Holiday Decor – The Seasonal Shift

Holiday Décor – The Seasonal Shift

A few of my favourite things

With Halloween just a blur (that could be due to the sugar high) all systems are go around town and the faint sound of “Jingle Bells” in the air.

While scouting a few stores out this past Saturday my day started with ghosts, goblins and pumpkins galore. By early afternoon retailers who would put a swat team to shame had replaced all things scary with enough glitter and glitz to Deck the Halls from here to The North Pole (ok, maybe not quite that far!)

If, like me, you still have a Halloween wreath on the front door, visions of sugarplums aren’t yet dancing in your head, but now is the ultimate time to start planning your decor  for this season. Selection is at it’s best right now and talking from experience if you need to pick up a few items to freshen and update your Holiday look now is the time to do it, before it’s gone baby gone!

[singlepic id=143 w=320 h=240 float=left]On my jaunt I saw some fabulous displays, kudos to Metro retailers who have really outdone themselves this year.

  Colour Combos

 Turquoise & Lime – Love it. Fresh, a little funky and unexpected.  Lots of this palette around in baubles this year. Birds are the “it” ornament this season, from peacocks (great with this combo) to dainty glass birds with feather tails. These feathered friends make a great new addition and are available in every hue.Red & Lime – Didn’t think I would like this one either but the red really makes the lime pop! Last year I decorated my tree in a lime, chocolate brown and gold combo but this year I am thinking red and lime is the way to go. This shade of green instantly updates the forest green usually paired with red (so 1980’s)  White & Silver – I love the frosty glow of this holiday classic combo. Glittering snowflakes, icicles and shimmering silver, teamed with white lights to add a starry finish. Add one more hue and you get a whole new look. Purple would look so on trend – mum you were ahead of your time with your purple tree 2 years ago, it’s the colour right now.

[singlepic id=142 w=320 h=240 float=left]Hot Pink & Black – Very “Sex in the City”. Think feather boa, high heel shoe ornaments and martini glasses – what a fun girly, girl look for a theme tree with a feminine spin.  Bronze & Gold – A beautiful warm and sophisticated look. Try to stay away from gold with a high sheen and opt for matt finishes to make this scheme more current. A tree skirt in rich, chocolate brown velvet and glittered ferns in the same tone will finish this look off. Matt gold also looks stunning with black for a scheme that looks “oh so chic”.   

PREP’s Seasonal Décor Service can give your home the WOW factor whatever your budget!

Trimming the trees (all 27 of them!)

Adventures of a store decorator (I still have the nightmares!)

Most of you, I would think, look forward to Christmas and love to see a well decorated tree. This was not always the case for me – anyone who has worked in retail knows by the time Christmas rolls around all you want to do is get it over with!

Being a merchandiser and decorator in a large furniture store meant I had to start early in October. Every part of a store has to be glittered and lit up from the front entrance way to the back, thousands and thousands of square feet. Many stores have a team that tackles this job, I had one hard working, very patient assistant who must have wanted to strangle me on many a day, being the perfectionist that I am!

The seasonal décor was stored in the warehouse, on the top shelves, about 50 feet up. In order to get there I donned a safety harness and a tether, a bit like getting suited up for bungee jumping but the tether was shorter. Safety regulations meant I had to wear my unflattering steel toes which really didn’t match my outfit! Can’t they make a steel toe shoe in a funky colour and maybe a small heel – I might be on to something here. One wrong foot off the motor while reaching for the boxes and I would be dangling in the air but thankfully it never happened, who said decorating was glamorous?

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I was given free reign to create my own scheme. Every year I had a budget to go out and purchase some new items (yes, I was the crazy one in Walmart with six or seven carts full of ornaments, lights and greenery)  If you ever got stuck behind me at the customer service desk with my six carts full “I am sorry”. I could feel my ears burning as you called me a few choice names for holding up the line! People would give me strange looks while muttering to their friends “what is she doing with all that stuff, she must have a really big house”. I was often questioned by curious onlookers and when I explained what I needed the mountain of glitter and glitz for they realized I wasn’t quite as crazy as they first thought.

I was covered in glitter from October until January. I am sure some people wondered why I was wearing body glitter in the grocery store. That stuff doesn’t come off easily, ok.

Did I mention mini lights? Oh boy…Everyone hates putting the lights on the tree, there is always that one that won’t light isn’t there, multiply this by 27, you get the picture, I’m still in therapy!!!

The first few trees were fun I’II admit but by the time I got to 26 I had nothing left to give – #26 was not  my best  work. I say 27 trees the 27th being my own if I could muster the strength to decorate it. I often left my own tree until the last minute and took it down on Boxing Day – enough was enough!

Thankfully those days are behind me and my love of all things glitter is back which is good for my clients because  I offer a Seasonal Decorating Service for homeowners and businesses and I promise I won’t have a meltdown if the lights don’t work !