December Design Tip

Jim and Peter have taken a few of their most frequently asked questions and provided holiday decorating suggestions to take you from "HoHum" into "HoHoHo Home for the Holidays"!

I'm tired of the traditional door wreaths that everyone has, can you recommend something different?

We always say your front door is the invitation to your home. We all exchange gifts at Christmas so why not wrap the outside of your front door to look like a big Christmas present! To do this, simply use red fabric as the wrapping paper and then add a glorious gold velvet bow and ribbon. The bow and ribbon replace the traditional wreath.

Our front entrance gets overlooked every year when we decorate for Christmas. Do you have any suggestions on how to "dress it up" for the holidays?

We suggest the look of a decadent black and gold checkerboard Venetian Festive Terrace. This can easily be created by purchasing eight black and eight white peel and stick floor tiles. Spray the white tiles with metallic gold paint, let dry and seal with an acrylic clear finish. Next, peel and stick one black, one white, etc. onto a 4' x 4' 1/8th inch sheet of plywood in a checkerboard pattern. This Venetian Festive Floor Mat will not only create "grandeur" but protect your floor from slush and snow on boots and shoes!

I would like to do more than just add garland to our hall mirror. Do you have any suggestions?

A beautiful accessory to dress up your front entrance and hall is a fabulous festive mirror. We demonstrated this project at the Seasons Christmas show in Toronto. It's a simple process and will take only an hour or so - the results are stunning.

You will need:
Square Mirror Glue Gun Plastic Ivy Garland White Matte Spray Paint Newspaper Silver Glitter Snow Spray Small Red Berries and Red Cardinal

Steps:
Using your glue gun, attach the plastic ivy garland on and around the mirror frame. The ivy border should be rich and luxurious so it is best to do two or three rotations. Cover the mirror surface with newspaper and spray everything with white matte spray paint and let dry. Remove the newspaper; add some red berries and the little red cardinal. Spray lightly over mirror glass with some decorative snow spray and immediately sprinkle some silver glitter.

Magazines show some pretty impressive centerpieces but they’re impractical for entertaining. I want to be current and trendy and still have room for food!

Mirrored tabletops and high standing, over the top centerpieces are in vogue. You'll see a lot of mirrors used as centerpieces and chargers this season. Creating designer "mirrored centerpieces" takes very little effort and very little money. It’s as easy as placing a long inexpensive dressing mirror onto the top your dining room table. Line up a collection of fat white candles, sprinkle some glitter on the glass and add some tea lights. Create visual interest by adding holiday coloured gems/jewels (from the dollar store) to the edges of the candles. Upholstery tacks pushed into the wax candles add punch. Combine the mirrored tabletop with our "Holiday Cheers" project from last month and you’ll have a one-of-a-kind table setting with plenty of room for turkey and all the fixings!

Happy Holidays to each and every one of you – and remember, you’re never too old to hang up a stocking!