8 INTERIOR DESIGN TRENDS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN 2022!

8 INTERIOR DESIGN TRENDS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN 2022

Image by Ksenia Chernaya

INTERIOR AND HOME DECOR
TRENDS FOR 2022

It has been a long winter and many fresh trends have materialized since my last interior design report. I too have not laid idle and have finally started renovations on my Toronto Victorian home! It seems like dreams and plans are finally colliding and as I continue to collect design inspiration I’ve noticed a few new approaches bubbling up to the surface. Some feel like the natural progression of previous trends while others feel seductively fresh and appealing. One thing is for sure, they all seem to favour bold accents and colours over the previously beloved monochrome aesthetics. We are approaching a time of careful curation and intentional living. Although people are no longer forced to stay home, it continues to be where the majority of their time is spent. Instead of focusing solely on comforts and cozy atmospheres though, there has been a shift as the desire to entertain and welcome guest takes center stage. For that reason, I thought now is the perfect time to share 8 interior design trends for 2022.

BIOPHILIC ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Interior Design Trends 2022 - biophilic architecture and design

Biophilic Design by Joe Mortell

Biophilic Design is the concept of creating a stronger connection to nature while in our home environment. Just because you’re continuing to spend the majority of your time at home doesn’t mean you want to seclude yourself from the outdoors completely. Opening the windows to allow fresh air and natural light in may be the easiest way to remove a rooms stagnant energy, but Biophilic interior design encourages you to take things one creative step further. Use natural materials like timber, concrete and stone to help you imitate elements you would see outdoors or incorporate indoor plants, fresh cut flowers, and foliage for a more obvious approach. Research has also shown that images depicting nature can be effective in producing a calming atmosphere to reduce stress, improve cognitive function and spur creativity while also improving our overall well being and hastening healing. That’s pretty remarkable, if you ask me! Where once using dried flowers like pampers grass used to be a popular decor trend, now it is all about fresh, vibrant, living greens. Additionally, the idea of creating a conservatory at home seems to be ever more appealing as we continue to embrace Biophilic architecture and crave connections to the outdoors.


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THE SLOW BUILD

When it comes to intentional living and careful curation, the slow build plays into peoples' desires to do away with ‘fast furniture’ and pursue more sustainable practices. Artisanal, vintage and one of a kind pieces invite the fascination of your guest and welcome conversation around the stories behind them. They also make your space fell uniquely you! Make time to visit second hand stores and go antiquing when you can. Look for investment pieces that could elevate your collection and consider decluttering to make room for them when you finally do make a purchase. Minimalism is still very much trending so don’t think you need to overwhelm your space with expensive stuff for it to be beautiful. In fact, a few carefully curated items is really all you need.

REIGNITED FASCINATION WITH THE 70S AESTHETIC

Interior Design Trends 2022 - 70s Aesthetic

A livingroom inspired by 70s Interior Design

There is no denying that in the past few years cane and rattan decor has seen a major comeback. Perhaps it is because of our fascination with a ’70’s aesthetic’ has been reignited. Where once unique shapes, bold prints, colours, textures and futuristic design were used to express excitement, push boundaries, and create amazing spaces to host parties, today’s mindset echos that. It’s why we love velvet furniture, animal print rugs, and macrame, and why you might be gravitating towards a curved sofa, brightly coloured small appliances or an egg rattan chair. I’m not saying go ahead and install wall to wall shag carpets, but don’t be afraid to play on the psychedelic inspiration of the 70’s aesthetic through the use of bold cushions, prints and cheery colours.

STATEMENT WALLS

Interior design trends 2022 - Statement walls and grandmillennial wallpaper

Hand Painted de Gournay Wallpaper

Grandmillennial interiors may not be for everyone but statement walls are still a great way to adds drama to a room or even a whimsical feeling. I’ve seen lots of wallpaper with beautiful, intricate motifs popping up in magazines and my Pinterest feed but none have caught my attention more than de Gournay, a French hand painted wallpaper company who’s designs are simply remarkable. Statement walls are not only being achieved through the use of wallpaper though. Metallic panels are another quick way to draw and hold someone’s attention. The door is left open with this trend and it’s up to you to get creative with how you want to incorporate it into your space.


