When it comes to outdoor holiday decorating, the mantra “less is more” is key. Too many lights, inflatable Santas and nativity sets will turn your beautiful house into an eyesore like Clark Griswold’s in Christmas Vacation. Instead, create a picture-perfect home display that will leave your neighbors in awe!
What makes this scene look so elegant is the simplicity. Fern garland, classic white lights and red bows create an impact without overdoing it. Keep the mindset you have decorating inside your home and following these tips to create a magazine-worthy holiday display for your home’s exterior.
Minimize clutter
You wouldn’t decorate the inside of your home with life-size Santa statues, so why do it on the outside? The key to a clutter-free outdoor display is keeping the look simple yet stunning. If you must have a holiday statue or nativity scene, pick one and keep it small. When it comes to lighting, too many conflicting colors and designs can look cluttered and messy. Create an elegant display by accentuating unique features of the house, such as a widow’s walk, porch railings or unique architecture, with lights, ferns or bows.
Use statement pieces to make an impact
How would you accessorize a little black dress? Many of us choose one statement piece of jewelry to add pizzazz to an outfit, like a bib necklace or dangling earrings. Think of holiday decor the same way: Create a statement design and decorate sparingly around that. One easy way to do this is by using the season’s fresh florals. Drape fresh ferns around your porch or front steps, weave white lights into the ferns to create a twinkly effect and accent ferns with bows for a pop of color. Keep decorations around this simple to avoid clutter.
Stick with a theme
One mistake many people make when decorating outside is viewing it as a free-for-all with no design or theme in mind, creating a cluttered, mismatched look. Choosing a theme doesn’t have to be hard — just group =what you like by color and look. For example, if you want to create a traditional rustic look, use fresh ferns, red bows and white lights. For a sparkle-and-shine look, use golds, silvers, tinsel and glittery ornaments. For a fun, whimsical look, use colored lights and brightly colored ornaments.
Wow your family and friends this holiday season with an elegant, tasteful and unique outdoor display!
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