So, the holidays are upon us and soon it will be time to take down all the seasonal decor that adds some warmth to your home during the colder months. Still, your accents don’t have to revolve around Christmas or any other celebration to make your surroundings shine. Here are some ways to let the sparkle linger by turning your interiors into a winter wonderland.
Trappings and trimmings
For starters, Jackie Schwartz, owner of Home Interior Warehouse in Walled Lake, says faux fur elements are popular for the holidays in Christmas stockings and more. This luxurious material can continue to add visual interest in the form of table runners, pillows and throws throughout the winter season. “It’s a great way to get some light color and coziness in your home,” she says.
Faux florals and other greenery lend texture to your environment. Rather than embellish them with the requisite Christmas ornaments, iced details work for the holidays and beyond. Metallic elements also have more staying power.
You can’t go wrong with nature. “There’s an organic element to holiday decorating this year. It’s a major statement in design as well,” says Schwartz about the home accent trend that features familiar shapes, such as branches, trees and snowflakes.
Faux frosted berries and iced branches can stick around long after the tree comes down. “Those can go in your home anytime. They don’t have to be Christmas. They can go through the winter,” she says. “Floral components in particular are less Christmassy and more seasonal.”
LED string lights add sparkle to existing pieces any time of year. “You could put them in greenery or wrap them around a mirror or a painting. It’s a fun way to decorate and get a little bling,” Schwartz says.
The same goes for flame-like LED candles that come in different styles such as tapers and pillars.
Outdoorsy ornaments with shapes like acorns can fill a glass bowl or vase for a classic centerpiece. “So many go beyond Christmas, like pine cones or crystal flowers and branches,” says Schwartz.
This year, she says the fashion industry has impacted Christmas with black-and-white houndstooth and Burberry-inspired patterns in red, black and tan.
Glittery black top hats that decorate a Christmas tree can translate to a New Year’s Eve party, says Schwartz, along with a red and black holiday color scheme that transitions from one occasion to the next.
Decorative elements like red and black ribbon can coordinate with other colors. “It’s something a little different that you can mix in really easily with your traditional red and green,” she says.
Other accents like an iron branch-shaped centerpiece with glass cups for candles or flowers transcends beyond the holidays like the one at Home Interior Warehouse dressed with seasonal greenery. “You take that away and all you have is a centerpiece,” Schwartz says.
Shiny and bright
Julie Flowers, senior public relations manager for At Home, says they’re seeing faux fur for winter mixed with traditional holiday red and green plaid patterns. “It’s a great way to extend beyond the holidays without feeling overtly Christmas,” she says.
Silver and gold metallic accents also make a great transition from Thanksgiving and Christmas to celebrating New Year’s Eve, she says, “Silver and gold can be mixed with jewel tones or neutral colors for a more long-lasting effect.”
Gold, rose gold and pale green create a rustic holiday look while other seasonal combinations include black and white with gold. “People still like traditional red and green, but some also gravitate toward colors that have more of a celebratory tone through the winter,” says Flowers.
For seasonal displays, she suggests experimenting with different heights and containers that can go anywhere from a counter in a guest bathroom to a dining table. “You can make some really pretty arrangements with a hurricane vase that’s still fun and festive without feeling like holiday,” she says.
Trees and other greenery bring the outdoors in, while one ongoing trend that can extend through the season is woodland creatures, such as deer, owls and foxes. “They’re really popular in holiday decor,” says Flowers.
Bar carts come in handy for gatherings and make your home feel festive and fun, not only for the holidays, but year-round. “You can move them from room to room,” says Flowers. Other permanent statement pieces that add some glitz to your interiors include decorative mirrors and furniture with nailhead trim.
When entertaining, silver and gold chargers are ideal for the holidays and more, says Flowers, who suggests pairing them with metallic gold for New Year’s Eve. “You can add pizzazz for other occasions,” she says.
Seasonal greens
Faux birch containers are big this year, says Meg Gallagher, merchandising manager for houseplants and flowering plants for English Gardens, “They look great when filled with real plants. They can be tropical house plants, flowering plants, fresh pines or boxwood.” Fraser fir and cypress also carry over from Christmas.
Norfolk pines and tropical plants that look more like Christmas trees, in between Charlie Brown and full, give that winter look you can keep in your home.
Frosty ferns with white ruffled edges are popular. “White, gold and silver carry into winter really well with white and green,” she says.
Real wreaths and garland can be preened and displayed in bowls along with clips of cypress, boxwood and Fraser fir, adds Gallagher.
A combination of dried and fresh branches, such as dogwood, curly willows and pomegranate add texture to your interiors during the winter months, she says.
Pussy willows and winterberry can also contribute to a welcoming winter theme.
Gallagher suggests creating a centerpiece with a metallic bowl of greens and dry vine balls or moss balls.
During the bleak winter months, you can hang branches with faux cardinals on a wall in a corner. “Tie a ribbon around them and carry through to spring,” she says.
Or, you might mix branches of different heights in a tall container for a full display.
Flowering houseplants are known for cleaning the air, but they also bring color to your home like amaryllis, which Gallagher says is a great winter plant. Other options include orchids and paper whites.
Creative combinations make a striking statement. “A nice mix of faux, dried and fresh branches add personality to your look,” says Gallagher. Before you know it, spring will come to the rescue and we can concentrate on our gardens too.
Jeanine Matlow writes the Smart Solutions column in Homestyle. You can reach her at jeaninematlow@earthlink.net.