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By
Konnie McCollum
Staff Writer
It’s that time of year when homeowners
bring out stored boxes of Christmas decorations
to sort through what can be used and what
needs to be discarded. For the home decorator
who is trying to create an elegant, savvy
look, questions about what to put where
can be overwhelming.
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Local interior decorators from the area
can offer sage advice for suave and sophisticated
holiday decorating. Many home décor
stores carry a variety of holiday items
that can be incorporated into any home’s
Christmas décor.
Interior decorator Crystal Fulton, owner
of Madison Mercantile, 220 W. Main St.,
in Madison, Ind., suggests the best way
to decorate is to keep in mind the old adage:
“Keep it simple.” “Keep just
one theme going.”
“Mixing themes may make a home look
cluttered and not so elegant,” Fulton
says.
She also suggests that homeowners should
use family favorites and mix in current
colors as accent on items, such as candles,
napkins and wrapping paper. “You don’t
have to use the same ornaments or decorations
year after year,” she said. “Give
some decorations a rest as you bring in
new items. But remember to keep it simple.”
There are several new hot trends for the
Christmas look this season, according to
Fulton. The hottest trend appears to be
Asian elegance, which uses orchids and other
exotic Japanese and Zen blossoms. The colors
of orange-gold, linden green and sky blue
mixed with exotic glass and polished metals
top off the Asian influence.
Another popular style is called “Candy
Kitsch,” which uses colorful and sparkly,
mirror glitter and “yummy” colors
like pink, caramel, yellow and mint. “Use
decorations that are fun and whimsical with
bright colors for this style of decorating,”
said Fulton.
Black and white, or silver and white, mixed
with black and gray, known as “European
Opulence,” are also trendy decorating
colors for this season. “Gray is back
in style this season, mixed with colors
like turquoise, lilac, dark red and pink,”
she said. “A glittery surface also
provides glitz along with tiny faux gemstones.”
At the Artful Living Co., 313 W. Main St,
in Madison, interior designer Kriss Luckett
said mercury glass is popular this holiday
season. “It has a beautiful antiqued
appearance that’s a nice diversion
from the “perfection” of silver,”
she said. “We are also seeing less
bright brass and more copper and iron.”
Luckett also said for the past few years,
the hottest color scheme has been chocolate
brown and turquoise blue, but that is not
as popular this year as the emerging schemes
showing persimmon, copper and gold with
touches of turquoise blue.
“Reds of course are still the dominant
color for holiday decorating,” she
said. “We are now seeing more of a
return, though, to the classic bright “cranberry”
reds and less of the deep burgundy reds
from years past.”
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Fulton also noted the past few seasons
have seen the chocolate brown combined with
turquoise or ice blue, but said some of
that is giving way to handmade accessories
with natural wreaths and native floral patterns.
“A woodsy mix with natural leaves,
twigs, shells, feathers, horns combined
with surprising colors, such as pale green
and colorful accents, and smooth textures
of silver and metal makes a wonderful display,”
said Fulton.
Luckett said natural decorating items are
always popular, including pine garlands,
wreaths and swag, twigs, berries, birch
bark and feathers. “These elements
never go out of style.”
La Grange, Ky.’s Blooms by Essential
Details, 113 N. First St., is a full-service
flower shop and retail store with home décor
and design items. Sherry Cook, master floral
designer, said artificial greenery that
looks realistic is also a popular trend.
“The greenery that mixes a variety
of pines together is the most popular,”
she said.
She also said that bright, funky colors
are popular this season, including hot pinks,
greens and reds. “Christmas dishes,
such as serving platters, dip bowls, and
spreaders in bright colors are really hot
items currently,” she said. Apothecary
jars of different sizes filled with colorful
ornaments and colorful candies are trendy
holiday kitchen décor, too.
She said the most popular flowers continue
to be the white hydrangeas because of their
full, fresh look and the rose poinsettias,
which are clumped together to look like
roses.
Battery operated, flameless flickering candles,
both in tapers and pillars, are also must-haves
for the holiday season, said Cook. “Reds,
whites, creams and sparkles are hot colors.”
Luckett said it is easy to go overboard
with holiday decorating, especially if there
are children and grandchildren in the home.
“Going overboard can turn a little
scary if you have too many different things
going on, or just too many things, period,”
she said. “If you tend to go a little
crazy, I would suggest creating a few vignettes,
each featuring it’s own particular
theme, have one stand-out piece in each,
and decorate ‘down’ from there.”
Collectors of holiday statuaries, such as
nativities, angels or Santa Clauses, should
try to balance one focal piece in each vignette
rather than have the whole collection of
something all in one display, she suggests.
However, she said it is perfectly fine to
go a little heavy with tree decorating.
“This is one element that should be
thoroughly decorated,” she said. “But
again, keep things somewhat streamlined.”
She suggested those who want a rustic tree
should keep the ornaments rustic and simple
and skip the tinsel and glass ball ornaments.
But those who want a more elegant tree should
focus on more elegant decorations. “If
you like both looks, then having two trees,
a primary one and a secondary one in another
room, is also a way to indulge both looks,”
she said.
For outdoor decorating, classic white lights
are the “in” thing for this season,
according to Christian Hanson, general manager
of Madison-based Enviroscape. “The
traditional and classical looks are always
very popular for outdoor décor,”
said Hanson. His company installs customized
holiday lighting for area homeowners. A
trend that he said will become the norm
in just a few years will be L.E.D. energy
saving bulbs.
Fulton said being environmentally “green”
is a great way to showcase the outside of
a home. “Use leaves, twigs and other
natural items to decorate, along with white
lights to accent,” she said. “When
possible, use solar powered spot lights
or low wattage lights to light up your yard
or home.”
Luckett said simplicity in outdoor decorating
is the best advice. “A wreath on the
door is always tasteful, as are lights draped
in bushes and strung around windows or along
rooflines,” she said. “If you
can spot your house a mile up the road at
night, you’ve probably used a few too
many lights.”
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