Holiday Home Décor 101: Tips to Brighten Your Space This Season

It’s the most festive time of the year. The holiday season gives you plenty of excuses to decorate your home with colorful, sparkling, and beautiful accents. From candles and ornaments to wreaths and centerpieces, there are hundreds of options that are sure to lift your spirits whenever you walk into the room. Here are some tips to give your home a bright upgrade just in time for the holidays.

Check Your Lighting Situation

Darker skies mean a darker home. Studies have shown links between mood and light deprivation, so it’s well worth the time to illuminate those areas that could use a little boost. Add a lamp with a translucent shade to your bedside table or the desktop in your home office, for example. Hang a string of twinkling lights over a window or mantel. Don’t forget your outdoor lights. It could be as simple as replacing a burned-out bulb! With a little extra brightness, your home will look its best inside and out.

Try Some Subtle Accents

It’s the unexpected accents that bring your home to life — the splash of color on the painting in the living room, the area rug in the dining room, the row of vibrant books lining the shelves in the home office. Take it a step further and add some fresh floral arrangements to different areas of the home. Think about areas that could benefit from a little boost, like the upstairs hallway or the guest bedroom. Even discreet plants in the bathroom or the home office can instantly liven up your living space.

Have Fun With Centerpieces

The holiday season is a wonderful time of year to experiment with different centerpieces. You might create a beautiful tablescape featuring your favorite decorative elements, from tealight candles to wood slices to orange peels, along with an eye-catching floral arrangement that brings it all together. Opt for seasonal colors, like orange, red, yellow, copper, and gold, all of which express the season’s cozy comfort beautifully and lend your home a truly spirited appearance.

Don’t Forget the Walls

Take stock of the walls when upgrading your home for the holiday season. Now’s a great time to hang up the colorful pictures the kids made for you in school. They look right at home anywhere from the fridge to your office. You can replace existing picture frames with more festive, holiday-worthy models. Hang a wreath featuring plentiful berries and pine cones on the wall or the front door for a little extra color and cheer.

Scent Your Living Space

It’s a no-brainer: adding wonderful holiday fragrances to your home is an easy way to get into the spirit of the season and brighten your mood at the same time. It’s not just fresh baked goods that do the trick, either. Fill a pot with cinnamon, orange peels, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger, and bring it all to a boil. The scent will waft throughout your home. Light a candle in a seasonal fragrance you love. Add bouquets strategically, in areas where a light aroma is more than welcome — the entryway, for example, or your bedroom. With the right details, you can easily brighten up your home even during the darkest days of the holiday season. From flowers to scents to accents, everything comes together beautifully to give your home a festive upgrade.