Making your House a Home this Holiday

​While we wind down from our Thanksgiving feasts, prepare to make more room for the good times and company that are bound to come. As we enter December, be sure to take a break from your monotonous routines to slow down and spend some quality time with loved ones. In preparation for the arrival of cherished friends and family, take steps to make your house feel like a home to all who enter this holiday season. 

​Decorate your home with coziness in mind
 
With the weather becoming increasingly colder or snowier, your guests are going to be in search of warmth once they hang their coats by the door. When giving your home a makeover for the holidays, be intentional about incorporating coziness into your decor. Keep these tips in mind:

• Partner big fleece or knit textured blankets with oversized pillows when reviving your living space to create a sitting area your guests can’t wait to cozy up on and chat.

 

• When decorating the walls or mantle, incorporate welcoming signs with saying about faith, family, and friends in order to remind your guests they are welcomed in your space.

 

• Add candles and foliage to the center of your dining table to make the place where loved ones share meals feel more complete.

 
Tis the season to break out the tree and Christmas decor! Placing a tree into the corner of the room will fill up space. Yes, it may make the room seem smaller, but the aesthetic of pine partnered with shiny ribbon and white lights will be sure to make the room feel cozy.  Already have a tree in your living room? Try for a smaller one in your dining area!

​Allow your rooms to feel lived in
 
When expecting company, it is normal to feel the need to make your home look as tidy as possible. Making sure surfaces are wiped clean and messes are tidied up is one thing, but sometimes a room that looks too pristine and bare can work against you. This can make your guests feel uncomfortable making themselves at home in your house out of fear of messing things up. You want your loved ones to feel like members of your household, not just visiting guests.
 
Take cues from farmhouse style living rooms, which utilize design techniques like draping blankets over chairs rather than neatly folding them away in order to make the space feel utilized. Leave out coasters and wicker baskets full of books in order to subtly convey that they do more than simply admire the space from afar. Play some festive music or leave a holiday movie playing on the television to create background noise. There are tons of fun Christmas movies available to choose from!
 

​Showcase memories with photos of friends and family
 
Show your loved ones they are valued by displaying your favorite memories that you’ve shared together. This is a great opportunity to get creative with frames as a significant aspect of your home decor. Fill the spaces your guests will spend most of their time in with lovely stills of moments spent with one another.
 
Have too many photos to choose from but not enough frames? Before guests arrive for your big holiday gathering, create a wall of gratitude and post all of your favorite photos with loved ones. Use paint-friendly tape to prevent damage and sticky notes to create fun captions next to the photos. For a more designed focused take, try out a geometric wall display. For a quick and simple tactic, hang up the photos on a twine clothesline. Get into the spirit of the season by only displaying photos taken during past holiday gatherings!
 
Let laughter lead the way!
 
Although it’s wonderful to want to be the perfect host, try to be mindful of spending more time creating new memories with your loved ones rather than catering to them. After all, how else are you going to get new photos to add to your wall of gratitude?
 
Remind yourself that those dishes will still be there when everyone has said their goodbyes, and a slightly disheveled living room is just a sign that people enjoyed themselves. Let the laughter of friends and family fill your house and you’ll quickly realize that the best way to make your four walls feel like home is by filling it with people who you love most. 

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