As the festive season approaches, households across the UK are preparing to deck the halls. To ensure your home looks its absolute best, an interior designer has pinpointed the most common decorating errors people make and provided expert solutions.
Common Festive Faux Pas and How to Correct Them
Melissa Karl, the creative force behind Room Remedies by Melissa, has taken to social media to share her professional advice. In a recent TikTok video, she highlighted five typical holiday decorating blunders that can prevent your home from achieving its full festive potential. "Here are five common holiday decorating mistakes to avoid this holiday season when decorating your home," she stated, before detailing each pitfall and its remedy.
The Five Key Mistakes You're Probably Making
1. Refusing to Rearrange Existing Décor
The first mistake involves a reluctance to move everyday items. Melissa explained that people often don't want to shift their existing furniture and décor to make proper space for their Christmas pieces. She gave a personal example, describing how she had to relocate a side table from a corner to fit her Christmas tree. Failing to do this, she warned, results in a home that feels congested and cluttered rather than joyfully festive.
2. Neglecting to Fluff Your Artificial Tree
Next, Melissa addressed a crucial step in assembling an artificial tree: fluffing the branches. She was seen demonstrating this on her own tree, pulling apart branches that had been compressed in storage. "Fluffing just means pulling the branches apart, a lot of times," she clarified. This simple but vital process of spending a few minutes shaping the branches ensures the tree looks lush and full, eliminating unsightly gaps.
3. Forgetting to Check the Christmas Lights
In what she described as a surprisingly frequent error, Melissa urged viewers not to get carried away with decorations before checking their lights. "Check the lights before you decorate the tree," she insisted. The excitement of hanging baubles and tinsel can lead to the disappointing discovery of a non-functional string of lights after everything is already in place.
4. Using Baubles That Are Too Similar
The fourth mistake involves a lack of variety in tree ornaments. Melissa noted that people often choose decorations that are all too similar in style or, crucially, in size. To create visual interest and depth, she advised, "Be sure to mix up the textures and the sizes of your ornaments when selecting them for your tree."
5. Hanging Ornaments on the Branch Tips
The final tip concerns the technique of hanging baubles. Melissa cautioned against placing ornaments on the very tips of the branches. This not only weighs the branch down but also makes the decorations prone to being knocked off. Instead, she recommended nestling them further into the branch to achieve a professional, layered look. She also suggested using larger baubles to fill any significant gaps within the tree's structure.
Achieving the Perfect Festive Look
By following these expert tips from Melissa Karl, you can sidestep common pitfalls and ensure your home is festively furnished without the clutter. The key takeaways are to create space, prepare your tree properly, check functionality first, embrace variety, and hang decorations thoughtfully. This approach guarantees a Christmas home that is both beautiful and thoughtfully designed.