DULUX COLOUR PAINT TRENDS FOR 2022

Dulux colour paint experts identified three colour stories they predict will resonate for homeowners and professional painters in 2022. Born from the overarching theme ‘Horizon’, Dulux says these palettes, “represents our current state of hope, reflection and new beginning.”


ARCHWAY DOORS, CURVED SOFA, EGG SHAPES, CURVES STEAL THE SPOTLIGHT

Home Design Trends 2022 - arch design - cathedral archway

Cathedral archways add a beautiful structural element to this livingroom by Sonja Jonss

Curves of all kinds seem to be gaining popularity in recent months as structural style furniture like curved sofas, hanging egg chairs, elliptical tables, and even arched mirrors continue to hold our attention. Perhaps it’s our need to be fluid and adaptive to our ever changing environment that has caused our love for curves to now transcend beyond just decor to structural elements within a home like archways, pantry doors, built in bookshelves and windows. Just because curves are in, doesn’t mean straight lines are out. There is definitely enough room in my house for both of them to coexist, ha! I just think curves of all kinds are having a ‘moment’ and I’m here for it.

ATTENTION GRABBING BOLD STRIPES

Palm Beach style from Jennifer Ash Rudick’s new book - morning room of La Follia

There is something so timeless and elegant about bold stripes that it is no surprise that they are coming back in a big way. A great way to catch peoples attention, incorporating striped rugs, cushions, throws or even wallpaper can give your space a very eye pleasing, contemporary and timeless look. It is also an easy and effective way to give a tired room a full reset. I’ve already seen many home decor design stores running with this trend so it shouldn’t be hard to incorporate either! Just remember, when it comes to the size of the stripe, stick to big thick, bold stripes!


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ELABORATE, ELEGANT TABLESCAPES!

2022 home decore trends - elegant tablescapes

An elegant tablescape captured by Paula O’Hara via Green Wedding Shoes

Elegant tablescape go hand in hand with entertaining which is why elaborate arrangements with linen napkins, candles and flowers are going to be all the range. People don’t just want to welcome people into their homes again, they want to dazzle guest and set the stage to an unforgettable evening. A little more effort and care will be put into presentation because distance from our friends and family only made the heart grow fonder. If you need inspiration for your next dinner party, here are some tablescapes I’m currently swooning over.

RASPBERRY CABINETRY

Raspberry Kitchen Cabinetry by Cochineal Design

Earlier on in the year I stumbled across my first raspberry kitchen and instantly fell in love, sharing it on my Instagram stories! Since then raspberry cabinetry has been popping up everywhere which makes me feel even more invested! Research shows that the colour of a room can impact our moods and reds are said to ignite your appetite. How fitting it is then that we find the sex appeal and moodiness of raspberry cabinetry alluring! Furthermore it goes well with all wood tones and earthy browns often found in home decor. Moody kitchens aren’t for the faint of heart through. You may not want to commit to a whole kitchen in raspberry cabinetry but that doesn’t mean it can’t also find its place in a powder room or pantry! I myself don’t know if I’ll be partaking in this trend but that doesn’t meant I’m not excited to watch where the trend goes.


Thank you for joining me today and taking interest in the 8 interior design trends I have uncovered for 2022! If you have any questions or comments about biophillic design, the 70’s aesthetic, archway doors and designs, or decor trends like rattan decor and curved sectional sofa, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

Until next time,

-S


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DIY WREATH FOR SPRING!

Wreath for front door spring - front door wreath for spring

My floral wreath for spring!

