We’ve spent oh-so-much time in our homes this year—how can we make the holidays still feel special? Here we have five amazing ways to help you round out the year with warmth, coziness, and joy.
1. Blankets
Blankets are not just the easiest item used to create a cozy environment; they also make a huge difference to the overall design of your space. The size, material, color, and texture all contribute to cultivating a style, so make sure you’re intentional with the blanket you choose. For this season, try either a wool or knit blanket to stay warm, or support while you shop with a Sackcloth & Ashes blanket, which can be found at your local Zupan’s Market. We love the effortlessness and style of their designs. Plus, for every blanket purchased, another blanket is donated to a local homeless shelter in need. Also, visit our Instagram and enter into the giveaway for the chance to win one of our favorite blankets by Nardi & Tagliaferri! A gift for yourself (or a loved one), from us to you.
2. Rugs
The rug you choose sets a foundation for the rest of the room. It adds texture, pattern and warmth, draws the person in, and connects all of the pieces within the space together. For winter, adding a rug to your design is a great way to immediately make the space feel cozier. Whether you add one to the bedroom, dining room, living room, kitchen, or entryway, there are a few considerations to think about. What style does the space—or pieces within the space—already have? Is there a lot of patterns already in the space or can you add pattern with your rug? The style and color of the rug should complement the space it is going into.
Rooms look bigger with larger rugs, be sure the rug you choose will extend under all the key furniture pieces. In a dining room be sure the rug is big enough for the chairs to push out and still be on the rug. What type of lifestyle do you have? Light-colored rugs look amazing in photographs but aren’t reasonable for muddy boots or muddy pets during the cold winter months. The fiber content of the rug will make a difference on stain resistance and durability. Rug production has come a long way in the last few years. Wool fiber is the most durable but may have issues with staining. Polyester is a synthetic fabric that is known for vibrant colors, stain-resistant but may not last as long. Your decision should be based on where the rug in going and how much foot traffic will be on it. We love the rugs from Jaipur living, and we think you will too!
3. Festive Tablescapes
There are so many ways to style a table or centerpiece, and they are all amazing to add to your holiday décor arsenal! Whichever path you take, we recommend adding fresh or dried plants, lights, complementary accent colors, and various-sized objects. To follow suit with the festive season, however, try adding garland, poinsettia flowers, pine, elements of silver and gold, and decorative candles to add light! For a more modern look, use flocked garland and pine branches, white poinsettia flowers, and lots of silver elements to showcase a frosty, freshly snow fallen table. For a more traditional look, using natural garland, red poinsettia, sprigs of holly, gold elements and plenty of decorative candles will provide a warm, classy atmosphere.
However, the best advice we can give for making a dazzling tablescape is to make it dynamic! Play around with tall objects and short ones, the spacing between elements, and how the objects in your tablescape flow from one end of the table to the other. At the end of the day, the best tablescape for your space is what you think it should be, so have fun with it.
4. Music
Nothing sets the tone better than having tunes. Whether it’s festive or not, music creates a welcoming atmosphere. Try Pandora’s “Acoustic Christmas,” Spotify’s “Happy Holidays” genre, or Apple Music’s “Essential Christmas” playlist for endless classics that you’ll love. We recommend setting a quiet playlist all day to make walking into your space feel special and warm.
5. Scents of the Season
Candles, garland, spices, sprays or diffusers, whatever your favorite may be, the smell of a space is an essential component during the holidays. We recommend you try some of our favorite local candle shops, LARK Mountain Modern, Wildwood Candle Co., and Tin Wicks Candle Co. to support Oregon businesses this holiday season. Nothing takes you back to the memory of cozy Christmas nights better than the scent and sight of flickering candles, and they’re so versatile! Pick up one, a few, or all the things on this list—there are so many ways to make your home feel even cozier during the holidays, but we hope you find a bit of inspiration from us to lighten up your festive spirit before the end of the year.