Decorating Ideas for Christmas 2011

Jan Britt Interiors Interior Decorator, Window Treatment Specialist, Home Staging Professional, Free Decorating Tips Newsletter 2011

WATCH JAN'S CHRISTMAS GARLAND SHOW ON Zeeltv.com I finished shooting a Christmas Garland show for ZEELTV. They are editing the entire filming process that we shot to create the garland. This episode will be available to watch in the near future www.zeeltv.com The channel the show will air on is called: Design News Network www.designnewsnetwork.com HOLIDAY GIFT CERTIFICATES ARE A WONDERFUL GIFT IDEA Sewing lessons ($30.00) Learn to use your sewing machine ($30 to $50.00 per hour) Help you choose the right style of window treatments for your home ($75.00) Re-Design consultation ($75.00) Staging Walk and Talk ($100.00) Please contact me to receive the gift certificate Click here to read more!

Decorating for Christmas Christmas Garland Class Holidays can be full of fun, excitement and creativity. There is so much to celebrate. It is the perfect time to do special crafts, cooking or decorating together with family and friends. Red, burgundy and green are the common Christmas colors, although many other colors are used as well. The nice part about Christmas is that you do not have to worry about the red and green colors clashing with your normal everyday décor. It is exceptionally nice if you are able to purchase Christmas decorations that match your everyday color palette. Your Christmas garland will help you to display the colors that are special to you during the holidays. It is common to see at least two different styles of garland to purchase . The fresh garland that has a wonderful smell and the artificial garland you purchase at the store. I want to give you decorating ideas on how to create artificial garland to look high-end. Artificial garland placed on staircases or mantels should look full and beautiful. To create a beautiful full garland in an inexpensive way, braid three or more garlands together loosely. Please make sure you pull apart and pull open each little branch before you wrap one length of garland loosely around the other garland. When placing your garland on your staircase area you will need to know how much garland is required and where to attach it to look nice. Take a string, ribbon or rope and tape it to the staircase railing in the desired areas to make the drooping of the garland look even. Try to make the spacing consistent. Using the string and tape will help you visually see where the garland will be placed. After you are happy with the placement areas on your railing that you marked, put little pieces of masking tape on those spots. Take the string down and measure the string. This measurement will tell you how long your garland will need to be. You can connect one garland length to another by wiring it or by twisting its little branches or "arms" together. Now you have one long length of garland. It should be the same length of the string. If there is any excess garland cut it off when you're finished. Here are the right supplies to choose for the class: Correct Garland ................................Incorrect Garland ....................................Incorrect Garland................................. For the glass bulb ornament, carefully lift the crown to expose the neck of the bulb, being careful not to remove completely. (As shown below) Apply a small amount of hot glue onto the neck then replace the crown. This angel is an example of a different type of ornament to be used on the garland. Click here to read more!

Choosing Paint Colors for Your Home

What attitude or mood are you trying to design as you enhance your decorating style? Do you want a quiet romantic feeling or a festive feeling? The color you paint your interior walls and accessories you choose will help you create the decorating style you are looking for.

The largest square footage within your room is your walls. The color on the wall is one factor that will help you create the mood that you’re trying to achieve in that room. The wall color will also have the most impact on the feeling of the room.

One way to ensure that you like the "feel" of the paint color you have selected is to try to find a room with a wall color that is similar to the paint color you are planning to use. You can look for a room with similar wall colors at restaurants, professional offices such as your doctor or dentist, or at the homes of your friends or family. When you find a room that has a wall color close to the one you’ve chosen, see how you feel in that room. Try to visualize your own furniture and accessories with this new color choice. Determine if the room color makes you feel comfortable, relaxed, closed in, uneasy, festive or many other feelings.

If you still like the feeling or atmosphere of the new paint color you’ve chosen, then get ready to paint!