Holidays Archives - Page 4 of 4 - Kelley Astore Interiors

A Look Inside My Home At Christmas

The Holiday Season is always hectic for businesses: preparing everything for the New Year, fitting in as many clients as possible, and getting all the work done in time to relax on Christmas day. One thing I always make sure to prioritize is decorating my own home. It brings me so much joy, and having the festive decorations to look at while I work is the perfect motivation to get the work done. We have Christmas to look forward to! I’m so excited to share how I’ve decorated this year, and my best tips for how you can do the same.

My Christmas Tree

Having a real tree is a detail I never miss out on. They’re more beautiful, and they come with a beautiful holiday pine scent to fill my home. We always make a day out of it, going to the farm and cutting the tree ourselves. It’s the perfect family bonding activity to get everyone excited for the Holidays! This year, I decorated the tree with warm lights to create a cozy atmosphere. I always believe that ornaments should be varied and personal for a special homey touch. I’ve been collecting ornaments for years, and every year I like to add one or two more decorations to the collection.

I’ve also brought out a little Christmas tray to help tie the room together. Using Tartan items is one of my favorite ways to decorate for the holidays. I pulled out a few red coffee-table and Christmas books, tied a little tartan bow around my ceramic pup, and filled a little vase with some fresh greens, using some of the trimmings from the Christmas Tree!

My Red Room

Red is one of my favorite colors to decorate with, holiday season or not. If you’ve been following us for awhile, you know how much I love my red library! I pulled out my Tartan throw blanket and stuffed dog to make the room feel extra festive. I added some fresh green plants for some color variety and placed them on the table, alongside my Christmas figurines, and favorite Red books. This room has become one of my favorite places to curl up with a warm drink and get some reading done. It’s just so cozy!

Adding Festive Touches to Decor Already In My Home

Of course making Fresh-Greens arrangements and placing them around the house is a trick I’ve been using for years. It allows you to make a space look festive without spending too much money. I always use trimmings from the Christmas Tree and my garden, so I don’t have to spend any money on these decorations. Additionally, it lets me spruce up a space without accumulating too much clutter. These greens won’t have to go into storage at the end of the season, they can simply go in my compost! Here, I’ve made a simple arrangement on this suspended shelf. The plate in the background provides a lovely frame, and I love the way the greens look in the wood vase. The little lion man is now looking ready to drink some eggnog and open presents!

Outside My Home

Of course the decorations aren’t just limited to inside. I always make sure to add some classy Christmas decoration at my door entrance to welcome any guests. And I simply love how they look covered in snow! I made this arrangement using the urns that live outside my door, and I love how they turned out. The pop of winter berry in the center provides just enough color. Using fresh greens and plants is such a simple way to decorate the exterior without looking too flashy or gaudy. Check out my article on how to make a Fresh Greens Arrangement.

Kelley's Home part 2

How Did You Decorate?

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook and send us pictures of your home this holiday season! We can’t wait to see what you have all done to prepare for Christmas.

Needless to say, this year has been long and hard on all of us. The Holiday Season is a perfect time to remember what matters most: family and love. Take time to relax and pause this season, reflecting on and remembering what’s important to you!

Decorating for the Holidays: 5 Ways to Incorporate Tartan

Tartan has been around for a couple hundred years. It originated in Scotland, used to wrap and make souvenirs. In recent years, tartan has made a comeback, especially around the holiday season. It’s traditional green and red colors lend a festive spirit. Today we’ll be showing you 5 ways to incorporate tartan into your holiday decorations!

1 – Tartan Christmas tree skirt

The first way to incorporate tartan into your Holiday decorations is to use it as your Christmas Tree skirt. The traditional deep green tones in tartan compliment the green of the tree beautifully. If you prefer, finding paler tones and shades of Tartan for under your tree provides an elegant and welcoming stage for all your gifts! Tartan Christmas skirts are available online. Alternatively, use a tartan throw blanket or, if you have some Tartan fabric on hand, don’t be afraid to make your Christmas tree skirt yourself! This allows you to tailor the skirt to the exact right size. There are plenty of online tutorials on how to easily make your own Christmas skirt. And remember to keep the fabric scraps!

2 – Tartan Wrapping Paper

If you’re not using a tree skirt, try wrapping your presents with Tartan instead. This is reminiscent of how tartan was traditionally used: as paper to cover souvenirs. You can easily order tartan wrapping paper online for a few dollars. Be sure to get other wrapping paper in different shades of tartan, as well as other complimenting patterns and colors. Once the gifts are wrapped, add a solid colored bow and place it under your tree! Having all the gifts under your tree coordinate with each other adds sophistication, is beautiful to look at, and will get everyone excited for the gift exchange!

3 – Make Tartan Bows and ribbons

If you’ve made your own Tartan Christmas tree skirt, use the fabric scraps to make bows! You can also purchase pre-made tartan ribbons and bows to use for decorating. The advantage of simple bows is that you can attach them to items already in your house to give them a festive style and to save money. Tying tartan bows around vases, pots, on the backs of chairs, and even hanging them on doors is sure to transform your house into a beautiful winter wonderful!

