Today, event planner and designer Amos Gott shares ideas for decorating your holiday home with a modern approach. Since we often seem to find ourselves running short on time to decorate during this busy season, we asked Amos to offer suggestions for the key areas of the home that, when decorated, make the most impact. We think you’ll love what he dreamed up!
Amos:
Festive tunes like “Deck the Halls” always get you in the holiday spirit this time of year. But does the actual act of decorating your halls make you instantly say, “Bah, humbug”? Well it doesn’t have to! Today, I’ve got some tips for decorating your front door, mantel and dining room to help you get through the decorating decisions now, so that you can move ahead effortlessly through the holiday season—or at least convince everyone that it’s effortless.
First, pick your color scheme. I typically move away from the traditional reds and and greens in favor of more unique color combinations, like metallics combined with just about any color (such a great way to personalize your decor for the holidays). But this year, I’m finding I’m really drawn to red. As you’ll see in the following photos, shiny red decorations, when combined with glossy white, offer up a modern interpretation of holiday decor that anyone can embrace.
Here’s how to apply this idea outside. Everybody sees the exterior of your home, so it makes sense to add some interest to your entry.You don’t have to put lights in every tree like Gaylord Opryland Hotel (although it is certainly worth a visit to see them!), but make the exterior of your home your own.
Now for the inside…
Your mantel is one of the focal points of your home and is often the centerpiece of your living space (sans the television). So it’s definitely an area that needs attention. There are many different styles and directions from which you can choose. For this house, because the wall above the mantel is bare, I chose to go a more contemporary route and bring some height and drama by using red glass finials and silver mercury glass candlesticks topped with red candles.
Next, on to the dining room.
Entertaining is as much a part of the holiday season as turkey is at Thanksgiving—it’s practically a necessity. Whether you’re hosting a seated meal with close family and friends on Christmas Eve or a drop-by cocktail buffet for the neighbors, here are two ways to transform your dining room into the centerpiece (pun intended) of your home:
So many ideas and so many options to decorate your home for the holidays! Just remember to pick your color scheme first – ideally one you can build upon from year to year. Determine what you have and what you need or want to keep your shopping time to a minimum. But more than anything, focus your decorations on areas that will make you happy, such as driving into your driveway and seeing your front door decorated, and focal points inside, like your mantel and Christmas tree. While it’s nice to bring smiles to other people’s faces, the smile that should be the brightest is yours.
Thank you Amos! Amos designs and produces events and weddings throughout the Southeast. For more information, visit his website: www.amosevents.com.
Thanks also to Ashley Hylbert for the wonderful photographs!
Additional thanks to French King Fine Properties and the Heim family for providing the lovely backdrop for our shoot. For more information on this Nashville home, which is currently for sale, visit the French King Website: www.frenchking.com.
Many thanks to AshBlue, Graceful Tables and Z Gallerie, as well, for providing our some of today’s fabulous entertaining accessories.
Resources:
- Amos Events, for event planning and design: www.amosevents.com
- AshBlue, for home accessories: www.ashblue.com
- Ashley Hylbert Phorography: www.ashblue.com
- French | King Fine Properties: www.frenchking.com
- Graceful Tables, for linens: www.gracefultables.com
- Import Flowers: impfl.com
- T. J. Maxx Homegoods: www.homegoods.com
- Target: www.target.com
- Z Gallerie for home accessories: www.zgallerie.com