Welcoming friends, family, and other loved ones into your home for the festive season can be exciting, particularly if it has been a while since you’ve played host. As you look around, are you concerned that your entertaining spaces might not be as ready as you’d like them to be for the season’s celebrations? No problem! We reveal some of our favourite tips to help refresh your home for the festive season.
Elevate Your Entryway
Start with a light cleaning inside and outside. This means sweeping up leaves from the porch, dusting off the welcome mat, and removing the excess clutter from around the door.
After that is done, it’s time to assess two critical areas: the front door and the entryway. Start with an easy fix by cleaning your front door, including the glass, frame, and handle with glass cleaner. It’s inexpensive and makes your door instantly ready for Christmas lights and decorations.
Inside, if the space still doesn’t sing, you may want to make a small investment by buying a hall or entry rug. This can add a finish to the space that will make your home feel pulled together and ready for company.
Lighten Up Home Entertaining Spaces
New lighting can make a world of difference, particularly if you are swapping outdated fixtures or ones that don’t reflect the ambiance you want in your entertaining spaces. One of the easiest ways to refresh your home for the holidays is to try a multibulb pendant over a dining table.
Do you have a spare mirror that you’ve been planning to hang? This is the perfect time. Not only can mirrors make entertaining spaces feel larger, but they maximize light. Mirrors will amplify the impact of holiday lights and decorations, allowing a few decorations to go a long way.
Rearrange the Furniture
Don’t underestimate the impact of rearranging your home’s furniture before the holidays. If you plan on entertaining a lot during this festive season, consider bringing in a long side table from another room to serve as a buffet or moving out items that might block the flow of guests. If there are club chairs in your bedroom that fit with the decor in your entertaining space, bring them out and arrange them in such a way that will encourage comfort and conversation.
Once the furniture is in place, look at their accessories. Are your cushions or pillows on your sofa or side chair looking a little limp? Give cushions new life by replacing your inserts.
Finally, how are your throw blankets looking? Sprucing up your cozy throws is a quick and easy step towards refreshing your home. You can swap out your throws for ones that feature holiday themes or colors or simply give them a good cleaning.
Revive the Rugs
Consider steam cleaning your rugs, particularly those that cover high-traffic areas. Professional cleaning services will get your entire home done in just hours, and they will even include upholstery cleaning in the deal. You can also easily rent machines and focus your steam cleaning efforts on the areas you know need it most. It’s a holiday refresh that will yield benefits well into the new year.
Awaken Your Walls
Are your walls feeling less than inspiring? The good news is that it is easy to awaken them. If you have the time, money, and inclination, choosing a new paint color for the walls in your entertaining space will give your home a lift for the holidays. However, you don’t need to make that significant of an investment to feel an impact. Revitalizing your walls might be as simple as changing your artwork.
Stock Welcoming Provisions
Stock up on sweet, salty, and crunchy “shelf-stable” goodies if you have guests staying with you over the holidays. You can put them out in the kitchen in seasonal storage containers, set them on side tables in your entertaining spaces, or put together a decorative basket of options that can sit in the guest room. You’ll also want to make a pitcher of craft beverages (alcoholic and nonalcoholic options) that are easy for your guests to grab themselves from the refrigerator or off of your bar cart. If you know they have a favorite wine, you can either stock up for your drinks or dinner hour or set aside a bottle with a bow on their nightstand as a holiday welcome gift.
Prep the Powder Room
In addition to giving it a good scrubbing, you can refresh the powder room that guests are most likely to use by injecting a sense of the holiday spirit into the decor and styling. Festive hand towels and scented candles are an easy way to make even the powder room glow with the holiday spirit.
With these easy tips you will be able to refresh your home for the festive season in no time.
Disclaimer: The opinions posted within this blog are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, others employed by Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate or the organisations with which the network is affiliated. The author takes full responsibility for his opinions and does not hold Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate or any third party responsible for anything in the posted content. The author freely admits that his views may not be the same as those of his colleagues, or third parties associated with the Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate network.