Heather Hazard

This holiday season I have really been enjoying decorating my home. My husband has been asking why I go into so much detail of decorating everything. He said, “the kitchen, the living room, the dining room, those I understand but the bathroom? Really?” Alright maybe I go overboard just a little bit but I really enjoy it. It makes the holidays just that much more special. But, what I have found that I really enjoy most about decorating for the Holidays? Its designing.

Who says it has to be decorating…what I’m really doing is designing my holidays. Its a way for me to look at things a little big differently. Making garland, hanging bulbs, designing table tops, and setting my dining room table is a great exercise in design. The design principles fall into play when designing your home.

Unity
Grouping things together to make a set of 2 or three is an effective way to set up a table top or centerpiece for Christmas. Check out this side table. I used a set of two mercury glass candle holders to create an attractive focal point paired with flowers my husband bought me for our two month anniversary. I used repetition and continuation to create this element of my Christmas Design.


* Repetition * Continuation * Closure

Emphasis /Focal Point
Just like when your designing a poster, brochure, or website you need a focal point. When your designing your Christmas decor the tree is the focal point of the room. This year I focused on keeping a consistent theme. I call it Vintage Blue & White. My goal is to stockpile items that are a classic white and them mix in a different color such as blue. The Blue contrasts with the white and because most of the elements are white it brings continuity. Just like my design work I like my decorations simple. Hanging a simple wreath where a painting might go is a great option just as long as it doesn’t compete with a bunch of other items. Pay attention to placement so that you don’t over do it.






* Contrast * Isolation * Placement

Balance
Balance when it comes to designing your Christmas space is so important. You don’t want to have a mess of stuff just hanging out in the corner and the rest of the room empty. Its important to have some kind of structure. Just make sure that if your space is symmetrical or asymmetrical, that the rest of the house follows the same rule.


* Symmetrical * Asymmetrical * Radial * All over pattern

Proportion /Scale
Its always nice to have a large pop of color or texture in a large scale but smaller and more scaled down elements are always classic and give a more traditional feeling.



Movement
Its important that when you walk into the room your eye is moved throughout the space so as to not get stuck on one element. Have you walked into someones home where it was decorated so nicely that you just felt comfortable and at ease. The goal is to not overwhelm your guests with too much to look at but guide them throughout the space smoothly and without hiccups.



Rhythm/Pattern
You can achieve rhythm and pattern in numerous way in your decorating scheme. Create a pattern with your stockings or hang something from your window in a pattern. Even designing some pillow throws in contrasting colors would work to spice it up a bit (Ooooh What an idea!).



Well, I think I covered all of the design principles. If I missed one let me know and Ill make sure I attempt to incorporate it into my Christmas Design. This holiday season don’t be afraid to try something new. Just make sure you have an over all theme and stick to it. You’ll do fine and I’m sure your holidays will be merry and bright. If you have any questions or need ideas let me know in the comments section.