(TNS)—We’ve spent the past several weeks (dare I say, months?) celebrating the holidays with friends and family amongst twinkling lights, glittering ornaments and beautifully wrapped packages. But now that the parties are over, how can we maintain that bright décor and warm feeling without using Santa and snowmen?
Check out these ideas to make your home sparkle this winter:
Bring on the bulbs
There’s no hard-and-fast rule that says you have to tuck away every piece of tinsel before the ink on your New Year’s resolution dries. Gather some of your most glittery bulbs and place them in a glass container displayed on your coffee table, kitchen island or tabletop.
“The light will bounce off the bulbs and create some sparkle and shine to your room,” says Vicki Dye, owner of Vicki Dye at Home in Champlin, Minnesota. “Use white and silver bulbs to complement any home’s color scheme without saying ‘Christmas.’”
Embrace winter white and metallic
The snow, the ice, the crisp blue sky—for some, there’s no avoiding winter’s palette. Why not introduce those tones inside?
Don’t pack away the holiday china, the sparkling white cake stands and platters, but rather find a way to display them throughout your home. Keep the silver candlesticks with white taper candles on the mantel, and buy some shiny metallic picture frames to showcase your most recent vacation adventures.
Rearrange the furniture
After you’ve packed up all the holiday decorations, it’s a great time to freshen up a space by moving the furniture around and reevaluating your accessories.
“Move things from room to room,” suggests Barbara Greene, owner of Redesign Today in Jacksonville, Florida. “Change your artwork. Just because something’s been hanging in the same spot for five years doesn’t mean it has to go back there. It’s a cleaning and a purging.”
Invest in some greenery
While the dead of winter may not sound like the ideal time to go plant shopping, it might just lift your spirits. Bringing potted plants into your house can help clear stale winter air (literally), while offering a gentle reminder that spring isn’t too far away.
And if live plants aren’t your thing, feel free to repurpose your artificial holiday greens. Trim them with gold bulbs and handmade paper snowflakes for a warm, wintry effect.
Let in the light
It might sound like a no-brainer, but make it a habit that as soon as your feet hit floor in the morning, you walk around and open your shutters, drapes and blinds.
“Keep your home bright by letting in as much light as possible,” says Mary Jo Cooper, owner of CC Design Atlanta/Cooper’s Creations in Marietta, Georgia. “Which will help you and the plants!”
It’s also a good time buy new lampshades if your current ones are looking old and dingy. And take note if the room needs additional lighting. A bit of brightness can be as simple as adding a tiny Tiffany-esque lamp on the bookshelf.
Pick up a paintbrush
Who doesn’t like a little new year’s project? You don’t have to paint your entire house, but you can choose a room and give it a fresh coat of paint. It could even be the same hue, if you don’t want the task of selecting the perfect paint color.
“The winter months are a great time to start painting,” says Beth Goetting, owner of Second Glance Design in Spring, Texas. “If you need to hire painters, grab them now before the spring rush starts!”
©2015 Angie’s List
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