It’s hard to strike a balance between impactful and tacky, especially during the holidays. How many of us have driven by a house that’s filled with statement Christmas decor that looks straight out of Epcot, and not in a good way?
If you want your home’s exteriors to make a statement during this holiday season, but you don’t want it to look like Disneyland, here are some simple but impactful decor ideas and tips for you to try.
A big bow
Christmas is all about giving, so why not incorporate a giant bow in your residential property to make it look like a gift? All you need to do is to have your garage door repaired or repainted so that you can be sure you’re starting with a clean slate and maybe have the rest of your home’s exteriors repainted as well. Then you can add a giant red ribbon that looks like the ones we use for presents. It’s understated and elegant but still incredibly festive.
Garlands for every window
If your home has been blessed with plenty of windows, why not hang some simple round garlands to celebrate the season? You only need to weave together fir, boxwood, white pine, and cedar, and voila! You have a timeless garland that communicates that you and your family celebrate the season. Hang one garland per window to keep everything uniform and balanced.
Wreaths with string lights
For your front porch, consider hanging another simple garland around the door. To add some oomph and glow to your simple decor, incorporate some warm-toned string lights to make it perfect for the season. You can also add a simple ribbon to the wreath on the door to make it memorable and a bit different from the rest of your garlands.
Gritty winter wonderland
Who says the winter wonderland concept needs to be cliche and overdone? By making it a bit more different, you can add an edge to your decor by forgoing the lights and focusing on large wreaths, fake snow that looks realistic, and Spanish moss. By adding a bit more grit to your decor, you transport your home from your run-of-the-mill neighborhood to Narnia.
Let Santa enter the equation
If you have kids, nieces, and nephews, or if you have plenty of children in your life in general, consider adding Santa into the equation by leaving a mailbox for him by your door. You can encourage the kids to write their letters to Santa and drop them off at that mailbox, and you can use their letters to get Christmas gift ideas for them. You’ll surely be the best parent or aunt or uncle in no time!
Climbing Santa
Another simple but whimsical idea is to add a climbing Santa to your exteriors. You can find ways to DIY his body and add a golden rope, and you can also look for a ready-made design online. Either way, it’s such a cute and enchanting idea to add to your home, especially if it’s the only design you’ll have for your exteriors. It will look best on homes with a chimney, too.
Use season-appropriate staples and colors
If your porch has rugs, pillows, signage, and other smaller decorative elements, don’t forget to replace them, especially if they’re more appropriate for fall. Now that it’s December, the simplest and easiest way to transform your exteriors is to use season-appropriate decor elements. Remove the browns and warm tones from your porch and replace them with reds, greens, golds, blues, and whatever vibrant colors remind you of the holidays.
Mind your outdoor fireplace
If you have an outdoor living space, don’t forget to transform it. Just because your home’s curb appeal is the first thing that guests and passers-by notice, it doesn’t mean you can forget about your other outdoor spaces, especially ones where you and your family spend the most time together, and especially if you are using it to entertain guests.
Add a bowl of fruits on top of the coffee table, and make sure it’s readily available for winter. Replace the blankets, throws, and pillows with seasonal colors that are vibrant and bring to mind the holidays.
Decorating your home’s exteriors for the holidays need not be an intimidating and challenging task, especially if you want a classic and elegant look. Learn the art of editing and restraining yourself by choosing one idea or concept to apply to your home. You can stick to it instead of going wild with different design ideas. Good luck!