Create a warm look for the holidays
November 24, 2009
Tara Dalla-Nora
SPECIAL TO YOURHOME.CA
Every year I look for the latest holiday trends. I love experimenting with colour, and I’ve created holiday palettes ranging from chocolate brown to black and white to fuchsia.
This year I decided to recapture the traditional holiday spirit by combining the quintessential holiday colour, red, with rustic accents. Red is not only a traditional colour for the season, but personally I feel it also signifies warmth and provides a sense of familiarity.
So this holiday, rather than glamorizing an interior with sleek and formal decorations, I’ve returned to a rustic and comfortable atmosphere.
Here are some tips on how to bring a warm, traditional feeling to holiday decorating:
- I found some soft and affordable patterned cottons from Designer Fabrics, located on Queen St. W., and had some accent throws and pillow made. Quilted florals in white and red, offset by soft woven fabrics in bright yellow, make the space more inviting. Casually placing these on occasional chairs and sofas will warm up any space. They are perfect for seating areas surrounding a fireplace.
- I painted an accent wall in a true red, Benjamin Moore’s Rapture CC-66, to add warmth and richness to the space. Reds have many undertones, so I made sure to choose a red that did not have any orange in it, but rather had the brightness and saturation of a true primary colour.
- I added playful decorations with a whimsical sense of childhood, such as small rustic birds made up of feathers and branches along with tin rocking horses. Bright red apples in a woven bowl tie the accessories back in with the accent wall.
- Rather than choosing a traditional green wreath, I opted for one made of birch and twigs to add to the rustic, outdoor feel. This is a piece that can be used throughout the year, not only hang on the wall but also as a table centerpiece. Depending on the season, the wreath can be decorated with a variety of floral or botanical accents to create a focal point.
- I also chose sculptural wood artwork for the holiday season, which introduces organic, free-flowing lines into the space. The pattern mimics nature in the form of branches that have lost their leaves over the winter months.
- Since the materials are mostly natural woods and a deep paint colour, I added splashes of white to contrast against the red and add an element of light and brightness to the overall rich tones.
These tips will help you achieve a traditional and warm interior for the holidays while still creating exciting contrasts and focal points through your colours and accessories.
Tara Dalla-Nora has a B.A. in interior design and is the owner and principal designer of Inner Luxe in Toronto's Bloor West Village.
Read more from Tara:
Set a festive fall table
Stylish, hardworking kitchen a hub of family life
Creative hang-ups
Fall trends
10 ways to modernize a small city home
Choosing outdoor fabrics
Back to basics: Natural touches
Modernizing a heritage home
Decorating with antiques
Small space solutions
Breezy bedding updates
Choosing artwork
Decorating with fabric
Small kitchen design
Playroom decor
Romantic place settings
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