Before you hit this year’s Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour, get inspiration for your own abode from last year’s designers.
Now in its 45th year, the annual Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour brings thousands of patrons to the twinkling streets of the Fabulous 40s, where they are transported to various winter wonderlands with every threshold they cross. These festive transformations are made possible by the area’s top interior designers, who bring their best and brightest decorating visions to life (seemingly overnight). Here, last year’s featured decorators share some ideas for decking your own halls—for holidays both present and future.
1. Pick a theme—“So many of us collect holiday decor over the years, because we have inherited it, we received it as a gift or we bought it at a craft fair. However, many times these items turn into a mish-mash collection that does not have cohesiveness. Try to pick a theme and color scheme that works for your home and stick to it.”—Christi Ensberg, Simplify Interiors
2. Mix holiday sparkle with natural elements—“I love a little glitter and glam around the holidays, but it can go overboard really quickly. Mixing mercury glass or glitter ornaments with rustic woods is a good way to tone it down and add texture.”—Whitney Fecteau, Design Shop Interiors
3. Add festiveness with florals—The addition of florals brings it all together. Find some inspiration photos of florals in your color scheme and recreate them using pots or vases you already have. Hit up Michaels, Joann or Hobby Lobby for quality fake flowers (don’t forget those coupons!) or Trader Joe’s for the real deal.”—Elizabeth Lake, Elizabeth Lake Interiors
4. Shortcuts can make miracles happen—“Don’t kill yourself with making everything from scratch! Save time by using pre-mixed cookie dough in a bag. Decorate any existing vases or dishes you have with seasonal candies or inexpensive ribbons (think IKEA!) to create a festive atmosphere. I also love using large potted poinsettias en masse to create easy wow factor for less money.” —Aimee Hernandez, Aimee Hernandez Design
5. Don’t be afraid to do something a little different—“Halfway through setting up for last year’s home tour, I decided that the porch needed more love, which meant three flocked Christmas trees—complete with white lights, oversized white ornaments and white reindeer—found their way over to 42nd Street in the blink of an eye. Most people wouldn’t put Christmas trees outside, but it was such a fun element to see while walking up to the home and driving by it at night.”—Katrina Stumbos, Katrina Stumbos Interior Design
6. Make it interactive—Interactive decorations, such as a hallway naughty and nice list paired with an advent calendar, can get the whole family and all of your guests involved. Kraft paper rolls, fresh sprigs from outside and brown paper bags with thoughtful lettering take a basic hallway from utilitarian to decorative in just minutes—not to mention, everyone loves the surprises inside the bags!—Kerrie Kelly, Kerrie Kelly Design Lab
2018 Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour
Nov. 30–Dec. 2
Tickets can be purchased at local retailers, at the school, online or on the day of the tour.
sacredhearthometour.com
