Christmas Time is MY Favorite

I am sure I am not alone in this thought, but the holiday season is pretty much the best time of year to me. I love snow on the lights, Christmas trees in the windows, and warm feeling when you enter a nicely decorated home.  Even the shopping, though crowded and impossible, puts me in the mood for egg nog and a good old classic Christmas movie.

One thing that has always bothered the designer in me, is the color scheme.  Red and Green...ehh.   Those colors are only acceptable next to each other because of this season.  So this year I made it my mission to try and find hues of red and green decor that don't scream tacky and over used.  Here is what I found: 

Photo courtesy of http://www.design2share.com/

Ok so this may be a bit over done, but that is what the holidays are for!  I'm not suggesting painting the dining room red.  However, concentrating on one color and the many different variations can be less aggressive for dining guests.  Adding a hint of green, like the holly, or in the pillows allows you to maintain the christmas feel.  Who wouldn't want to eat of this table?

Gold goes with pretty much any color, so choose your favorite and decorate away!  The mixture of the different hues and textures of gold shows the depth that the color really has.  The theme is consistent but the garland and painted bulbs add something extra to this mantle piece.

Growing up, my dad always insisted upon tasteful decorations, which is what inspired this post.  I can remember driving through neighborhoods picking out which homes got it right that year, I saw this photo and it brought me back there.  Simplevintage bulbs, all one color and not overdone.  My dad would be proud!

Well that is all for now, I have some shopping to do!

                                                                         ~Grace~