HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-12-20, Page 42Getting your home in a festivemood, is not just about decking thehalls anymore. People bring the
warmth of the season into every
room of their house not just with
holly and ivy but with Santas and
snowmen, ornaments and bows.
A big part of Christmas
decorating, however, is about
infusing colour and fragrance into
your space. That little pop of
burgundy or spark of gold can help
turn an ordinary display into an eye-
catching focal point.
Janice Peters and Jennifer Avery
of The Gift Cupboard say the
number one starting point in getting
your place into its festive finery is to
rid your rooms of their present
ornamentation. “You can leave a few
things and incorporate them into the
holiday decor, but generally you will
want to replace the everyday items,”
said Avery
Having cleared the palette, Peters
suggests consideration be given to
the room colour, then find ones to
complement the overall look. “You
will want to co-ordinate what to go
with different shades.”
Think warm and cool when it
comes to blending shades. Bronzes,
browns and coppers work well with
gold and are quite popular, said
Avery, while silver is always nice
with blues and red.
Simple touches, the two say, like a
tree skirt, cushions, throws, or even
candle holders can help to tie the
room together.
Little splashes of colour can be
achieved in a number of ways.
“Bowls filled with ornaments or
raffia balls are colourful and are
quite popular now,” said Peters.
Putting pine cones and greens with
ornaments in a hurricane glass, or
setting little ornaments around a
candle on a tray or both simple
touches that will create a fetching
display.
A touch of sparkle is good but be
wary, said Avery. “You don’t want
too much glitz, but it’s always good
to have a bit.”
Mini-lights can be strung on
garlands above a mantel or
cupboard. If an electrical outlet is a
problem there are battery-operated
options to help put sparkle into a
room.
Bringing the fragrances of the
season into your house can also be
done in several ways. Though Avery
warns that you need to be a little
careful with this. “So many people
can be allergic now to perfumes. If
you are going to have many guests
around, I’m not sure you want
fragrance in every room.”
They recommend as well sticking
to the food-based scents if possible.
“Florals can be more offensive, it
seems, for people who are sensitive,”
said Peters.
A larger room will obviously
require more to achieve results and
Avery suggests the answer comes
down to bang for the buck. “If you
buy a candle for $1.99 you know
you’re getting a $1.99 candle. There
are more oils, fragrance in better
candles.”
You also don’t want to get too
many fragrances fighting each other.
“Like your colours you want to co-
ordinate your fragrances,” said
Avery. Cinnamon is a good choice,
she said, because it “pretty much
goes with a lot. It’s in a lot of holiday
fragrances and it’s a warm scent, a
comforting scent.”
What if the candle scent isn’t the
right colour for your room’s decor?
Shouldn’t be a problem said Avery.
“There are often many colours that
have a variety of scents.
Or, Peters suggests, placing a
candle ring around the candle may
camouflage a lot of the colour.
Besides candles holiday fragrance
can be brought into a space with
potpourri and rose hips. “Cinnamon
and ginger spice tend to be most
popular,” said Peters. Fill a dish and
it brings a gentle scent into a room,
besides that dash of colour.”
Whether colour or fragrance,
Avery has one rule to help you
determine when the job is done.
PAGE B10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2007.Decorating tips to add colour, fragrance
Light and scent
Candles of different sizes can
create a lovely display that also
warms the room with holiday
fragrance. Candle rings add
festive colour. (Bonnie Gropp photo)
Putting it together
Top: Jennifer Avery adds some finishing touches to a
centrepiece that brings colour into a room, through the use
of greens and ornaments. Bottom: Scented candles and
potpourri bring fragrance into the home. (Bonnie Gropp photos)
Season’s Greetings
from the staff at
519-335-3561 1-800-265-3033
“Quality Service is the cornerstone of everything we do.”
MUTUAL INSURANCE
COMPANY
• Prompt Claims Service
• Competitive Rates
• Over 125 Years of Community Service
Wroxeter, Ontario N0G 2X0
Please accept this load of good cheer,
along with our thanks for your business this year!
Have a great holiday!
SS ee aa ss oo nn ’’ss GG rr ee ee tt ii nn gg ss
BRUSSELS TRANSPORT LTD.
Brussels 519-887-6122
401 Turnberry St., Brussels 519-887-8011
CAFÉ
More than just a great sandwich!
Friday Night
5 pm - 7 pm
Wishing everyone all good things,
plus all the gifts the season brings!
Merry Christmas and many thanks
for your business this year.
Merry Christmas
& Best Wishes for 2008
406 Mill St., Blyth ~ 519-523-4793
Get your last minute shopping
needs at McDonald’s
* Housewares & Giftware
* Power Tools * Hand Tools
* Tough Duck Workwear
* Gift Cards
HH aa pp pp yy HH oo ll ii dd aa yy ss
ff rr oo mm
MMccDDoonnaalldd HHoommee HHaarrddwwaarree
aanndd BBuuiillddiinngg CCeennttrree
WWee''vvee GGoott YYoouurr LLuummbbeerr""
BBrruusssseellss 551199--888877--66227777
By Bonnie GroppThe Citizen
Continued on B11