Changing your current decor for the holidays does not have to be an enormous undertaking. There is no need to do a complete switch over, just replace a few items and add some touches to create a festive look. Besides, it's a great time to give your regular decor items a break.
Start early in the season, adding new decorations gradually, allowing your home to transform little by little. Remove them the same way, taking down the obvious holiday themes, leaving the winter themes up until spring. You’ll be surprised at how much more you appreciate your existing decor once it's updated and refreshed. Try some of these ideas to get your home in the spirit for the holidays.
Indoors:
Add a small cedar garland under existing photos or mantel decorations. For a more dramatic change, remove the existing vases or floral displays and replace them with a holiday floral display, a basket of pinecones or a garland with red bows. Remove that mirror from over the mantel and replace it with a cedar wreath with a red bow.
If you have vases of silk or dried flowers, keep the vases and replace the flowers with poinsettias or bright red dogwood branches.
Put your candles away and replace with red, green or gold versions. Transform your everyday candlesticks into Christmas candles by wrapping vines of holly or red berries around the bases.
Replace your table runner with a glittering holiday version. Put your white paper napkins and paper towels in the cupboard and opt for the holiday versions.
Place gold and silver accent pillows on the furniture or drape a bright red afghan on the sofa.
Maybe it’s time to give some of your pictures a rest for the cooler months by replacing them with winter scenes.
In the kitchen I have a set of holiday glasses and mugs that replace my everyday glassware until the New Year. I also have holiday place mats, tee-towels and guest towels.
Start now and force some bulbs for fresh hyacinths or daffodils during the winter months. If you start one every 2 or 3 weeks, you’ll have fresh flowers all winter.
Outdoors:
Keep your hanging planters out, just remove the dead plants, and replace with cedar, silk poinsettias and large pine cones. Add a holiday wreath to your door, railings or porch columns. Add some red bows to your bird feeders, shrubs or evergreen trees.
Replace your doormat with a holiday mat.
Replace your outdoor lights with red and green bulbs.
A few simple changes not only refresh the look of your home, but improve your attitude when facing the long winter ahead.
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These elegant floor vases made from natural bamboo are handcrafted by artisans who cut bamboo pieces into thin strips which are then curved around a frame and formed into the shape of the vase. The vases are then carefully sanded into a smooth surface, and stained in a beautiful red color...
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NEP1392: Ships Via Small Parcel Ground<br><ul> <li>Large dimensions: 40'' H x 40'' W <li>Small dimensions: 24'' H x 24'' W <li>Gallery wrap canvas <li>Artist: Monica Ratliff <li>Canvas only, no frame included </ul> <p> Special Features: <ul> <li>Decorative wall art <li>Beautiful white and pink flowers vase bouquet <li>Unique sketchbooks and antique mirror <li>Simple and elegant <li>Primary color: beige <li>Secondary color: pink <li>Floral art <li>Comes with certificate of authenticity and biography <li>Great for any room: bedrooms, bathrooms, and more </ul> <p> <p> <b>About Monica Ratliff</b> <p> <p> Monica Ratliff was born in Los Angeles in 1958. She moved to San Francisco in 1975 to attend the California College of Arts and Crafts. After completing her studies and a teaching position, she returned to Los Angeles to open a large studio, which has allowed the creation of ever larger canvases and a stronger color palette, for which Monica has become renowned. <p> The romantic classicism of the painting of Monica Ratliff evokes an atmosphere of quiet reflection. This is enhanced by the scale of the paintings, in which musical instruments are lovingly rendered life size in a timeless, dazzling technique. Her paintings feel as though you could step into them. <p> Monica's paintings are predominantly commissioned for corporate and private collections. Today she resides in Southern California with her husband, Plein Air Painter, D.C. Niehaus.
$399
NEP1392: Ships Via Small Parcel Ground<br><ul> <li>Large dimensions: 40'' H x 40'' W <li>Small dimensions: 24'' H x 24'' W <li>Gallery wrap canvas <li>Artist: Monica Ratliff <li>Canvas only, no frame included </ul> <p> Special Features: <ul> <li>Decorative wall art <li>Beautiful white and pink flowers vase bouquet <li>Unique sketchbooks and antique mirror <li>Simple and elegant <li>Primary color: beige <li>Secondary color: pink <li>Floral art <li>Comes with certificate of authenticity and biography <li>Great for any room: bedrooms, bathrooms, and more </ul> <p> <p> <b>About Monica Ratliff</b> <p> <p> Monica Ratliff was born in Los Angeles in 1958. She moved to San Francisco in 1975 to attend the California College of Arts and Crafts. After completing her studies and a teaching position, she returned to Los Angeles to open a large studio, which has allowed the creation of ever larger canvases and a stronger color palette, for which Monica has become renowned. <p> The romantic classicism of the painting of Monica Ratliff evokes an atmosphere of quiet reflection. This is enhanced by the scale of the paintings, in which musical instruments are lovingly rendered life size in a timeless, dazzling technique. Her paintings feel as though you could step into them. <p> Monica's paintings are predominantly commissioned for corporate and private collections. Today she resides in Southern California with her husband, Plein Air Painter, D.C. Niehaus.
