Decorating a Christmas wreath with slices of dried fruit can smell as good as it looks. Pictures Shutterstock
So, is your place looking merry and bright yet?
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"Christmas is one of the few times in the year that we can go 'all out' with decorating our house," said Tanya Ivanchenko, head teacher of interior design at TAFE NSW Design Centre Enmore.
But what if you're on a budget, or committed to reducing the amount of extra "stuff" in your life?
"My fundamental advice is to choose a specific theme to give your home interior a well-considered and cohesive look," says Tanya, suggesting the following household items which could be repurposed for Christmas.
- Use upcycled vintage bottles, candles, kitchen utensils, jars and glasses, vases and bowls to create a festive vignette, such as a cake stand decorated with Christmas village items or decorative trays, baskets or boxes filled with vignettes of candles and Christmas baubles.
- Beautiful and sustainable beeswax candles of various sizes and shapes can be surrounded with greenery for a natural look.
- Applique cushions with festive-themed items such as Christmas tinsel in your colour scheme.
- Repurposed fabric pieces or scarves can serve as table runners, gift wrapping, and tree bows.
- Create edible decorations using dried fruit to make botanical garlands.
- Layer rugs or mats in Christmas themed colours for entries or high traffic areas.
- Decorate mirrors with festive ornaments.
- Stack Christmas books or wrap books in Christmas-themed wrapping paper and use as decorative platforms for other decorations.
- Create a stunning display using empty picture frames or a ladder strung with baubles, lanterns or beads or ribbons, or arrange LED light strips in tree shapes.
- Paint cardboard tubes using your colour scheme and group into decorative Christmas poles.
A few decorations added to a triangular stack of books can work wonders.