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Festive Christmas Napkin Ideas

Red-and-White Natural Place Setting
This casual place setting shows that simple can be beautiful. Its personality starts with a classic, cleverly folded pocket napkin stuffed with a sprig of evergreen. Add artfully arranged silverware, an inexpensive off-white place mat, layered red and white dishes, and a frame of grapevine twigs -- all on a table runner cut from bargain burlap.

Golden Leaf Napkin Ring Warm up white china with touches of gold that don't cost a mint. A floral dinner plate and gold silverware gathered in a white cloth napkin with a leafy napkin ring look festive for the holidays. Look for shapely napkin rings at a Christmas-supply store or make your own by hot-gluing a snowflake charm to a plain napkin ring.

Evergreen-and-Ornament Napkin Display Top the napkin at each place setting on your holiday table with a sprig of greenery and a petite ornament ball for a beyond-easy embellishment. Cinch the napkin with sheer colorful ribbon to hold the branch and ornament.

Tip: Use what you have to achieve this look -- snip the greenery from your Christmas tree or an evergreen in your garden, and use leftover ribbon from your gift-wrap stash

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Decorate your mantle in style this Christmas!

A Few Ideas for Christmas Mantels

• If you have a mirror hanging over your mantel give it a holiday boost by layering a wreath over it. The easiest way is to use a ribbon. Use the ribbon to hang the wreath and attach it to the back of the mirror.

• Drape an evergreen garland across the mantel and then tuck in different sizes of candles and candle-holders. The items needn't all match, but the look makes a greater impact if they're all the same material. For instance, try using mercury glass candlesticks of different shapes and sizes with ivory candles.

• Fill some clear glass vases with festive items like ornaments, pine-cones or cranberries. Display larger vases at the ends of the mantel and then use smaller containers as you work your way towards the centre. Vary the sizes and shapes of the vases to keep it interesting. If you want to make this look even more festive add some greenery around the bases of the vases.

• Try decorating a Christmas mantel in one color. For example, use silver ornaments and accessories to create an impact. If you're doing this remember that more is more. Use silver ornaments, topiaries, candlesticks and whatever else you desire. The various shapes and textures will keep it looking interesting even though there's no color variation.

• Flowers and small potted trees (or topiaries) always look great. Try putting matching items on each end of the mantel and then put a lovely arrangement in the middle. You can use one large arrangement or use a few small ones clustered together in the centre.

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Sweet Dreams: How to Create the Perfect Bedroom 

Follow these top tips from Whiteport Homewares to ensure your bedroom is the ultimate sanctuary.

We spend one third of our lifetime in bed so it’s important that your bedroom is your sanctuary. Walking into your bedroom should make you feel happy and calm, evoking thoughts of the relaxation and blissful slumber that lay ahead.

If your bedroom is a chaotic mix of patterns and colours and oversized furniture, then it is more than likely you will find it harder to relax and hence have a good night’s rest. We all need our sleep and scientists believe that not enough sleep can lead to serious health risks.

So how do you create the perfect boudoir? It’s easier than you think and doesn’t need to break the bank.

With the help of some insider tips, we’ll have you loving your new bedroom in no time. It’s all about layers, light and a little bit of luxury.

Layers
On the bed itself, it’s all about texture and layering. You never want a bed to appear flat and hard. Invest in the best doona or quilt you can afford that is plump and sumptuous. You want your bedcover to envelope you not just cover you.

It should be light and airy as opposed to flat and heavy to allow movement of air during the night to help regulate your body temperature and allow for peaceful sleep.

Quilted throws, blankets and embossed quilts are a nice touch folded along the foot of your bed. They also provide an easy to reach extra layer during the cooler months. Layering is especially important if you have an all-white colour scheme to avoid it appearing clinical.

Pillows and cushions are like the icing on a cake. Without them, it doesn’t look finished but too many, and it can look overdone and tacky. Stop at six pillows and just a few smaller decorator cushions. Any more looks vulgar and you have so much to throw on the floor when you get into bed.