$419
NEP2423: Ships Via Small Parcel Ground<br><ul> <li>Overall dimensions: 30'' x 34'' <li>Artist: Monica Ratliff <li>Framed print <li>Your choice of 5 different frames with acrylic glazing </ul> <p> Special Features: <ul> <li>Decorative wall art <li>Primary color: beige <li>Secondary color: pink <li>Floral <li>Add style to any room with this print of a elegant vase of flowers on a table <li>Great for foyers, bedrooms and more </ul> <p> About the Artist: <br> Monica Ratliff was born in Los Angeles in 1958. She moved to San Francisco in 1975 to attend the California College of Arts and Crafts. After completing her studies and a teaching position, she returned to Los Angeles to open a large studio, which has allowed the creation of ever larger canvases and a stronger color palette, for which Monica has become renowned. The romantic classicism of the painting of Monica Ratliff evokes an atmosphere of quiet reflection. This is enhanced by the scale of the paintings, in which musical instruments are lovingly rendered life size in a timeless, dazzling technique. Her paintings feel as though you could step into them. Monica's paintings are predominantly commissioned for corporate and private collections. Today she resides in Southern California with her husband, Plein Air Painter, D.C. Niehaus.
$419
NEP2423: Ships Via Small Parcel Ground<br><ul> <li>Overall dimensions: 30'' x 34'' <li>Artist: Monica Ratliff <li>Framed print <li>Your choice of 5 different frames with acrylic glazing </ul> <p> Special Features: <ul> <li>Decorative wall art <li>Primary color: beige <li>Secondary color: pink <li>Floral <li>Add style to any room with this print of a elegant vase of flowers on a table <li>Great for foyers, bedrooms and more </ul> <p> About the Artist: <br> Monica Ratliff was born in Los Angeles in 1958. She moved to San Francisco in 1975 to attend the California College of Arts and Crafts. After completing her studies and a teaching position, she returned to Los Angeles to open a large studio, which has allowed the creation of ever larger canvases and a stronger color palette, for which Monica has become renowned. The romantic classicism of the painting of Monica Ratliff evokes an atmosphere of quiet reflection. This is enhanced by the scale of the paintings, in which musical instruments are lovingly rendered life size in a timeless, dazzling technique. Her paintings feel as though you could step into them. Monica's paintings are predominantly commissioned for corporate and private collections. Today she resides in Southern California with her husband, Plein Air Painter, D.C. Niehaus.
$299
NEP2423: Ships Via Small Parcel Ground<br><ul> <li>Overall dimensions: 30'' x 34'' <li>Artist: Monica Ratliff <li>Framed print <li>Your choice of 5 different frames with acrylic glazing </ul> <p> Special Features: <ul> <li>Decorative wall art <li>Primary color: beige <li>Secondary color: pink <li>Floral <li>Add style to any room with this print of a elegant vase of flowers on a table <li>Great for foyers, bedrooms and more </ul> <p> About the Artist: <br> Monica Ratliff was born in Los Angeles in 1958. She moved to San Francisco in 1975 to attend the California College of Arts and Crafts. After completing her studies and a teaching position, she returned to Los Angeles to open a large studio, which has allowed the creation of ever larger canvases and a stronger color palette, for which Monica has become renowned. The romantic classicism of the painting of Monica Ratliff evokes an atmosphere of quiet reflection. This is enhanced by the scale of the paintings, in which musical instruments are lovingly rendered life size in a timeless, dazzling technique. Her paintings feel as though you could step into them. Monica's paintings are predominantly commissioned for corporate and private collections. Today she resides in Southern California with her husband, Plein Air Painter, D.C. Niehaus.
$299
NEP2423: Ships Via Small Parcel Ground<br><ul> <li>Overall dimensions: 30'' x 34'' <li>Artist: Monica Ratliff <li>Framed print <li>Your choice of 5 different frames with acrylic glazing </ul> <p> Special Features: <ul> <li>Decorative wall art <li>Primary color: beige <li>Secondary color: pink <li>Floral <li>Add style to any room with this print of a elegant vase of flowers on a table <li>Great for foyers, bedrooms and more </ul> <p> About the Artist: <br> Monica Ratliff was born in Los Angeles in 1958. She moved to San Francisco in 1975 to attend the California College of Arts and Crafts. After completing her studies and a teaching position, she returned to Los Angeles to open a large studio, which has allowed the creation of ever larger canvases and a stronger color palette, for which Monica has become renowned. The romantic classicism of the painting of Monica Ratliff evokes an atmosphere of quiet reflection. This is enhanced by the scale of the paintings, in which musical instruments are lovingly rendered life size in a timeless, dazzling technique. Her paintings feel as though you could step into them. Monica's paintings are predominantly commissioned for corporate and private collections. Today she resides in Southern California with her husband, Plein Air Painter, D.C. Niehaus.
$299
NEP2423: Ships Via Small Parcel Ground<br><ul> <li>Overall dimensions: 30'' x 34'' <li>Artist: Monica Ratliff <li>Framed print <li>Your choice of 5 different frames with acrylic glazing </ul> <p> Special Features: <ul> <li>Decorative wall art <li>Primary color: beige <li>Secondary color: pink <li>Floral <li>Add style to any room with this print of a elegant vase of flowers on a table <li>Great for foyers, bedrooms and more </ul> <p> About the Artist: <br> Monica Ratliff was born in Los Angeles in 1958. She moved to San Francisco in 1975 to attend the California College of Arts and Crafts. After completing her studies and a teaching position, she returned to Los Angeles to open a large studio, which has allowed the creation of ever larger canvases and a stronger color palette, for which Monica has become renowned. The romantic classicism of the painting of Monica Ratliff evokes an atmosphere of quiet reflection. This is enhanced by the scale of the paintings, in which musical instruments are lovingly rendered life size in a timeless, dazzling technique. Her paintings feel as though you could step into them. Monica's paintings are predominantly commissioned for corporate and private collections. Today she resides in Southern California with her husband, Plein Air Painter, D.C. Niehaus.