Deck the halls! But not with these outdated Holiday decor trends
If you mean business when it comes to your Christmas aesthetic, this PSA is specifically meant for you
Christmas is a solid month away and if you haven't busted out your Holiday season decor stash from storage yet — the clock is ticking! But before you find yourself knee-deep in festoons, faux pine cones, baubles and wrapping paper, Martha Stewart has a decor advisory you need to consider, to maybe reconsider some of your aesthetic choices.
Coloured Christmas trees
Coloured Christmas trees are...vibrant at best, kitschy and gimmicky at worst. You may love the pale pink or even find the electric blue tree up for sale, eccentric. But, these trees don't age well — and neither do their photos. Bilal Rehman, interior designer and founder of Bilal Rehman Studio, tells Martha, " Christmas tree should feel warm and intentional...A classic green tree is the perfect foundation for any direction you want to take." And that includes one-tone decor, if that's what you're into.
All-green everything
In toning down the colour, don't abandon it all together. While it's prudent to commit to a green tree, there's no reason to take that commitment forward to the decor on and adjacent to it. Many have been option for green-on-green decor in Christmases past of recent years, particularly since the boom of minimalism in public conscience. All Martha's saying is that there's no reason to go all in on that — it's the holidays after all!
{{/usCountry}}In toning down the colour, don't abandon it all together. While it's prudent to commit to a green tree, there's no reason to take that commitment forward to the decor on and adjacent to it. Many have been option for green-on-green decor in Christmases past of recent years, particularly since the boom of minimalism in public conscience. All Martha's saying is that there's no reason to go all in on that — it's the holidays after all!
{{/usCountry}}Dual-tone mania
{{/usCountry}}Dual-tone mania
{{/usCountry}}Speaking of the same, buying one set of Christmas ornaments and sprinkling them around the living space where your tree stands, is not only boring, but looks low-effort and incredibly impersonal. The whole idea of putting up your own tree at home is to create a Christmas unique to YOU, even in the smallest way. Buying all-gold or all-silver baubles and calling it a day, is simply, uninspired.
Empty presents
You'll see plenty of incredibly dazzling Christmas pictures up on the gram or even Pinterest that don't feature a pile of presents at the base. So unless there's something other than mushed paper and empty cardboard in those boxes, do away with the fleet of fake presents under the tree. And say you really do have 20 gifts to go around, make the boxes a part of the room's visual impact. Bilal tells Martha, "Choose wrapping paper that feels intentional and unique, and commit to making your gifts look cohesive and thoughtful," he says. Think of your presents as part of the overall visual experience."
Multi-colour lighting
Your decor is meant to reflect splashes of colour — but not your lighting. John Stivale, designer and co-founder of Stivale Graffam Home tells Martha, "Choose warm white or soft amber lighting along rooflines, pathways, and trees. It creates a calm, sophisticated glow that feels intentional and beautifully understated." If you still feel the Holidays don't really hit without some psychedelic lighting (here's looking at the dads), at least lay off the blinking ones!
Are any of these no-gos on your Holiday season decor vision board?
