The holiday season is fast approaching, and if you’re a Christmas lover it can’t get here soon enough! These days the season encompasses the several weeks leading up to Christmas Day and then on to New Year’s Day. With friends and family converging on home for the holidays we’re kicking our décor and entertaining skills into high gear. Whether you’re the hostess with the mostest or a humble homebody, life is infinitely better with twinkling lights, fresh poinsettias and sparkling wine. And creating your very own holiday home doesn’t have to be a difficult task. To help guide you through the process your friends at Spaces have you covered.

Updating your interior decor is the first step in spreading holiday cheer. Traditionally, the living room has been the main gathering place for the holiday, with food being one of the central elements that draw everyone together. Once you have the Christmas tree decorated and the wreath hung on your front door, the dining room should be next on your decorating list. .

Create a cosy and inviting environment to encourage friends and family to relax, linger, and reminisce about past celebrations. Christmas-themed pillows in soft fabrics create a festive ambience in living rooms and family rooms, so use large solid coloured pillows as a background for smaller decorated pillows on chairs and sofas. Add rich throws in deep reds, or other colours that coordinate with your colour scheme, to create a signature look.

Once you’ve decorated your living room, it’s time to move on to the other areas of your home. Since it’s easy to overlook powder rooms, kitchens and guest rooms, think of small-scale ideas for these spaces. Fun holiday dish towels, scented candles, glass bowls of Christmas ornaments and holiday family photos all add a festive touch. Layers of colour and texture add interest and dimension, so feel free to take inspiration from your favourite aspects of the Christmas holiday and build on them.

Everyone jokes that the holiday season starts earlier and earlier every year. But planning can mean less stress as those weeks approach. If you’re thinking of upgrading, redecorating or renovating our best advice is to start early. The best time to shop for big-ticket items is in November when many retailers offer greater discounts.

If you need to do major work/renovations on the house get that done early, including any painting or repairs to avoid the hassle when the season is in high gear and you have little time to devote to major projects. Starting early gives you time to enjoy your new décor and the ability to entertain in style.

Six steps to creating a memorable holiday home:

1. Think about your holiday theme.

2. Select a colour scheme.

3. Make a grand entrance with wreaths, boughs of holly, mistletoe, etc.

4. Add touches of holiday cheer throughout the home.

5. Create a “wow” tree.

6. Do a “walk through”, cup of cocoa in hand, to make sure your theme is consistent, that the overall look and feel work and just to admire your handiwork!

Think about your theme

To create a more cohesive look, select complementary colours such as silver and gold and stick faithfully with your theme. Do not get carried away trying to include too many colours and decorations. This year we are seeing a lot of “non-traditional” colours for Christmas decorations which creates a beautiful opportunity to get creative. Consider jewel tones to create a “peacock-inspired theme or a rustic Jamaican Christmas using our traditional bandana print and burlap.