Step into the world of interior design with Patricia Altschul, a visionary tastemaker renowned for her presence on Southern Charm and her exclusive furniture and décor line featured on the Home Shopping Network. In the following article, Patricia Altschul shares her expertise on the alchemy of turning your home into a haven of warmth, festivity, and joy throughout the entire season. Below, are the secrets of how to transform your living space into a captivating and blissful retreat all season long.

Decorating one’s home for the holidays plays a significant role in welcoming the Christmas cheer. In fact, Christmas decorations help create a more joyful and social atmosphere which improves everyone’s happiness and sense of belonging, according to a study from the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

This year, usher in those fuzzy holiday feelings by transforming any home into a fun and festive space, following these interior design tips for creating a warm and inviting holiday atmosphere.

Patricia Altschul Provides Decorating Tips to Elevate Your Home for the Holidays

Select a Theme

All successful projects begin with a vision, so the first important step is to select a theme that reflects the decorator’s personal style. Start by looking for inspiration from Pinterest, Instagram, or magazines.

Here are a few themes to consider:

• Classic Red and Green Christmas
• Rustic Christmas Theme
• Vintage Christmas
• Winter Wonderland
• Coastal Christmas
• Farmhouse Christmas
• Woodland Christmas
• Blue or Pink Christmas

Patricia Altschul explains that the theme will be the unifying concept of one’s holiday decorations which can help guide the decorator in making choices that produce harmony and consistency throughout the home.

Choose a Color Scheme

Another unifying concept that can be integrated into holiday decor is color. Colors have the ability to evoke strong emotions and bring back nostalgia. A color scheme can be followed alone or along with the decorator’s chosen theme.

Patricia Altschul provides a few tips on choosing a color scheme for the holidays:

• Observe the Home’s Color Scheme: Look at the colors used around the home all year ‘round then select decor that will complement the home’s colors and bring out the Christmas cheer. Most homes use plenty of whites, blues, and grays and would look great with decors with similar or complementary colors.
• Work Around the Chosen Theme: Once a theme is chosen, choose a color scheme that supports it. For example, when utilizing a rustic Christmas theme, then complimentary earth colors like green, brown, or gold would be ideal.
• Base It Off a Prized Holiday Decor: Transforming your space for the holidays begins with a cherished centerpiece—something steeped in family tradition and memories. Make that treasured decor the heart of your decorations, allowing its essence to guide the entire color scheme and ambiance. In this transformative approach, each ornament and hue takes on a deeper significance, creating a holiday atmosphere infused with the spirit of cherished traditions.

Create a Centerpiece

The centerpiece or the focal point of every decoration is where everyone’s attention will be drawn to once they enter the home.

Normally, the Christmas tree is considered to be the centerpiece of any holiday decoration but there’s always room for creativity! Patricia Altschul says that one can choose to focus their décor around a large window, a decorative item, or the fireplace. Other decor should be used to support and lead visitors’ eyes to the centerpiece.

Integrate Some Lighting

Lighting can have a significant impact on setting up the mood of a space. In this case, the right lighting can help emphasize the warm and inviting atmosphere. Popular options include fairy lights, string lights, lanterns, and even (flameless) candles.

Experiment with various options to find the perfect complement to the rest of the Christmas decorations. It’s also ideal to look at “emptier” spaces around the home – installing Christmas lights can tie them together with the rest of the house to create a cohesive space, notes Patricia Altschul of Southern Charm.

Experiment with Patterns and Textures

Introduce depth and visual impact to holiday decorations by using patterns as accents and by layering the decor.

For example, use Christmas-patterned throw pillowcases to accent the living room area. Experiment with textures, too – consider plush throws, velvet stockings, rustic wooden accents, or glass ornaments to add dimension to the space.

Patricia Altschul of Southern Charm says that this can also be applied when decorating a tree or a wreath by incorporating layers of garlands, ornaments, or embellishments of various sizes to enhance its appeal.

Conclusion

When it comes to putting up festive holiday decor, the most important thing to remember is that all elements should work together and complement each other to achieve a balanced and unified aesthetic.

This way, the home will look warm and inviting, but still cheerful and festive!