As Americans face a holiday season without family and friends, homeowners and renters alike are tapping into their inner HGTV designer to bring some coziness and cheer to their space. According to storage company UNITS, 62 percent of Americans are planning grander holiday displays, with a majority (67 percent) starting the decoration process before Thanksgiving.
With home sales remaining robust well into the fall and winter months, now more than ever, some holiday-inspired staging can help potential buyers imagine what their next Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or winter family gathering could look like in your listing.
Here are some easy, trendy holiday home designs to incorporate in your next staging session:
1. Create a stunning focal point with a colorful holiday tree
Photo by Insung Yoon on Unsplash
This year, designers are ditching traditional holiday trees for bold, colorful options. Wayfair seasonal decor expert Ryan Stender told Forbes gold Christmas trees are at the top of his trend 2020 list due to the bright and glamorous effect they add to any room.
“The color gold is believed to lift spirits and inspire optimism,” he said. “Given the challenges of 2020, gold Christmas trees will add a positive moment to our homes as we look to the holiday season.”
“What’s great about gold is its ability to go high or low,” he added. “It is easily dressed up for a glamorous look. Alternatively, gold can also be simple and understated, particularly when decorating with soft tone ornaments.”
Sellers can choose a classic, yellow-toned gold tree or go for something more subtle such as a light, champagne gold or deep antique gold tree. From there, they can add traditional green and red ornaments or create a trendy, mixed metal palette with silver, rose gold, bronze or gunmetal.
If the idea of a gold tree is entirely too much for your seller’s taste, then gold ornaments, ribbons, and tassels will be more than enough to create a dazzling tree to catch buyers’ attention.
2. Get cozy with cottagecore
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Cottagecore gained steam on Instagram and TikTok, with fashion influencers posting outfits with delicate floral prints, vintage fabrics and wicker handbags. Now, the trend has made its way to the interior design space, with Instagrammers creating picture-perfect rooms that bring a sense of comfort and nostalgia.
Cottagecore home design hinges on floral prints, rich color palettes, nature-inspired decor and furniture, and cozy fabrics that are perfect for a cold, winter day.
“The home has become such a vital and safe haven for many people,” designer Marina Hanisch told The Zoe Report. “Cottagecore has helped bring back nostalgia and a romanticized aesthetic that is reminiscent of life in the countryside surrounded by nature, animals, pattern, color.”
TZR suggested homeowners ditch traditional ornaments in favor of tree decorations that represent country life (such as this gorgeous glass mushroom). Chunky cable-knit throws, plaid pillows, faux garlands, flour sack tea towels, and drawings of wintery landscapes are perfect, simple ways to bring cottagecore to life in a listing.
3. Create the perfect bedroom retreat with velvet
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Velvet has been on each of Inman’s year-end design round-ups since 2017, so it’s no surprise the luxurious fabric is on this list as well. Instead of the thick velvet of yesteryear, designers are gravitating toward crinkled and crushed velvet, which is lightweight and shimmery. Jewel-toned velvets are always a crowd-favorite, but neutral tones are taking over the bedroom for a cozy look.
“I love to mix velvets with linens, leather and fun, unexpected fabrics. Velvet serves as a strong base to these fabric combinations,” designer Shanna Bender told Mansion Global. “I like velvets in dining rooms and master bedrooms the most for drama and chic style.”
“Right now, I’m obsessed with using velvets on walls and in ceilings,” she added. “It’s a super-rich look and can make any space feel full of luscious style and warmth.”
4. Create curb appeal with outdoor accessories
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This staging tip carried over from last year’s list as designers are inspiring homeowners to put even more effort into their exterior holiday decor.
“[Pinterest users] are decorating their front doors to express holiday cheer while staying in, with searches for ‘Christmas door decorations’ up 125 percent,” Pinterest Insights Manager Swasti Sarna told Real Simple.
Wrapping trees or bushes with lights or lining the walkway with solar-powered lanterns will bring some light to dusk or evening-time showings. Then, switch out old doormats for new ones with holiday themes or prints, such as snowflakes or pinecones, and place poinsettias by the door for instant charm.
Netflix’s Mr. Christmas show host, Benjamin Bradley, said homeowners should get really creative this year with their lighting arrangements to create holiday cheer.
“The outdoor elements will see a real uptick in lights,” Bradley told the New York Post. “Maybe not so much in the city — but I have seen things happening on balconies and terraces. And across America, outdoor decorating will grow since you will not be able to gather inside, as sad as that is.”
“Go big or go home. Inside, there’s an 8- or 9-foot ceiling. Outside, go as big as you possibly can,” he added. “If you want a garland on your door, don’t buy a regular pinecone, buy a big one. Buy a 20-inch bow instead of an 8-inch.”
5. Get personal with handmade decor items
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
Now, more than ever, people want to be reminded of past holidays with family and friends. That’s why Martha Stewart Living placed handmade decorations near the top of its 2020 holiday decor list. Handmade stockings, customized ornaments, and hand-me-down quilts or other items will help buyers see your listing as their future home.
“This year, shoppers are opting for holiday décor that is reminiscent of a time before technology, and that emphasizes simpler pleasures, such as baking and crafting,” Etsy trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson told MSL. “We have seen a 16 percent increase in searches for crochet, knit, or embroidered ornaments and an 18 percent increase in searches for holiday quilts.”
