home decor

What kind of holiday decorator are you? Walking through stores this time of year certainly sends the message that there are many people who love  a holiday  glam look with glitter, shine, and layers of finery.   If you've read this blog for awhile you know this won't be that kind of post.  I like my seasonal decor as simple as possible.  When visitors come to my home I  want them to feel in the mood for the season without being burdened by sensory overload. In honour of the upcoming  holiday season I created a style board to illustrate some of my top tips for for decorating without going over the top.  I started with this stunning chair from Chairish, a US based online marketplace for vintage furniture.  There are so many beautiful accent chairs to choose from, in addition to other great finds for your home. Mid century accent chair  I would love to own this chair! It references warm and cosy, but still has a quiet elegance.  ...

There's nothing like the real thing for Christmas decorating.  You get to go for a little adventure in the woods with your trusty snippers, and come away with a red nose and a trunk full of inspiration. Sometimes you just have to go to your backyard, but there's a limit to happy cutting in a small space. That's where I got the materials for my front porch planters, if you don't count the leftovers from my summer planter and feathers I've recycled several times.     Hubby made me a trough box for my trunk/ottoman.  I knew what I wanted to put in it, but I couldn't hack away anything else in my yard. My sister came to the rescue.  Remember last year when I posted about her nature inspire Christmas ?  She  had already made her yearly trip for bough and twig cutting to complete her planters and agreed to take me to her spot. Bonanza. Here's her efforts ... Don't you love that hit of yellow with the red? Now on to my family affair project.. My son spra...

 Rituals are an important part of our lives, even if they can be boring at times.  My official marker for winter is an appointment to get the tires changed on our car.  It's happened. Winter is officially here, even if we only had a dusting of snow followed by torrential rain.  Each year as I  approach the end of November, Christmas creeps into my thoughts. source  While I love to look at all the seasonal additions other people make to their homes, and I marvel at the time and creativity it takes to decorate, I keep things as simple as possible.  I'm a vicarious decorator,  enthralled by others' efforts and the numerous possibilities without the physical work and outlay of cash.  Here's a good example. Every time I visit my daughter's house I am greeted by her inviting red door (now there are boxwoods in the planters) ... and covered porch large enough to have two tables, a bench (made by her dad) and a chair.   This space is calling out...

Santas are an important part of Christmas decorating  in my house.  Rather than buying them over the years, I've enjoyed creating my painted Santas.  I began with tall wooden  Santas that stood like sentinels on my stairs each Christmas. Birdhouse Santa For many years  this family of Santas  provided a great topic of conversation for guests who were eager to see what the new Santa would be.  As time passed, so did  my interest in just a little too many Christmas decorations.  These  Santas now  lie in my storage room lonely, covered in dust, and  reminiscing about better times.  Perhaps they will become the illustrations for  Christmas stories for my granddaughters.  The Santas that still hold a special place in my heart, and get displayed on my  tree each year, are the small ornamental ones. No material was sacred: slate, driftwood, balsa wood, cinnamon sticks, light bulbs etc. . Today they all sit proudly ...

I love repetition as a statement and it is a powerful vehicle for impact  in art and design.  As you get ready for the coming season perhaps  you would like some inspiration. These images illustrate simple, doable Christmas decor with an emphasis on repetition. Of course Pinterest is the go to site now for ideas of any kind.  These and more ideas  can be found on my  Tis the Season folder. So simple and effective.  I think this works because of its lack of colour and sparkle against the metal tray.   How simple is this?  Jingle bells, and white candles on a rectangular white tray.  The variations are endless.   Pick your choice with this one. Greenery with candles or bulbs in sets of three or four.  I think I would stick to one or the other so it would get noticed more.  Boxwood wreath with slim tapers massed in the middle.  These little candles and holders usually in clear glass are often found at dollar stores. Y...