I love beautiful things, and in case this is the first time you’ve read my blog, I will tell you my secret: I’m cheap. Clearance sales make my pulse pound and finding ways to re-purpose things I already have for new and different uses completely makes my day. I never have the same “look” for Christmas two years in a row and if you follow my tips for beautiful, budget decorating, you can have a fresh look every year that your family will be talking about for years to come (or at least until next year when you blow them away again!).

Bring the Outside In

In keeping with my love of all things cheap, of course I turn to nature to provide me with beautiful things that I don’t have to pay for. I live out in the country so there is always something pretty to to collect and bring inside.

1. Place natural elements like acorns, pine cones and evergreen branches in large bowls or platters and insert candles for a beautiful, unique centerpiece (use glass hurricanes to keep it safe).
2. Spray evergreen branches with silver or gold paint and place in tree as decoration or in vases around your home.
3. Bump up the beauty factor of your store-bought garland by weaving evergreen branches and other pretty natural elements throughout.

Think Beyond Red and White

This year, I planned to do a lime green and silver theme. I wasn’t able to find enough lime green ornaments (even though I broke my rule of buying things not on sale!). I was able to find a dozen or so lime green ornaments locally and had plenty of red and silver to make a beautiful silver, red and green theme. Sometimes you have to be a little flexible to get a look that you love, even if it isn’t exactly what you imagined it would be at the start. I LOVE my tree and despite my kids’ best intention to “help” me decorate, it’s a truly beautiful and unique tree that I will find hard not to replicate next year. Here are a few color combinations to consider:

1. Sapphire and silver, magenta and amethyst, and silver/gold and white are great alternative color palettes for Christmas.
2. Use a theme – Adirondack, Victorian, modern or country.
3. Mix it up – use a different palette or theme each year so you don’t have to look at the date on your photos to recall when it was taken.

Decorate the Everyday

Whoever said that decorating has to be relegated to front doors and Christmas trees. There are lots of areas in your home screaming for a little piece of the action.

1. Weave glass bead or evergreen garlands in and out of the arms of your chandelier and hang glass balls with silk ribbons at different levels to add interest.
2. Place cards and garlands on TV units, coffee tables, and artwork. One year I used wide gross grain ribbons down the sides of our TV unit and stapled our cards to them. It was so wonderful to look at every time we walked into the living room and to think about our friends and family.
3. Fill bowls with bright, shiny Christmas balls and leave in bathrooms and on hallway console tables.

If you don’t have time to create the perfect holiday display, don’t worry! With my One Day Makeover, you can have a beautiful winter wonderland without spending a lot of time or money. But with just two weeks before Christmas, don’t wait to book your in-home appointment! I can re-arrange your space for a party, decorate for that special Christmas morning or create a one-of-a-kind outdoor display. Be sure to find me on Facebook.