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How Home Décor Can Reduce Holiday Stress

The holiday season is always busy.  It can cause extra stress and wintery weather can mess with your mood. Even though the holidays should be a time of joy, making plans and preparing for the many different activities with family can make it a not-so-jolly time some days.

To help reduce the stress of the season, consider decorating your home for the holidays.  That’s right – decorating for the holidays can reduce stress.

Whether it’s Fall, Halloween, Christmas, or New Year’s Eve, you have fond memories of celebrating the holidays over the years. Nostalgia from holiday home decor can improve your mood. Put up decorations that remind you of your favorite holiday memories. Rekindle a bit of holiday magic from when you were younger and enjoy the warm feelings this season.

Decorating your home for the holidays can also improve joy. Acting cheerful actually will make you feel more cheerful. The old adage, “Fake it ‘til you make it!” kicks in here. Spruce up your home with festive furnishings that make you smile.  Put on a funny movie or favorite seasonal songs to lift your spirits, and you’ll be feeling more joyful during the season.

Once your home is decorated for the winter season, you’ll have created the perfect environment to make more happy holiday memories with the ones you love. You may want to host your loved ones for holiday festivities to show off your decorating skills. Spending time with those you love most in your home will create lasting memories for years to come.

If you’re decorating for the holidays this year, try some of these ideas:
  1. Use throw pillows to decorate quickly and interchangeably. Invest in a few different festive pillows and toss them around the house on beds and couches. Save space by using pillow covers to easily swap out your decor for different holidays!
  2. Hang garlands around the house. Trailing greenery (faux or fresh), twinkling lights, and more can add miles of holiday spirit quickly.
  3. Opt for festive hand towels. These are functional and can go in bathrooms and the kitchen. Just like throw pillows, you can easily change them out for different holidays.
  4. Hang a wreath on your door. If decorating inside isn’t your thing, but you still want to do something to decorate, a wreath is a quick and easy way to spread some holiday cheer. They aren’t just for Christmas, either!  Shop around to get a fun wreath for every fun occasion on the calendar this year.
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Living Space

Don’t Overlook a Room’s Fifth Wall

When you’re decorating your new home, you fill the space with things that bring you joy. You adorn the walls with art, paint, and family photos. You roll out functional and fashionable rugs and hang curtains to soften windows. An empty space is brought to life with furnishings you and your family can enjoy for years to come.

That sounds like everything, right?

Maybe not. Have you forgotten a key feature in that room?  The fifth wall. Your ceiling!

Ceilings can open up a new playground for interior design. They don’t have to be left white. You can decorate a ceiling much like any other wall — just think about the masterpiece on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel! You may not want to go that far, but there are options that can make the fifth wall a fun, appealing addition to your decor.

Here are some ways to spice up ceilings in your home.
  1. Match the walls. While many leave the ceiling white, consider painting it the same color as your walls. This can create an extra-cozy, more intimate space.
  2. Install fun lighting. Whether a chandelier, an ornate ceiling fan, or recessed accent lights… choosing a stylish lighting fixture will add spice to a white ceiling.
  3. Wallpaper. Instead of wallpapering an accent wall, place a statement wallpaper on your ceiling. It’s more subtle when overhead, but can add a lot of visual interest to the room.
  4. Add a wooden texture. Wooden ceilings are versatile features in your home, since wood comes in so many different shades, grains, and can be painted any color. Use any kind of wood, from wooden slats to wainscoting for a little extra interest on your fifth wall!

Remember to look up and add a new dimension to your home decor!