Christmas Decorating > Decorating Your Home

Decorating the Living and Dining Rooms

Most people, whether family or visitors, probably spend more time together in the living and dining rooms of your home than any other room. With this in mind, make these rooms focal points for your Christmas decorations.

• Decorate your stairs' railing
  Hanging swags or other greenery along your stairs' railing adds a nice touch. Make this arrangement even more decorative by running white or colored lights through the greens.
• Displaying gifts and ornaments
  Ornaments and gifts don't just belong on and under a tree. Wrap empty boxes with holiday wrapping and bows, and pile them on a table, in corners, or atop shelves. Ornaments can be used in displays, and smaller, attractively wrapped gifts with ornamental ribbons and bows can be placed anywhere that needs that "Martha Stewart" touch.
• Mistletoe
  For flirts and romantics, a sprig of mistletoe in a high-traffic area can keep things interesting.
• Candles
  Place candles on mantles for natural lighting, and turn down adjustable lights to provide more ambient lighting for the proper holiday mood.
  Experiment with candle placement. Clusters of candles on tabletops will draw the eye to a central location; distributing them over the length of a table draws the gaze across the room.
• Paintings/Mirrors
  Use garlands festooned with ribbons and bows to adorn paintings and mirrors.
• Fireplace
  Decorate the hearth with nature's finest. Arrange boughs of spruce and pine with rosy apples, wine-red cranberries and holly for color.
• Mantle
  Adorn the mantel with groupings of short colorful candles and tall elegant ones surrounded by red berry clusters.
• Walls
  Hang delicate snowflakes from light fixtures and wall sconces. Hang walnut clusters from pretty bows and attach to boughs throughout the house.