DIY WREATH FOR SPRING

After a cold winter, spring is a time of revival. A time to reinvigorate your life and for new beginnings. A time where evidence of dormant plants begins to appear and hibernating animals awake from their slumber. Much like the outside world, I too awaken in the spring with a new sense of energy to create, decorate and prepare for warmer days, but this year things felt different. More purposeful. More rewarding.

Since moving into our new Toronto Victorian home last August, each season has been a completely new experience and opportunity to decorate. In the fall, I used pumpkins to dress up my front step. In the winter, I added festive garlands, planters and ribbons to add holiday cheer. Now with spring upon us I have the urge to add decorations once again, but this time I thought an outdoor spring wreath for the front door would be a perfect accessory. Outdoor spring wreaths are a great way to add a pop of colour to any entrance way and a great way to excite those who see it of warm days ahead.

Having never made a wreath for spring before I wasn’t sure how this project was going to turn out but after a quick trip Michael’s to pick up a grapevine wreath base and a few additional supplies, I was excited to begin creating.

As it turns out, creating an outdoor spring wreath isn’t hard at all! It’s actually super fun, easy to do and took me maybe 40 minutes max. I think the most difficult part of the whole experience was deciding what colour palette I wanted to use and which artificial flowers I was going to buy.


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HOW TO MAKE A WREATH FOR SPRING

To help me get inspired, I went over to Michael’s spring crafting section which had a bunch of pre-made spring outdoor wreaths ready to go. I paid attention at the colours used, the flowers chosen, and how they were constructed before cross referencing with a photo of my front door. Doing this allowed me to confidently pick a colour palette that would not only suit my home but help me determine the size of wreath I wanted and how I would hang it.

Once I decided on the colour palette, I returned to the artificial flower section to make my selection. Since lavender is one of my favourite colours and a popular Easter colour, I knew I wanted to stick to a cool tone palette, so I picked a variety of stems that added a variation of size, texture and colour with this in mind. To help me narrow down the options, I would lay them down on the wreath visualizing how they would go together and their placement. In the end I bought a total of 8 stems which ended up being the perfect amount.

Upon returning home, I laid all my flowers out on my crafting table along with a sharp pair of scissors and some floral wire I had also purchased. Using my hands, I started to manipulate one of the stems around the grapevine wreath, tying it into place by wrapping wire generously around both it and the grapevine. Once secure, I cut off the unsightly bottom of the stem and repeated the process with my largest flower, a faux hydrangea. After the first stem (my base) and largest flowers (my anchor) were securely tied to the grapevine, I was then able to start using my scissors to cut off the other flowers from their stem and just push them into the small crevices within the grapevine wreath to secure them. Between the tightness of the wire and the density of the grapevine, all additional flowers stand in place without requiring additional wire or glue to secure them which ended up making the rest of my DIY outdoor spring wreath progress very fast. It also made placement of the flowers forgiving as I was able to try different positions easily.


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HOW TO MAKE A BOW FOR A WREATH

In addition to flowers, adding a bow to your wreath is another great way to add variety and dimension to your design. Making a bow can easily be done at home and doesn’t take much time at all. If you are unsure of how to make one yourself or have a hard time remembering, here are two easy tutorials that demonstrate how to make a bow for a wreath.

HANGING YOUR OUTDOOR FLORAL SPRING WREATH

Once I finished placing all my flowers onto the wreath, I now needed to figure out a way to attach it to the door. Using my floral wire I created a small loop around my fingers and fastened it to the grapevine by twisting it around both the loop and grapevine. Doing so allowed me to create a small hanging loop for my now completed wreath that fit perfectly over a small nail already protruding from my front door.

In the end, my DIY wreath for spring turned out amazing and I am so happy with the results. If you are thinking about creating an outdoor spring wreath for your home and have any further questions about how to make a wreath that I did not answer in this blog post, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

Happy crafting!


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DIY CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS: PAPER SNOWFLAKES!

DIY CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS: PAPER SNOWFLAKES!

There is nothing like a little Christmas crafting to get you and your space into the holiday spirit! Am I right?!

