SMALL SPACE LIVING | 5 TIPS FOR HOLIDAY DECORATING

Holiday decorating in a small space presents it’s own set of challenges. Too many decorations and it feels overwhelming, not enough decorations and it feels like you didn’t even try. We often have to rearrange furniture and take down a wide array of every day decor and toys to squeeze in our Christmas tree and other decor pieces. And then when you add kids into the mix, the decor can really start to take over… for instance,  after catching Evie stealing ornaments off the tree and hanging them on her little tree in her room, I caved and got them their own tiny real tree with a whole set of kid friendly ornaments. They LOVE it but it added to the amount of decor in our small space.

Whether you’re spending the holidays wrapped up in a cozy blanket or hosting friends and family, beautiful and streamlined décor in your home can make all the difference, especially in a small space. Over the years I’ve accumulated so many different types of décor so this year before decorating, I did a mass purge and kept only the things that truly brought me joy or had a sentimental meaning to it. It seems every year for Christmas I define my holiday style a little more. This year I think I finally nailed it thanks to Interior Designer, Hope, from Olive and Oak Interiors. Hope put together 5 easy tips for decorating your small space and I’m so excited to share them with you and these tips can be applied to whatever size your home is!

PICK A PALETTE

Hope Says: The easiest way to keep things festive but minimal is to keep to a color palette. Though it’s easy to include everything merry, your space will feel better if you refine. I like greens, creams, whites, and black.

Here is where I truly struggled, until I purged, I had décor from years ago when I did themed trees and switched decor every year, I’m talking lime green ornaments and obnoxious red glittery things. I ditched a majority of it last year and went with a classic theme, red, white, and a hint of hunter green (mostly in the plaid) I wanted décor that would last decades. I like to call it “minimal mountain chic” It has a ski lodge vibe without feeling overly done.

LESS IS MORE

Hope says: It’s VERY easy to overdo décor around the holidays. Don’t go too far beyond what’s beautiful and functional or your space will feel cramped and busy even before you add your family.

I also tossed a lot of old ornaments that I had bought to fill a giant tree we had one year. We purchased a smaller artificial tree a few years ago and those ornaments haven’t seen the light of day since. In addition to that, we had a ton of random Santa’s of all different shapes and sizes and a lot of stuffed snowmen and what not. It was all overwhelming and none of it went together and none of it held sentimental purpose to it so I ditched it all.

GET COZY

Hope Says: Layering in textures within your color palette creates the cozy feel we all crave at the holidays. A chunky throw and plush pillows are a great way to lay the foundation for your personal cuddle puddle.

I’ve slowly been updating textiles in our home this year so repurposed this sheepskin throw on the couch along with some fresh pillows to make the couch ideal for cuddling. Thanks to a friend’s obsession, I snagged this blanket and it is what cuddling dreams are made of! I plan to buy a few furry pillows as well to bring in the winter and “minimal mountain chic” vibe I’m after!

BRING IT TO LIFE

Hope Says: Using seasonal plants and fruit as décor is my favorite way to make a space feel naturally cohesive and inviting. Throw some pomegranates in a beautiful bowl for a natural pop of red texture and layer on the evergreens to liven up your space.

I found that I way overused artificial greenery in my décor so this year I cut back to a simple fresh cedar garland on our entertainment center, some pine cones in a vase and then a fresh wreath. Total, I spent about $20 and the fresh pine smells so good in the home! I purged a ton of my artificial greenery and only kept a few strands of lighted garland… I have dreams to wrap a staircase one day

DIM THE LIGHTS

Hope says: So much of the magic of the holidays comes into play with ambience. To create that magic, focus on the lighting! With days getting shorter and shorter, those twinkle lights and candles go a long way!

This is something I did already do. I LOVE twinkle lights and soft glow of Christmas lights and candles. It’s my favorite time a year to light a candle and sit on the couch with a good book!