Even just a touch makes your home feel festive and warm.

A touch of holiday decorating will help get you and your guests into the spirit of the season! But keep it simple so YOU can enjoy the season without stressing about perfection.

There are so many ways you can decorate your home for the holidays, from the smallest candles and accessories to large-scale trees, wreaths and statuary. Typical areas of your home to prioritize for decorating include:

• Living room or great room

• Dining room table and sideboard

• Fireplace mantle

• Powder rooms

• Kitchen

• Front door and outside the house

• …Or maybe your first priority is more about cooking, eating and planning a get-together with family and friends

Start with a thorough house cleaning and put away other decorative accessories in your home, especially those on tabletops, mantles and furniture. This disciplined step will ensure you have a clean start for holiday trimmings that really pop! Once you put away extraneous accessories, you may recognize that you need more than just holiday decorating; it could be time to update carpeting, paint, furniture or window fashions too!

Plan your holiday décor for all the senses – to create a festive look, feel and smell. Think about decorations that can create new family traditions and that make you feel good. This year, consider a new entertaining concept – maybe the first party of the season held before Thanksgiving or the last party of the season a few days after New Years.

Red, green, gold, silver, blue and white are traditional holiday colors. Also think outside the box for a refreshing new look with:

• Fuchsia and lime

• Acid green and silver

• Light pink and forest green

• Even black and white

Make your home feel festive and bright this special season with a focus on holiday decorating!

                                                              © 2016 Hunter Douglas