Since moving into our new Toronto Victorian home a few months ago, I have been so focused on getting our first floor renovations started that I didn’t expect to be able to celebrate Christmas in our new home. Perhaps overly ambitious on my part, I expected to be in the throws of renovations, unable to host festive soirees this year with friends and family but instead, I was given the gift of time. Time to slow down, settle in and savour the season.

So yesterday, I popped out to the store to grab some crafty materials to create these super cute paper snowflake to jazz up my space for the holiday season. I love how each paper snowflake has its own unique shape and look, and how impactful this inexpensive Christmas decor DIY can have on your space!

If you are looking for a fun and craft way to get into the holiday spirit, you are going to love this simple DIY Christmas decoration and new paper snowflake hack!


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ITEMS YOU WILL NEED FOR THIS SIMPLE CHRISTMAS DECOR TUTORIAL

Makes 1 Snowflake

MATERIALS:
8-10 Paper Lunch Bags - I purchased a variety of colours and sizes from the store
A Hot Glue Gun
1 Glue Sticks - this is plenty and more then enough for making one paper snowflake
Scissors
Tape or String to use for hanging/fastening the snowflake to the wall

Additional Optional Fun Materials:
Spray Paint - I spray painted some of mine silver and it looked really cute
Glitter
Adhesive Pearl Stickers

SIMPLE CHRISTMAS DECOR THAT MAKE A BIG IMPACT!

In the shape of a ‘T’, add hot glue to the backside of a paper bag before sticking another paper bag on top.

Repeat until you have done this for all 8-10 bags.

Using your scissors, cut a unique shape into the bag - it doesn’t have to be even or symmetrical.

Open and glue ends together to reveal your unique snowflake which is now ready to be taped to the wall, or added to your space!

Check out this video below for further clarification!


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I hope you enjoyed making these super cute DIY Christmas decorations as much a did. If you have any questions about this simple, paper snowflakes Christmas decor hack, feel free to share them in the comment sections below.

Happy crafting!


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TIPS FOR PICKING THE BEST KITCHEN APPLIANCES!

Best Kitchen Appiance Brand

Want to hear a funny story?

When Adam and I moved into our Toronto Victorian home, so many appliances didn’t work.

The washer and dryer were both broken, my dishwasher was a glorified drying rack, my freezer was frozen shut. At one point, I opened the island cupboard and the door completely came off in my hand. The previous owners didn’t even put screws to attach the hinge! It was comical!

We knew the house needed work when be bought it but I didn’t expect our appliances to be in such bad shape when we moved in. Thankfully, Adam’s response to this series of unfortunate events was to give me the green light to start planning an entire first floor renovation which, if you haven’t already guessed, included a new dream kitchen and a slew of new appliances.

KITCHEN INSPO

Now, something you should know about Adam is that he loves to cook as much as I do so designing a ‘chef’s kitchen’ and upgrading the range was a must for us. This meant I could splurge on a gas range with high BTU’s and a large electric oven but didn’t need nor want to go for expensive designer brand appliances for everything. As a matter of fact, if there is one thing I learned from the research I did comparing price to function to design for each appliance, it’s that there are tons of really beautiful, sleek appliances out there with great consumer reviews at palatable prices. You don’t need to spend $17,000 on a fridge to have the best kitchen appliances, trust me.

Fast forward to today and your girl has ordered all of her appliances! Since I know first hand how grueling the process of picking appliances can be, I though i’d come back and share a few tips for purchasing appliances, what I found to be the best brands for each appliance category (research backed) and what I ended up purchasing!


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TIPS FOR PICKING THE BEST KITCHEN APPLIANCES

TIP 1: FIGURE OUT YOUR NEEDS & BUDGET

If you are looking to buy the best kitchen appliances my first piece of advice would be to figure out your needs and budget before visiting showrooms, and doing your research. Appliances come in a range of prices and designer brands like Sub Zero and Wolf, La Cornue, Miele, Bosch, and Thermador offer super sleek designs with superior functionality but can come with a hefty price tag.