4 – Use Tartan Throw Blankets and Cushions

One of our favorite ways to use tartan during the holidays is switching out cushions and throw blankets with their tartan alternatives. There is nothing more welcoming than an armchair with a thick tartan blanket for curling up by the fire. Get Tartan cushion covers to avoid having to buy totally new cushions. Take this to the next level by using tartan bedding in your bedroom. Pairing a tartan duvet with some red and gold pillows will have you even more excited to take some time off for the holidays!

5 – Wear it

Our last tip for using tartan for the holidays is to use it on yourself! Tartan scarves are a mark of wintertime and a timeless piece to add to your wardrobe. Not only that, but they’ll keep you cosy! A tartan skirt paired with a black blouse is a classic holiday look. But if you’re afraid of looking like a schoolgirl, go bold and opt for other tartan statement pieces such as tartan pants, shirts, or blazers for your office holiday parties. The trick is to let the tartan take center stage. Pair it with solid complimenting colors to have it really stand out. If you’re unable to get these pieces, try getting a tartan hair bow, for a subtle holiday touch.

Love Tartan?

If you’re like us and love tartan all year round, check out our article on the history of tartan and ways to use it in your home, holiday season or not!

Decorating for The Holidays: How to make a Holiday Arrangement Using Fresh Greens

The Holidays are back and we’re busy decorating for the season! Last year we provided a check-list for decorating with Fresh Greens: one of our favorite ways to decorate for the winter. This year, we’ve outlined a step-by-step guide on how to create your own arrangement using fresh greens. So put on some holiday tunes, grab your shears, and let’s get started!

Step One: Sourcing and Cutting Your Greens

The easiest place to source your greens is from your backyard! If you have magnolia, ivy, cypress, boxwood, or holly growing in your backyard, get your clippers and get cutting! Always cut the branch at an angle close to the joint. This prevents damaging the tree and keeps the greens fresher for longer. It’s easier for the stem to absorb water if it has been cut at an angle.

If you don’t have a backyard or don’t have the right plants growing, head to a garden center or plant market and start browsing. Most markets will have a lovely selection of holiday greens and flowers to choose from. Be sure to pick up a variety of sizes, textures and colors for the best fresh green arrangement. Always buy more than you think you need to cover any mistakes. You can make smaller arrangements with the leftovers.

Finally, if you’re trimming your own Christmas tree, don’t throw the extra branches away! Use them in your arrangements. This is a great way to save a bit of cash and reuse what you already have! The feathery branches from a Christmas tree are perfect for the base of the arrangement.

Step Two: Preparing the foundation

Once you’ve sourced your fresh greens it’s time to prepare your foundation. We recommend getting a few blocks of floral foam to provide structure and keep your greens fresh as long as possible. Soak the foam in advance.

Using floral foam at the bottom of a vase or urn is one of our favorite ways to make a fresh greens arrangement. These larger arrangements look beautiful outside and inside your home, beside doors, and next to fireplaces. Once the foam has been soaked, it’s time to get arranging!

Step Three: Making the base

We recommend building the arrangement in the area that it will be displayed. This gives you a sense of how large the arrangement should be, and how it will look against its surroundings. Make sure you have a pair of clippers on hand when arranging the greens. This allows you to trim each branch as needed. Start with your bulkier, feathery greens to create the base of your arrangement. The fuller the arrangement, the better. Greens such as cypress, fir from your Christmas tree, and juniper have a lot of body to them and make a fantastic base. Where possible, stick the stems directly into the floral foam to ensure they get water and stay green.

Build up the body of the arrangement until it’s looking full but there is still plenty of room for the details. Aim for about two-thirds full. You can always take away or add more as you go on.

Step Four: Get creative

This is the part where you should get creative and let your imagination do the talking. Fill in any gaps with more delicate leaves and details. Adding willow branches gives wonderful height. Magnolia leaves add a beautiful texture and still look amazing once they’ve dried out, perfect for the winter!

Be sure to add color. Add brown and orange leaves and branches. Make sure to add some red for a festive touch. Winter berry, Holly, and Poinsettias simply scream “holiday season,” so intersperse those within your arrangement. You can also use pinecones by attaching them to some floral wire and sticking the wire into the floral foam. Remember: the fuller the arrangement, the more beautiful!

Don’t be afraid to play around in this step. If you add something in and it doesn’t feel right, take it out and try again.

Step Five: The finishing touches

When you think you’ve finished, be sure to look at the arrangement from a few feet away. Add more base greens if necessary. Move branches around, and be sure the color is evenly dispersed. Look at it from different angles that it’ll be viewed from. Once you’re sure it’s perfect, add a red or tartanware ribbon around the vase or urn.

Congratulations, you’ve created the perfect fresh-greens arrangement!

1 2 34