Carlene Duffy's guide to decorating your home for Christmas

By
Carlene Duffy
December 1, 2016
Tips for people who want to celebrate the festive season stylishly. Photo: Milles Studio - Stocksy

My husband and I are such suckers for Christmas. We are those annoying people who play Christmas carols from late November to well past Christmas and our tree seems to be going up earlier every year.

As a child, I was the master decorator and even went as far as spray-painting “snow” onto the windows. Now, I take a slightly more refined and considered approach to Christmas home decorating, but not with any less spirit.

Light it up

How to make your home a festive one... without the tinsel

Photo: Chelsea Victoria – Stocksy

Festive lighting is a must at Christmas time. Hang festoon lights across your patio ceiling, cluster candles of different heights, shapes and colours on your dining table, wall shelves or coffee table and go crazy with your fairy lights. While they may not look like much in the day time, they are the most effective way of creating atmosphere and making your home come to life when the sun goes down.

Wrap it up

How to make your home a festive one... without the tinsel.

Photo: Lukas Korynta – Stocksy

I know I should practice what I preach, but if you can get your act together and have your Christmas shopping done before December (I know, it’s a pipe dream), try wrapping everything according to a considered theme and have them under the tree nice and early. This will make your Christmas tree look complete and ready for the festive season.

For a simple low-key look, you can’t go wrong with wrapping your gifts in good ole butcher’s paper and twine. Attach a sprig of mistletoe or a piece of rosemary for a touch of greenery. If you’re after something a little merrier, choose wrapping paper in one or two block colours with a contrasting coloured ribbon tied in a neat bow. This is a much more sophisticated result than the patterned wrapping paper from the grocery store and curled ribbon combo.

Be green

Open homes:

Photo: Milles Studio – Stocksy

At Christmas I always feel fortunate that I live in an area surrounded by bushland, because I like to get a little crazy with my indoor foliage. A few years ago we hung a huge branch from the ceiling above our dining table and decorated it with hanging tea lights and decorations. It was so effective that the branch now stays up year-round and simply gets decorated every year.

Be brassy

Berry tart on the table

Photo: Tatjana Ristanic – Stocksy

While I’m partial to touches of brass in my home all year-round, I tend to make it a bit more conspicuous for Christmas. There’s just something about a bit of gold that says the festive season is here. I have a collection of vintage brass candleholders which I sit atop my TV unit. I don’t bother placing candles in them, they do the job on their own.

Be colour conscious

Christmas tree

Photo: Tatjana Ristanic – Stocksy

Your Christmas colour scheme doesn’t have to be the traditional green and red. It doesn’t even need to be white and gold. To be frank, the retailers are fully behind rogue Christmas decorators who want to style with completely non-Christmassy colours.

This season I’m digging different shades of pink and green. I’m talking fuchsia and blush paired with forest green and olive. On the other end of the scale, you can keep your colour scheme really neutral with a mix of white, ivory, tan and maybe a sprinkle of gold or/and silver.

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