On the other hand, brands like LG, Samsung, Kitchen Aid and GE are considered more affordable and offer a larger range of products with great ratings at decent prices. These more affordable brands still offer great appliances with good capabilities but they tend not to have as many bells and whistles as the designer brands and aren’t as ‘sleek’; although they have gotten way better in recent years!

Adam and I ended up giving ourselves a healthy budget for kitchen appliances knowing that we wanted to splurge on a designer duel range while also still needing a new microwave, dishwasher, fridge, hood vent, washer and dryer. We also knew mixing and matching designer appliances brands with non-designer brands would help us keep our cost down significantly while still allowing us to build our dream kitchen with the best kitchen appliances.

Kitchen Inspiration - Sourced from Pinterest

TIP 2: PICK WHICH APPLIANCE TO UPGRADE

Once you have outlined your needs and budget you can then pick which appliance you feel you would benefit the most from upgrading (if any). Do you hate doing dishes? Perhaps a high performance dish washer will be the most beneficial. Do you love cooking and need a stove with high BTU’s for searing? Perhaps a designer range is the item you should splurge on. Do you have a big household and need a larger fridge or freezer to accommodate all the groceries you buy? Asking yourself these questions will not only help you pick the right appliances, but will also help you narrow down budget allotments for each appliance.

SINGLE VS. DUEL RANGES

One thing I learned while visiting showrooms for the best kitchen appliances is that designer ranges tend to offer higher BTU’s than more affordable brands. Additionally, many designer brands also offer duel systems meaning you can have a gas range AND an electric oven. The benefit of having an electric oven is that the temperature for baking is more accurate and even compared to gas because the temperature is measured using inferred in gas ovens, making temperature harder to control and less accurate relative to electric. However, when it comes to the range, gas allows you to cook at higher temperatures and brings things to a boil faster than electric. For this reason, duel ranges tend to be more expensive than single ranges and since this was the kitchen appliance Adam and I decided to splurge on we allotted the largest proportion of our budget to it.

A La Cornue ConfuFé 110 duel range in white with brass trim

Although Sub Zero Wolf, Thermador, and Miele all offer great gas ranges, I fell in love with the look and capabilities of the La Cornue CornuFé 110. The range itself features 5 powerful burners - one 17,500 BTU central burner, three 12,000 BTU burners, and one 6,000 BTU burner for simmering; two electric convection ovens - one of which is a seven mode multifunction oven; and one large storage drawer. We ended up going with the classic French dark navy blue with polished brass trim accents which we plan to build the rest of the kitchen around. It’s like a piece of art you can cook with! Adam will have the searing power he loves and desires while I will have the two electric ovens for optimal non-stop baking. I can’t wait!

TIP 3: GET CONSUMER REPORTS

Once you have figured out your budget and what appliances you would benefit most from upgrading, I would highly recommend going online to Consumer Reports to check out the rankings and reviews for each appliance category you are interested in. Doing so will help you narrow down which brand is making the best kitchen appliances for that specific category and make choosing the right one for you less overwhelming. I love going to this website when purchasing any electronic or kitchen appliance because it ranks its performance, its reliability, how environmentally friendly it is and the overall customer satisfaction with the product.


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I turned to Consumer Reports for help choosing the remainder of the appliances and that’s how I ended up going for another designer brand appliance - the stainless steel Bosch Ascente SHX3AR75UC dishwasher. The reviews for this dishwasher were amazing and the price was surprisingly reasonable for a designer brand appliance. According to consumer reports, Bosch makes great, high performance, reliable dish washers with great load capacity that are super water and energy efficient. After watching a few review Youtube videos and seeing how well it ranked, going with the Bosch Ascante was a no brainer. In addition to Bosch, Thermador also rose to the top as one of the best kitchen appliance brands in the dishwasher category according to Consumer Report rankings.

