Elegant Holiday Decor Tips from Orange County Interior Designers
As the holiday season approaches, many are looking for practical and on-trend solutions to celebrate the holidays elegantly. In Southern California, where the weather is warm and the ocean-inspired paint colors dominate, traditional red and green holiday decor may not always fit the bill.
To get some expert advice on how to decorate your home for the holidays in a way that highlights and complements your existing decor, we turned to three Orange County-based interior designers: Melissa Hanle of Hanle Interiors, Julie Hovnanian of Hovie Interiors, and Ashley Clark of sKout Interior Design.
One key tip from Hanle is to draw inspiration from your existing decor. By pulling colors from elements like artwork, fabrics, and furniture, you can create a cohesive holiday look that seamlessly blends with your home’s aesthetic.
Hovnanian suggests creating special corners throughout your home with carefully curated decorations that people will notice. She loves using sentimental ornaments and vintage antique pieces to add a personal touch to her holiday decor.
When it comes to decorating your Christmas tree, Hanle recommends focusing on balance and symmetry. By combining sentimental ornaments with solid-colored sets of balls or other simple shapes, you can create a tree that is both elegant and personal.
For a creative touch, Clark suggests using Kraft paper in various ways, from labeling food platters to wrapping gifts. This simple material can add a unique and playful element to your holiday decor.
Adding more plants in and around your home is another great way to freshen up your space for the holidays. Hovnanian and Hanle both recommend using fragrant foliage like magnolia, boxwood, and fresh pine to bring a natural and festive touch to your decor.
And when it comes to lighting, Hanle advises using white twinkle lights to highlight shrubs and trees outside your home. She recommends staying away from tacky multi-colored options and instead adding single-colored lights for a more elegant look.
Overall, the message from these designers is clear: don’t stress about making things too perfect. Embrace a mix of old and new, sentimental and playful, to create a holiday decor scheme that reflects your personality and style. Remember, perfect is boring, so have fun with your decorations and let your creativity shine this holiday season.