Making spaces look great is what Samantha Pynn does for a living — both on television shows like HGTV's The Party and Pure Design — and off. With less than a week to go until the big day, we asked her how to get the most mileage from our Christmas décor, and how she's decorating her house this holiday season.
What trends are you incorporating for the 2011 season?
You know, it seems like retailers really have every theme covered now. I've seen tropical themes and I've seen equestrian themes. The most important thing when shopping for holiday ornaments is that you make it work with what you have already. If you have a navy and orange theme in your living room, make your decorations work with a lighter blue.
How often should you refresh your holiday look?
I don't think it's necessary to update your look, but you can add to it. My mom has the same ornaments that she's been using since forever, and she just updated it with little poinsettias. One new ornament can make a huge difference.
What areas of your house should you focus on decorating? Is it too much to do Christmas in your master bedroom?
It depends how much time you spend in the bedroom! I think that you can add a touch of décor pretty much anywhere — a single amaryllis in a bud vase in the bathroom — but if you're more of a modernist, you're going to be more pared down. If you're a traditionalist at heart, you're more likely to just go crazy with the décor.
What are some tips for decorating small spaces and condos?
I'd avoid the full tree and opt for smaller décor items like a manzanita wreath, or freshly cut branches. Cedar can really go a long way, or a boxwood wreath. You can even decorate with mini-trees or wrapped presents. My friend puts her prettiest Christmas cards on a console, and it looks great.
Real tree, or fake?
I would always go for real, even though they're making really believable fake trees these days. But I'm not a big tree fan for my own place — only because I hate vacuuming the needles that get everywhere and hauling the tree outside when it's done. I prefer decorating with wreaths and garlands that give you a Christmas-y feel, but without all the effort.
Catch Samantha Pynn's Christmas Special, The Party, on HGTV Canada at 1pm and 7pm on December 24th, and 12am EST on December 25th.
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