TIP 4: GO INTO THE SHOWROOMS

After doing your research and narrowing down which brands make the best kitchen appliances in each category, you should then go into the showroom and check them out in person. Doing so will help you visualize what your kitchen will look like and help you narrow down the features and visual aesthetic you want to go for. I actually learned a lot more about fridges by doing this including the difference between ‘counter depth’ and ‘cabinet depth’.

MORE KITCHEN INSPO

COUNTER DEPTH VS CABINET DEPTH

One of the biggest differences between designer brands and non-designer brands (other than the massive price difference) was that designer brand appliances come in ‘cabinet depth’ whereas non-designer brands tend to be ‘counter depth’ or deeper. This means that designer fridges are shallower in depth and look more seamless or flush when installed alongside cabinetry. I also noticed that designer fridges tend to be taller then non designer fridges and the compressors usually don’t eat into the freezer space as much as non designer fridges. Just something to think about…

Although important, a designer fridge was not something Adam and I thought we needed to splurge on (they can go beyond $17,000). This, in addition to not being fussed about it sticking out beyond the counter by three inches or not having extra height (finally it pays to be short), we decided something more budget friendly would suit our needs and aesthetic which is why we started looking at non-designer French door fridges.

Three Birds Renovations - Kitchen Inspiration - Sourced from Pinterest

To my surprise and after further research, I learned that LG actually outperformed many of the designer brands when it came to overall customer satisfaction. Although their fridges may not be as tall or shallow as a designer fridge, LG makes great, energy efficient fridges that have temperature uniformity and are reliable. Adam and I ended up choosing a counter depth french door LG (LFCC22426S) fridge in stainless steal which not only matched our Bosch dishwasher quite well but performed really well against other top non-designer brands in this category like GE, Samsung and Kitchen Aid, in addition to designer brands like Dacor, Thermador and Jenn-Air.

TIP 5: MATCH AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

My last tip for picking the best kitchen appliances for you is to try to make your appliances match as much as possible. This will add a cohesiveness to the space and make it look more visually appealing. You can do this easily by picking all stainless steal appliances, by going with the same brand for everything, or by choosing appliances with similar looking handles. Adam and I chose to get everything in stainless steel to make matching them together easy and lucked out with our fridge handles matching our dishwasher handle despite being from different brands.

Further, for our washer and dryer, we ended up going with matching LG units because not only does it give a cohesive look but the reviews were really great. LG recently came out with new front load washer (LG WM4500HBA) and electric dryer (LG DLEX4500B) with 5.8 cubic feet load capacity - the largest yet. It got a 5/5 for washing performance, energy efficient and water efficiency and can easily be stacked on top of one another if you want to eventually put it in a closet like us.

Lastly, for our microwave, we wanted to have something that looked built in so we went with the Panasonic NNST663SC and added on a stainless steel trim kit so it would match our other appliances. It was more expensive than what I expected a microwave to cost but Panasonic as a brand performed well in this appliance category especially when it came to defrosting evenness, speed of heating and overall reliability. Other brands that performed well in this category include GE and Oster.


So there you have it! My tips for choosing the best kitchen appliances and recommendations for kitchen appliance brands in each catagory. I know figuring out what appliances are reliable and high performing can be a daunting/grueling process but the last thing you want to do is spend your hard earned money on complete crap that has to be replaced in a few years. I hope this blog post helped you along a little bit and provided additional knowledge on the differences between designer brands and non-designer brands, as well as which brands are performing the best in each category. Feel free to share what appliances you ended up going with below too! I would love to know!


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5 TIPS FOR STYLING YOUR HOLIDAY FRONT DOOR

Since moving into my new Toronto Victorian home, I have been so eager to start decorating from scratch. Unfortunately, with plans to renovate the main floor starting soon, decorating my front door for fall may be the only chance I get to do something festive before the end of the year! So, upon the immediate arrival of pumpkin season, I decided to take the liberty to start decorating my fall front door right away!

