6 ways to plan for a bright and colourful christmas

Dola RC Dola RC
Designers Guild Autunm/ Winter collections 2015, Pedroso&Osório Pedroso&Osório Living room
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Having a bright and cheerful home dressed up in the festive colours of Christmas is something everyone plans for during this time of the year. Not only does it embrace the moods of the season, but also ward off the chill outside in most effective way. It shows the house to be in the rightful spirit and its inhabitants comfortable and happy as they should be. But is planning for a multicoloured Christmas too difficult? 

Many people consider it to be so and shy away from experimenting with their interiors, but this is hardly true. As you will shortly come to learn, little changes here and there can create wonders. However, before attempting to do so it will be wise to pay heed to the words of Henry David Thoreau, “Man wanted a home, a place for warmth or comfort, first of physical warmth, then the warmth of the affections.” All the colours of a rainbow will fail to inject a lively spirit in any home in want of harmony between the family members. So for a cheerful time, let love and compassion rule your heart.

Wall Décor

Changing the wall colour into a warmer tone is the easiest and fastest way of creating a colourful festive home. Though if you do not need to or cannot afford to give every wall of your house a fresh coating, then limit it to the accent walls of the living room and bedrooms. The interiors will have an additional blessing of wearing a refreshing look. Even if that feels too difficult a choice, use decorative stickers, wallpapers or easily removable tiles. 

Hanging bright paintings or photographs, in colour and essence, will also help to create a cheerful ambience. Prominent vases or glass jars full of daphnes astilbes, marigolds and lillies have the capabilities of brightening up any space in absolutely no time. Employ any one or a combination of all these to faithfully incoporate the changes you intend to.

Soft Furnishings

If you have sofas, couches or benches in most vibrant shades at home then your job becomes easy. If you have them in a more muted tone, don’t worry. Change the cushion covers. Choose the most luxurious fabric in vivacious tones or animated motifs. Christmas comes but only once a year and you would not like to present a worn out look just before the beginning of a whole new season. 
Oriental tradition believes in the potency of such rich colours as gold, red and green. These are said to bring in prosperity and growth in all areas of life. Having colour coordinated stools, especially if you are planning to invite guests for a hearty dinner, or upholstering the existing ones in matching colours would be a good idea too. Do not forget the other elements of a room, like the rug, centre table and lamp shades. Depending on the applicability, soaking them in complementary colours as the rest of the furnishing would be helpful too.

Christmas Tree

In many ways, Christmas helps to get in touch with our inner child once again. On the run up to Christmas much time is spent planning on the decorations. A major portion of these planning is dedicated for the big, beautiful Christmas tree that would adorn the corner of our living room. Not everywhere is it possible to locate a real Blue Spruce or Balsam Fir. Ordering online is one of the many options. Artificial versions of the same could be found locally. 

Buying one of these many variants or creating one for yourself, using coloured papers, wooden planks and glitters, can prove to be a great experience. Involve your kids in your projects. With little practice, you can have in no time a DIY wreath, mistletoe, stars and more, made simply by you and for yourself. Don’t forget to dress up your Christmas tree and wreath with ribbons, tinsels and papercuts in most dazzling of colours.

Decorative Features

A few other decorative elements like a manger, dolls, stuffed toys, bob sleigh with reindeer and Santa Claus scattered strategically at different parts of the house give it a genuine festive facelift. Use a combination of these to deck up the hallway, terrace, front and backyard, each of the rooms and kitchen cum dining space. Martina Scheidling Caroshop Internethandel uses wood to sculpt beautiful figurines appropriate for the prevailing mood of the season. 

If you boast of a good hand with craft then you will be able to make most of these yourself and save some money. The only concern could be a lack of time. A helping hand from the family members, particularly, the younger ones will be of assistance here. This will be an educative experience for them as well. You can even use prominent paintings of any of these decorative features for the same purpose.

Candles

“My candle burns at both ends / It will not last the night; / But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends / It gives a lovely light!” No festival can bear the absence of candles and light, for they immediately transform any atmosphere to one full of merriment and gaiety. Buy colourful candles in interesting shapes and sizes, perfumed candles to drown the room in sweet aroma and traditional pillar candles to embellish your mantelpiece and tables. You can even use the floating candles that seem to be growing in popularity by the day. 

Buy plenty of them too. Also, circle them up with flowers, leaves, beads and paper garlands. Have them installed in the living room, dining area and bedroom. If your existing chandelier, lamp shades and pendant lights require replacement or some doing up then not ignoring them will be a better idea.

Dining Table Décor

Plan elaborate decorations for your kitchen cum dining area. It is this space where you will enjoy a hearty dinner with your dear friends and family members on the Christmas Eve. For a greater part, replicating the same ideas you have applied to decorate the other areas of your home will be sufficient. But for this space, you will have to additionally chalk out ways to dress up the dining table. 

Bringing out your table linen and placeholder mats with detailed floral embroideries or motifs relevant to the advent will be a good idea. A luxurious table runner decorated in most splendid colours will do no harm. With colourful crockery, flowers, candles and a few other suitable ornamental elements in place you will be ready just in time for a delightful Christmas.

Explore some more options for a colourful and inviting living area here.

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