Tip: Most pillows don’t fill the corners of the pillowcase so take some cotton batting (from any fabric store) and stuff the interior corners of the pillowcase – it gives a more full feel to the pillows and avoids them looking limp.

Hang curtains! The most important layer in a bedroom is curtains. They make a room seem finished. Think of them as the lipstick of decorating. If you can, take them all the way up to the ceiling – it will increase the height of the room.

If you can afford it, buy a rug for your bedroom, even if you have carpet. Not only is it nice to put your feet on in the morning, but it cements your desired look and adds a cozy feel to the room.

Light
Lighting is everything. It creates atmosphere, drama and intrigue in a room. The easiest way to accomplish this is to use a dimmer switch. Don’t have a dimmer switch? Then use very low voltage bulbs in your bedroom lights. Another easy way to create a flattering light, is use soft pink light bulbs in your bedroom lamps.

Mirrors are another great way to bring light into a room. They bounce light around a room and a large oversized one looks great leaning up against one wall. Think about using more than one if you have a small bedroom as they will give the illusion of more space. Continue this theme with some mirrored photo frames on a chest or bedside table.

Luxury
Every bedroom needs a little bit of luxury but don’t fear, it doesn’t need to be expensive. Think subtle gestures such as embroidery, luxe velvets or a gorgeous sequined cushion. Have a great antique chair or tallboy? Mixing old with new really adds a wow factor. Or you could cover an antique chair in a bold modern fabric.

Another easy way to inject some luxury into your bedroom is to wallpaper one wall. Or be creative and wallpaper the inside of your closet. Want an even simpler idea? Most of us own a pearl necklace (real or not). Place them in a little glass or silver dish on your bedside table beside a vase of flowers for an instant touch of elegance. Adding several small touches of luxury is always better than one big statement. It’s also more calming to the eye.

Final tip: Don’t feel everything has to match – it’s much more chic to have a variety of different fabrics. This is why making a storyboard is such a good idea. Collect fabrics, photos and materials of your ideal bedroom and keep them in your handbag. Or for the more technologically advanced, create a board on Pinterest.com, which is a virtual pinboard.

Next time you’re out shopping and see a cushion or bedcover you like, you can check to see if it works with your scheme. All of the designers do it and it’s a great way to avoid costly mistakes.



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Tips for decorating your Christmas tree!

Tips for decorating your Christmas tree!   

You've chosen your perfect Christmas tree, but now what?

Our tips  will give you ideas for setting up your tree, lighting it, keeping it fresh, and decorating it to be beautiful.

 

• Keep Your Tree Fresh and Green
  Cut the stump of the tree with a fresh cut and set it in water immediately. A fresh-cut tree will absorb several quarts of water right from the start. So it's important to check and refill the water level several times a day for the first week. You can cut down on frequency later. Be sure to place you Christmas tree in a stand that has a large water reservoir and keep it filled.      
• Putting Lights and Decorations on the Tree
  When decorating your Christmas tree, put lights on first, then garlands, then the ornaments.   
• Work From the Inside Out
  Start arranging Christmas tree lights on the branches near the base of the tree. Weave strings of lights along the branches "inside," then move to the outer edges of the branches.   
• Placement of Ornaments
  Don't hang all your ornament on the tips of the branches. Place ornaments and other decorations 'inside' your tree to add depth and interest.   
• Basic Ornaments for Fill
  Start by arranging the "filler ornaments" evenly spaced around the tree. This would include basic solid color balls that are easily found at discount stores in a wide range of colors to coordinate and enhance your decorating scheme. You'll need about 20 "filler ornaments" for every 2 feet of Christmas tree.   
• Special Themed, Collectible Ornaments
  Mix one-of-a-kind special ornaments between the basic ornaments. Plan to use at least 10 special themed ornaments for every 2 feet of tree. As your collection grows, put the special ornaments closer together.

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