In preparation for this exciting occasion, I took to my favorite social media platform - Pinterest - for some holiday and fall decor inspiration. However, It didn’t take me long to notice that many of the doors and stoops I saw didn’t really resemble mine. Thankfully, my expertise in photography and food styling kicked in and I realized that if I applied the same styling principles from taking photos of food, I should be able to create something eye catching and tailored for my space. Now having gone through the process, I also have come to realize how much easier this made procuring decor items in the proper proportions and quantity as well!

If you are starting to feel festive and have plans to decorate your front porch for the upcoming holiday season, here are some basic styling principles to take into account when creating your perfect fall front porch setup. These simple tips can easily be applied to anything you are working on and when done right, will always result in a super cute and unique holiday setup curated to your taste and style. Happy decorating!


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5 TIPS FOR STYLING YOUR HOLIDAY FRONT DOOR

  1. Layer in the decorations - No matter what I am styling, one principle I always keep top of mind is to layer in items. In the case of my fall front door I started with the two flower pots I bought a few months back and separated them to draw the eye from ‘top right to bottom left’ in the same direction and flow of the staircase. Next I layered in my larger sized pumpkins, staggering the amount on each side to avoid too much symmetry. Following this, I added in my medium sized pumpkins and small hay bales making sure to separate the white pumpkins and use the hay bales in spots that needed elevation like behind a large pumpkin or in front of a flower pot. Next I added in the remaining small and mini pumpkins, making sure to stack a few of the mini ones on top of each other to acheive an additional element of elevation, and staggering the rest to fill in empty pockets. Lastly, I added in my lanterns/lights. In this case I had two kinds - two big lanterns and 3 small tealight lanterns - which I staggered once again in spots that either needed a pop of black or steps that felt a little bare. Layering items like this always helps me to visualize how things are looking every step of the way while also making the result look more natural and less staged.

2. Always buy decor in odd amounts - Aside from the flower pots which I already had, everything else I bought was purchased in odd numbers. 5 large pumpkins, 5 lanterns/t-lights, 5 medium pumpkins in a mix of colours, 5 small orange pumpkins and 13 mini pumpkins in a mix of colours. Doing this automatically helps me avoid to much symmetry and always yields a more natural looking setup. When it comes to photos, the rule of odds states that having an odd number of objects in a photo produces a more appealing composition than an even amount, and clearly this rule works just as well for front doors as it does for food!

3. Add in a little greenery - Greenery is an important element to any festive decor you are styling, and not only adds colour and texture to whatever you’re working on but also adds another vibrant festive element to the overall look. Usually at Christmas when creating a centerpiece I start off with a lot of greenery as a base before adding additional candles and decoration on top. In the case of my front door, the flower pots add a pop of colour and texture while also breaking up the pumpkins. Just make sure you use resilient greenery that thrives in colder weather like purple cabbages, ornamental peppers or chrysanthemums for maximum longevity!


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4. Add some lights for additional night appeal - You didn’t create a beautiful fall front door only for it to disappear out of sight as soon as the sun sets. Adding in some lights to your fall front porch decor will not only give it some life but it can also help visitors notice your new setup while also helping them avoid tripping on a pumpkin. In the case of my front door I used tealights lanterns, but battery operated fairy lights are another great inexpensive alternative that dazzles.

5. Stay away from kitsch… unless that’s the vibe you are going for - The number of times I had to stop myself from picking up Halloween decor while shopping for this project was hilarious. I knew I wanted to decorate my front door with pumpkins but that didn’t mean I wanted to go full on ‘Halloween’. Reminding myself to stay away from anything too kitschy like scarecrows and jack-o-lanterns helped me avoid getting to wrapped up around one festive occasion and instead made achieving a fall front door that works for the entire fall season way easier. If you are like me and want your front door to last all season long, make sure to avoid purchasing any decor that confines you to a timeline.


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