Making It Merry

Yes, you can give your holiday décor that designer touch—without blowing the budget or investing time better spent celebrating with friends and family. Interior designer Richard Anderson of Cherub Designs shares a few of words of experience:


➻ Go with what you love. If you’re into glitz, great, more is more! If you like a more laid-back handcrafted style, do it.

➻ Hunt for a tree with character. Whether it’s fake or real, look for character and depth—you don’t want it to be perfectly symmetrical and sheared within an inch of its life. Own an artificial tree? Buy fresh eucalyptus boughs and nestle them in the branches to add a refreshing scent.

➻ Decorate the tree from the inside out. Begin by placing lighting closest to the trunk, and work your way out. Likewise, add ornaments in layers; if branches are widely spaced, hanging ornaments closer to the trunk gives the display depth and interest.

➻ Buy Christmas décor after Christmas—but rather than heading directly to big-box stores, check out nurseries. Bachman’s, Gertens, and the like usually have more variety than department stores and offer great bargains after the holidays.

➻ Buy in multiples. Five or six of something is better than one; it gives a sense of continuity.

➻ Group holiday collections together to make a visual statement. Arrange several collected mini-snowmen on a silver tray, or fill an apothecary jar with vintage ornaments—you can make something Old World look modern simply by changing the way you display it.

➻ If you don’t want to go all out, create a few big hurrahs that will be memorable. Make an impression by decorating the front door and the tree, and adding a centerpiece to the dining table. No need to put holly on every windowsill.

Remember, in a few weeks it’s all coming down. Keep it manageable and you’ll enjoy it more.

Lila Battis is an intern at Midwest Home magazine.