The festive season is a great time for gathering friends and family to create special memories. At Sean Symington Design, we strive to make every holiday season memorable. Whether you are looking for the perfect way to decorate your home or need inspiration for items that will bring you joy this festive season, we’re here to give you our favourite design tips to help you make this holiday season one to remember.
Fireplaces have served as the heart of homes throughout history, evolving from basic fire pits to exquisite focal points. Even in the grand manor houses of the Georgian era, extravagant fireplaces were not just functional but also made a statement about the homeowner’s status and sophistication when it came to the design of their homes.
Your fireplace can either make or break a space. Without one, a home can feel incomplete and lacking character, regardless of its practical purpose. For decorating in the festive season, using the mantel is the perfect place to go bold and make a statement. For a wonderfully rustic fireplace, we recommend using cuttings of winter foliage to create a display of eye-catching natural texture. We layered conifer branches and weaved in dried thistles and hydrangeas, adding clusters of red berries for some vibrancy against the winter palette.
If you are living in a home with no fireplace or want to add another level of lighting to set the ambience, another great way is to get a variety of candles to set the scene. During the colder months, rich and spiced scents, such as spiced orange, create a warming feeling and is sure to make your home feel cosy.
If you celebrate Christmas, having a theme or colour scheme to decorate your tree is a must. Using tones that contrast and compliment your tree can transform this into a centrepiece. Remember to balance the decor and that sometimes more can be more in the spirit of the holidays. A well-balanced tree means filling gaps and dotting your decorations around. Top the tree off with a beautiful statement. Angels and stars are popular choices for tree toppers or even a lovely pheasant which is what we have at Seam Symington Design.
Velvet ribbons in rich jewel tones can also be a fun way to incorporate some luxe and texture which in turn creates more depth to your space. We opted to hang these casually, without bows for a whimsical appearance. This way, the fabric didn’t feel too far removed from the woodland creatures we incorporated. This detail worked particularly well for the layered and luscious garland we created for the stairs. It was a combination of real and faux foliage and full of everything from dried hydrangeas and fruit to pheasants and feathers. The vibrant velvets mixed in with the natural elements added a fun detail.
With these festive residential design ideas, your home will be transformed into a sophisticated and inviting space this festive season that will be sure to delight all family and friends.
