Christmas is the ideal time for adding things to your home and making some small home improvements, as there are so many new, gorgeous items on the market, and a lot of older stock is on sale.
Whether you’re looking to add a festive touch to your space or you just want to make it feel that extra bit homier, we’ve put together some tips for you to consider when padding out your home this season.
Buy a real Christmas tree
While many of us opt to purchase an artificial tree to keep costs down, you may be better off buying the real thing. Fake trees are a huge fire hazard and many older model harbour lead, which can spread easily inside the home. With a real tree, not only do they make your home smell beautiful, but they can also be easily recycled, and it’s a lot of fun going out to pick your perfect tree.
Freshen up your home with a lick of paint
If you’re hosting Christmas dinner this year, you’ll have a number of guests in your home throughout the day, so why not give the rooms a little lift with a quick paint job? Provided that the existing plaster is in reasonable condition and you only paint the rooms you’ll be entertaining in, the work should take less than a week. There’s nothing better than a freshly painted home to get you in the mood for decorating.
Invest in some wooden furniture
If you’ve been considering purchasing some new pieces of furniture, Christmas is the time to do it. Wooden furniture, like the furniture offered at Direct Furniture Land, makes sense. Bookcases and bed frames add functionality to your room, but can also perfectly pair up with Scandinavian decorations for a classic and cosy feel.
Hang some garlands
Garlands are the “in” decoration this year, and there are so many available on the market. Hung on a wall or across the fireplace, they can really add a little festive charm to the home with little effort required. There is a range available, from the bold and bright to the subtle and delicate, so there is something to suit everyone’s tastes.
Spruce up the exterior
Before you can think about adding any lights to the outside of your home, give your driveway a sweep to remove any leaves or debris, and maybe use a jet wash to give it a thorough clean. This makes a huge difference and gives your guests a good first impression. Then you can think about adding lights. Icicle lights around the gutter always look great, or you can create a welcoming light archway around your door.
Update your soft furnishings
Christmas is the ideal time for creating a cosy wand warm environment in the home, so consider adding soft furnishings to your living room and bedroom. It all depends on your tastes, so you can add scatter cushions to your sofa, buy thick, faux fur throws to snuggle up in, or even add a couple of beanbags – they aren’t just for kids!
Light candles
You don’t need to have big jar candles or candlesticks to add light and warmth to the room – a few tealights is more than sufficient. Of course, there are many scented candles out there and candles with beautiful designs that will add a little extra something to the room, but they aren’t necessary.
Choose a colour scheme and stick to it
When it comes to decorating your tree and adding other ornaments to the home, try to keep them all within one colour scheme so that the rooms flow naturally into one another. If you love bright colours, by all means, go for it but make sure you continue this throughout. If you like something a little more traditional, try red and gold, or for something a bit different and modern, go for black and silver.
Hang up some family photos
This season is all about being with family and your loved ones, so express that by adding photo frames to your walls, fireplace or side tables. This can lift a room and add a cheerful atmosphere, but the photos in the frames can also make for some great talking points.
Make decorations
This is perfect if you love DIY or if you have children. There are so many different things you can make, like paper garlands, baubles and even an angel for the top of the tree. For something that will last you years and make your home smell great, make a couple of cloved oranges. They’re traditional, great fun to make and smell delicious.
