Can I tell you a secret?
I usually struggle to create our Christmas decor! I always felt super confused by all the ideas on Pinterest and Instagram… and it always seems to be super complicated, a LOT of work and way beyond my skills!

But with 2020 being so grey… I thought the kids deserved an extra magical Christmas! So I put my Santa hat on, did some homework and made our house a good-list-worthy backdrop to create our feel-good memories – and hopefully make this year a little bit more colourful!

Today I’m sharing 8 steps you should take to create YOUR feel-good decor – even if you’ve never done it before.

Ready? Let’s go!

Step no 1. Choose the areas

Start by defining what rooms you’re going to decorate. Then what are the areas in this room where you can sprinkle some magic!

If you don’t know what to choose… it’s easy! Choose the rooms you spend the most time in and pick the areas that are a great backdrop for your decor such as a fireplace, a sideboard or a dining table.

Always place the tree where there’s a nice background – bonus points if you can see it as soon as you walk in!

And don’t be afraid of moving things around if you feel like it. It’s just for Christmas, and you can always move it back after the holidays are over – plus is SO nice to have a little refresh!

Step 2. Analyse the space

Once you know where you’re decorating…pay attention to what you have there – colours, furniture, background. This will help you to pick your theme and your colour scheme.

Step 3. Pick a theme

After you analyse your space, you can pick a theme/style (e.g. traditional, boho, rustic, glam, vintage, elegant….)

Make sure whatever theme you choose goes with your home’s existing decor.

For instance… If your room is super colourful, a minimalist look will disappear in there. If your home feels rustic, a glam decor will look out of place. Always keep in mind your surroundings.

If you feel like your place doesn’t have a “defined style” or is a blank canvas…. then ask yourself: How I want this Christmas to feel?

For our home, I wanted it to feel happy, playful, whimsical, and colourful. So I went for fun ornaments, lots of greenery, flowers, patterns and mix of vintage and quirky pieces. No matter what your theme is, always choose your colours based on what you have in the room.

Which takes me to our next step…

Step 4 – Choose your colour scheme

Pick your colours based on the feelings/theme you want your space to have and on what you already have there. You’ll be sooooo much happier with the results if the colours of your Christmas decor complement the colours you already have in your room. Once you decide your colour scheme, sprinkle it around your home to create a fabulous Christmas flow.

Want some help choosing your colour scheme? Sign up to my FREE colour workshop and you’ll start feeling more confident when decorating with colour!

Step 5 – Display what makes you happy

Add to the mix some sentimental items, like ornaments your kids made or a bauble that looks like your dog. It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t really “go with your decor”. Christmas is about feeling good, so if that wooden star puts a smile on your face, then it should deffo go up!

Step 6 – Mix winter greenery with flowers

Plants bring life, colour, texture and a homely feeling to your space. So be sure to add them to your scheme.

I love mixing winter greenery, flowers and Christmas tree branches – I usually get them for free at our local garden centre, as they have loads of broken branches there.

Tip: To create more interest, always layer at least two or three different types of greenery, even if you’re using an artificial garland! Think of greenery as the base for your decor. You can then layer your ornaments and lights on top of it.

And talking about lights…

Step 7 – Add fairy lights

Oh, you can never have too many fairy lights! They don’t just make everything look prettier, if you choose the warm ones, they’ll make your room feel cosier too!

I’m obsessed with the wired star ones, they’re so easy to wrap around everything, and because they’re battery operated, you can put them anywhere! I usually get them from eBay, Paperchase or Amazon. Just search for “wired star fairy lights”, and you’ll find yours too!

And the MOST IMPORTANT step…

Step 8 – Make it an experience!

Creating a magical Christmas for you and your family, it’s not just about the decor, it’s about ALL the senses.

Here are some ideas to make Santa feel so welcome, he might never want to leave!

• Display a jar of Christmas cookies
• Have cosy blankets on hand
• Light a spiced apple candle
• Play the ‘Christmas is Coming’ playlist on repeat
• Turn your fairy lights on as soon as you wake up
• Enjoy some hot chocolate
• Wear Christmas pjs or a jumper, or maybe both?
• And dance with Hugh Grant while watching Love Actually– I sooo wish Ryan Gosling had a Chrismas film, so I could dance with him too! 😍

One last note… make your goal to create a decor that reflects YOU… a decor that speaks to your heart, brings you happy memories and is not a copycat of something you saw on insta...

It doesn’t have to be perfect; it just needs to feel like YOU, right?!

Can’t wait to see what you’ll create!

To a colourful Xmas,

Ju xx