White Christmas

Dreaming of a white Christmas? If global warming really is anything to go by, a white Christmas will soon be just a dream and a memory…   Anyway, whether or not there will be whiteness outside this year, you can recreate the feel inside. Choose the white Christmas decorating theme if you want to achieve a peaceful and graceful ambiance over the festive season. If you’re bored with the traditional or the commercial look, this theme could be a good direction, as it can be easily changed to suit other Christmas decorating themes in future. Also, different combinations of the details can form a classic, rustic or  modern look.

Suitability

The white Christmas decor theme is suitable for elegant, country, contemporary and modern interiors. It wouldn’t really work well in tropical or Mediterranean style homes (unless they are modern or white-washed), but it would suit pale colonial interiors. For tropical & mediterranean styled homes perhaps you should go for a traditional Christmas decoration theme.

The look

The look is based on snow & ice – so white, silver, and ice-blue make up the color scheme. Given that this color scheme is rather monochrome and frosty, the success of this look lies in the right combination of textures and contours. Ornaments are based on ice-cubes, snowflakes, snowballs, icicles, raindrops & tear shapes. Textures are flaky & crumbly as well as pearly, glittery and shiny; materials are plastic, glass & metals; textiles range from crisp linen & soft lace to fluffy wool & warm fur. The right fusion and layering of these create the right look.

Create the look

Although a white decorating scheme is quite easy to put together, you have to be careful and subtle, as it can look harsh & dull. Make sure you balance soft textures with smooth ones – use glimmering glass, shimmering crystal and transparent plastic items together with fluffy, pearly and powdery details. Paint bare twigs with white or silver paint and glue or tuck into them glass & pearly beads, glittery drops, feathery balls etc. Place these on your mantel and shelves. Add some scented candles in glass or silver holders. Make use of your glass bowls, containers and vases. Put water and some glass beads into your bowls & containers and add some floating candles – put these on coffee tables around your home. Put tall church candles into the glass vases – wrap these around with some glass beads on wire (viz. make your own Christmas decor) and put these around your home. Alternatively, if your vases are large enough, add some twigs (white or silver) and wave into them some fairy lights (or buy an artificial pre-lit one for a modern twist!). Add faux or real fur cushions & throws to warm up your sofas and armchairs. Drape your banisters with fluffy, glittery or jewelled garland – combined with fairly lights (icicle, snowball or feather shaped). Add another layer to the look by using scented candles –  combine the smells of vanilla with snow & linen.  

Read further decorating ideas for the Christmas tree, table and outdoor  to make the white Christmas  theme work…