Channel Your Inner Clark Griswold This Holiday Season in Your Home

Many people may ‘channel their inner Clark Griswold’ this holiday season with over-the-top decor this year.
The holiday season will inevitably look different this year again with Omicron running wild and each country putting some pandemic measures back into effect. Fewer holiday parties and limited gatherings (depending on where you are) doesn’t mean the season has to be devoid of holiday cheer!  

Holiday Season Home Trends

Modsy’s Holiday Home Trends Report is chock-full of interesting data insights and style trends. In the first year of the pandemic, 69% of Americans said they planned to go all out on holiday season home decorations more than in past years. The top 5 states where people planned to channel their inner Clark Griswold:

1. 1. Illinois (71%)
   2. Texas (70%)
   3. Washington (69%)
   4. Pennsylvania (69%)
   5. Ohio (67%)

People have been putting in extra effort into their holiday season decor this year like the las. This helps to make their homes a place of joy and delight since many of us are spending so much time in them these days. Some of the other holly jolly insights from 2020 revealed:

• 31% are open to having a COVID-themed Christmas tree or holiday decor….just for kicks and giggles…not sure if this still holds but we’ll see…
• 59% will place an increased emphasis on their house’s entryway to help maintain sanitary areas and act as a barrier between outside germs and the clean inside…though that may drop as more and more people are vaccinated and less concerned with health measured, but still a good practice overall.

Decorating for the Holidays

If decorating for the holidays feels like one more overwhelming thing on your to-do list, check out the Holiday Decor Lookbook for some great ideas and inspiration.

If you’re feeling like a Scrooge this year, simple yet impactful holiday decorating tips may be the thing for you:

• Make it uniquely yours this year:
• Try picking a new, unique theme for your tree or decor this year.
• If you use the same decorations every year, embellish them with a new colour or out-of-the-box material, such as tulle or tinsel, to add a pop.
• Convert your existing holiday decor into a new theme to switch it up.
• Make a classic popcorn garland! It will give you something fun to do with the reduced holiday travel due to COVID.
• Work with what you’ve got:
• If space is too tight for a tree, get crafty and try hanging some ornaments in the living room windows using different length ribbons.
• Placing a wreath on your front door and stringing garland up around the entryway, arches, staircases, or mantles. It  can also inspire your home’s festive atmosphere without using valuable space.
• Create a focal holiday decor display the family can gather around:
• The focal decor point is the Christmas tree or fireplace mantle. But there are plenty of other creative places to design your main eye-catching holiday display.
• Make sure it’s somewhere with space for people to gather around, such as an amazing tablescape or tiny house village, since it will naturally draw the family together.
• You can create these moments in any multi-purpose space that’s highly visible, but the living room usually tends to be the best place.

Holiday Party Format

If you’re planning on having a virtual gathering due to distance and travel rules, check out these downloadable seasonal-inspired Zoom backgrounds. It’ll get all the talking heads admiring your virtual “decor.”
Whether you’re hosting, getting hosted or doing virtual, 1 key component to keep your guests and kids and their kids entertained for a holiday party is an enjoyable game.

Solitaire.org has many games that can be enjoyed for free from the comfort of your own device. Either let those that want to be left alone entertain themselves on their device flipping solitaire cards, or for those that want group activities, up it up a notch and host a competition.

Each on their own device, choose a game to compete on, armed with a timer, set a goal and hit start. The one who achieves it first, wins! To make it even more enticing, add a holiday prize. Best of all, get any game of your choosing for free! It can be pretty challenging. It took me 45 seconds to figure out an easy maze! The guy in the Gif did not seem impressed lol…

What’s great is that this option will work for any party format you opt for, in-person or virtual. It can even work for work parties!

New Home Space

As what seems to have been the longest 2 years in history, that we finally thought may be coming to a close, is indeed not. With new variants on the rise and only part of the world vaccinated, we’re still a long ways away from calling covid a thing of the past. 2022 is just around the corner and many folks are feeling inspired to make resolutions that will bring changes to their immediate surroundings given how much time we’ve had to spend at home lately due to the pandemic.

The pandemic made many people realize their homes were disorganized. Additionally, many more were so stressed by their home surroundings that they undertook DIY home or redesign projects. I am one of them.

According to Alessandra Wood, VP of Style at Modsy, “approximately 80% of people give up on their New Year’s Resolution by February. Change is hard once the glitter is swept up and the optimism of a new year has faded. It’s easy to slip back into old, unhealthy habits. Habits are incredibly hard to break, especially when you live in an environment that reinforces them. Research tells us that to make it stick, it might be as simple as making a few changes to your home.”

Spruce up Your Home This Holiday Season

Here are six tips to help people spruce up their homes and set themselves up for successful New Year’s resolutions.

Assess Your Place

Answer basic questions like whether or not a place is public or private, whether you spend a lot of time there, and you need it for work can set you up for success by determining your need for specific furniture and budget.

For me one of the key things was adding a dedicated entertainment area for the kids. It’s a space where they can play the games they want, explore new ones. They can make crafts and do their homework there without it having it clutter the rest of the house. With a dedicate space where they can play board and device games, it cut down on cleaning time in other areas of the house.

Cut Down on Clutter

Call it early spring cleaning. Simplifying and decluttering your living area can open up more mental space. It will help you relax and unwind at the end of the day. It’s helpful for those who plan to take up meditating in the new year.

New Art

If you have to look at it every day, think of investing in some nice art. Save some of your favourite art pieces for your bedroom. Make this space more personal and inspiring

Use Multipurpose Furniture

While the end of 2021 seems to be in sight, our designers now more than ever appreciate the need to adopt versatile pieces such as storage furniture or Murphy beds. We might want to be prepared for when our furniture needs to pull double duty again.

Fresh New Face

A fresh coat of paint can completely transform a room. Definitely a simple design upgrade that makes a huge difference.

Utilize Storage

Rethink where you have storage pieces in your home, and move them around to areas that have the biggest needs. Entryways are an often overlooked but high-trafficked area that are desperate for more storage.  Move a storage piece, such as a credenza or extra dresser, into your entryway to capture clutter, hide bags, and shoes, and allow for the ultimate organized drop zone.

The Gist of it

There are plenty of interior design trends for anyone who might need a little help refreshing their space this Holiday seasons. The mantra we’re seeing more people embrace lately is ‘New Year, New Home Space’ as people are upgrading everything from their home office, home gym, and homeschooling areas. What are your holiday season home trends?
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