to let nostalgia take over the Christmas decorations as we reminisce about more cheerful times. Let it be the most important thing you do this year! Consider placing ornaments like the Raz Retro Animated TV decoration in the tiny spaces that normally don’t get love. This would go somewhere like the end table next to a holiday-scented candle.

Here’s a flashback to the past with a list of other perfect nostalgic decors:

William Sonoma Jingle Bell Wreath The great thing about a wreath made of ornaments is that it can go just about anywhere. This year ditch the traditional green wreath with the red bow and go for this stunning ornament-made wreath from William-Sonoma and hang it somewhere new. They don’t always have to go on the door outside. Try placing it above the mantle, above the couch, or anywhere along a wall that can act as art. This type of wreath makes a wonderful addition to your inside decoration. Tip: The size matters! If you plan to hang a wreath on a big empty wall, a small one won’t do. It will look out of place because the scale will be wrong. However, if you hang a large wreath centered over the sofa a few feet up on the wall, that will look much better. The opposite can be said. Oversize it great but only if it fits. Oversize in tiny spaces can sometimes look cluttered and out of place.

Go for something different

Just because we have our retro Christmas decorations that bring out great childhood memories, it doesn’t mean we can’t try something new. Green and red will always be the traditional colors of Christmas. This year however do something different by bringing in navy blues and silver. Think Winter Wonderland theme. Depending on the tones of your living room, blue and silver can give you a gorgeous theme.

Something that can easily be tied in with the navy and silvers is a Christmas or winter theme lamp shade. Most people won’t think of replacing their lampshades but once you give it a try you can see how it changes the room.

Nothing says Christmas feast like an oversized Poinsettia table piece to tie in more nostalgia. Choose a platinum painted poinsettia with hints of the navy to go with your color scheme. If you’re having trouble finding the right color, buy a fake one and spray paint it yourself. It can be a fun DIY project.

Oversized Everywhere

This year it’s “go big or go home!” Oversized blankets dripping off the couches and chairs for your family to wrap up in while opening presents. Think big decorations like hanging stars from the living room window to light up in the night. This is something for both those inside and outside to enjoy.

Inspirational words with a twist

Lastly, reading inspirational words for the holidays is always an easy reminder for everyone to appreciate what Christmas is really about. Joy. Family. Togetherness. These are all traditional phrases and suit our Christmas of the past. Or opt for something different go for a sign hung above the TV that read’s “This Way for the Moose Munch!”

Sparkles and jewels

Think Kate Spade without the pinks and pretty pastels. This year all things that sparkle and glimmer are a huge hit. A lovely, multi-piece decoration set is the ever-popular cone trees. Each one in the set usually differs in height to emulate an actual forest. What makes these items so popular is they’re usually decorated in fun sparkles or jewels. It’s like the adult version of bedazzling.  These sit beautifully alongside the fireplace, on an entry table, or as a long centerpiece on the dining room table.

Tie it all in

Lastly, find a way to tie it all together. You can do oversized decorations, pick the right colors, have sparkle, and say the right things. Themes make it easy to play off each element.

But the last piece of advice is to add hundreds of bows. Especially red bowties for the Christmas season. Bowties fall under timeless and nostalgia. They don’t need to be reserved just for presents as you can use beautiful seasonal ties to pull back draperies. Add bows to your Christmas tree, the bushes at the front of your home, and added into garland down the stairs.

Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and healthy Christmas as we look towards a positive start to 2021

The post A nostalgic Christmas for 2020 appeared first on Orlando Interior Designers | Golson Designs.

After all, this is where your immediate family will be gathering to enjoy their Thanksgiving meal, so it’s important to have a practical yet aesthetically pleasing setup for the occasion. If you’ve hit a roadblock in your design or are looking for a new way to stage your table, here is some inspiration that you can use for the upcoming holiday.

Get creative with your centerpiece

Your dining room table is the core of a Thanksgiving gathering, and the centerpiece is the focus of it. While you can’t go wrong with a traditional centerpiece like a cornucopia or flower arrangement, why not switch things up this year?

Better Homes & Gardens offers a number of different centerpiece ideas that you can easily DIY or purchase depending on your style and budget. For instance, fresh gourds and produce can be the perfect focal point of the table and are usually small enough that they won’t obstruct conversation across the table. On the other hand, a succulent-filled pumpkin is sure to be a conversation starter and gives you an opportunity to showcase your creative green thumb.

Be practical with your dishware

It may feel like you need to pull all the stops out for a Thanksgiving table. But if there’s one area where you may be able to pull back, it’s dishware. Plates, bowls and glasses all serve both a practical and aesthetically pleasing purpose on your table, but the emphasis is on their utility.

Choose dishware based on how well it holds up to silverware and the dishwasher, as this will make cleaning up much easier in the long run. Simple plates, like clean white or any other solid color can be perfect. The rest of the table décor will ensure your family is fully immersed in the holiday spirit while they eat.

Don’t shy away from patterns

Don’t forget that your tablecloth and napkins are still more accessories that you can use to add extra flair to your table. While you may associate solid colors like deep purple or rich reds and golds as elegant, you also shouldn’t shy away from patterned pieces if you want to create a more visually exciting display.

A plaid tablecloth is ideal for a more rustic-chic feel, while paisley in pops of bright orange and warm brown can add a whimsical touch. The same is true for your other linens.  Get creative with the pattern of your napkins. If you’re not ready to fully commit to a more fun look, try your hand at sprucing up the kids’ table first to see if you like it.

Mix and match bonus pieces

There are plenty of other ways to make your Thanksgiving table unique this year. HGTV recommends mixing and matching bread plates and berry bowls to elevate your white dishware. Your family will love seeing which unique piece is theirs for the night, and your table will appear more visually interesting but still cohesive. Similarly, you can add unique place cards and napkin rings to ensure your setup reflects your hosting personality.

Don’t stress about staging your table for the holidays. This will be one year when you should be relaxed and enjoying the holiday meal.

Golson Designs (407) 902-3011

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