You may still be working through your Thanksgiving leftovers, but Turkey Day is deader than, well, your Thanksgiving turkey and now we’re onto the next commercial holiday. Time to purchase a dead tree for your home, if you’re so inclined, drink some hot alcohol, stream some holiday nonsense, make a holiday card and have a team of sled dogs deliver it — you know the drill. We asked Genevieve Gorder, interior designer, host of “Dear Genevieve” and “Genevieve’s Renovation” on HGTV, and star of “Trading Spaces” — the hit home reno show which is returning to TLC in 2018 — for tips on how to get into the festive spirit where we live.
Keep it natural
“You don’t need to spend a lot to get a lot,” Gorder says. “It’s as easy as looking outside your window and grabbing the stuff from the backyard.” She likes to take naturally dried plants, flowers, branches and arrange them in vases, add them as ornaments to the Christmas tree, or place them as a centerpiece for the dining room table.
Mix up your greens
When it comes to decorating with winter greens, Gorder likes to shake things up by using plants you wouldn’t necessarily think of, like eucalyptus, magnolia, even elephant leaves. Another tip is to combine tropical and evergreens in the same display for something a little different. “Craft wire is your best friend,” she says. Use it to wire your greens together for a garland, to affix ornaments to the tree, to hang a wreath on your door, etc.
Aroma is decor
Gorder believes that aroma is an essential part of decor. Set the mood you want with a seasonal fragrance; Gorder recommends Air Wick’s apple crumble, if you want to infuse your home with the hominess of baked goods, or woodland pine, if you’re craving that evergreen scent. “We need this to get through the dreariness of December,” she says.
Use light to your advantage
“Light is such a big part of this season,” she explains. “Using this as a very powerful tool throughout your decorating and home plan is integral to the Christmas feeling.”
Gorder likes to take a glass jar or vase, fill it with molten salt (to stand in for snow) and place a figurine inside, like a little toy deer, and then illuminate it with a flameless candle.
Put a bow on it
Gorder loves to use sculptural ribbon to add a little festive flair, whether as an ornament, a napkin holder, as an adornment around a jar of cookies. “The bows are the great outfit on anything in the house,” she says.
