You’ve probably seen garish holiday displays around your home town and have vowed to always use tasteful holiday decorating on your home. What crosses the line between garish and tasteful, though, can be hard to define. This is where some helpful, tasteful holiday decorating tips come in handy. Common decorating tips that you can use year round work for holidays too.
Using Color Schemes
Just like when you are decorating your home for any other season, using a color scheme can keep your holiday decorations looking unified, tidy and refined. Create a color scheme for your display by choosing three colors that complement each other. Using only two colors looks as if you put no thought into your display. Using more than three colors tends to look random. To choose a color scheme, find an item you love and build your scheme around the piece. For example, if you have an ornament that you love, choose three colors that are used in the piece to decorate the rest of your house.
Mixing Textures
Another way to keep your holiday decorations looking tasteful, yet visually interesting is by using texture. In home decorating, texture is used to draw the eye from one area to another. The use of too much of one texture can look garish, though. Try using some silky and rough or coarse textures together. For example, use a silky satin table runner and mix it with a grape vine basket full of pine cones for a centerpiece.
Mixing Finishes
Not only is it prudent to mix textures, it is important to mix finishes for the same reason. You’ve probably walked into a home that was all shine from the over-use of tinsel, ornaments and glitter. To combat this headache-inducing mess, use a lot of matte finishes in conjunction with traditional, shiny items.
Showcasing Items
Try to keep decorations simple, overall. It is better to have one large item that you love on display than hundreds of little items creating visual chaos. This goes for lights, as well. Dozens of strands of lights on your home may attract attention, but you need to determine if it is the right attention. For example, choose a style of lighting that you like, such as icicle lights and use them exclusively on your home.
