17 Holiday Decorating Ideas Interior Designers Use in Their Own Homes

“An antique home is the perfect backdrop for classic decorations," proclaims Lisa Hilderbrand. Just look at her own Connecticut home: "I weave together fir, cedar, white pine, and boxwood for a door garland, hang matching window wreaths, and fill the holly with white lights," says the designer.

“Many Hanukkah traditions revolve around oil to represent the miracle of light, so we made a garland out of olive branches in homage to that," says Vancouver designer Gillian Segal. "Pair a contemporary menorah and minimalist gift wrap for a new spin on the season.”

“My family celebrates both Christmas and Kwanzaa," says San Diego-based Nikki Klugh. "We choose a different theme every year, but you’ll always see a thread of blue running throughout—my father always used to hang blue lights on our house because it was my mother’s favorite color.”

“The planter in our entryway changes with the seasons," reveals designer (and floral arranger extraordinaire) Charlotte Moss. "In the winter, I incorporate moss, princess pine, and berries—I want my guests to feel like they’ve been transported elsewhere.”

Matthew Monroe Bees is no stranger to Christmaximalism. “More is more," proclaims the Charleston designer. "The holidays are meant to be extravagant! Instead of a tree skirt, try a vintage fishbowl or planter. It heightens the tree and gives you more room for Santa’s surprises.”

IF bold color isn't your thing, though, there are plenty of other ways to bring the festive look: “As much as I love traditional red and green, I wanted to do something a bit more glamorous and elegant with a mix of fine china, crystal, and silver," says Atlanta-based designer Beth Webb. "And don’t forget the importance of fragrance to set the holiday mood—think freshly cut evergreen branches and burning wood.”

John Derian's Christmas decor is as delightfully eclectic as his shops. Who says a cow's head can't be festive? One trick to making it all feel extra merry: "lots of votives—on window ledges, behind arrangements, on tall book shelves—so easy and the effect is magical," says Derian (who has a line of festive correspondence with Paperless Post).

You don't need to whip out a whole new set of china to make the table feel festive—designer Andrew Brown shows how a few strategically-colored additions to a classic blue-and-white tablescape (featuring Williamsburg Brand x Mottahedeh plates) can bring the Christmas cheer. “Winter berries in vases, wreaths on windows, garland strung throughout the house, and flowers and magnolia in every room are some of my favorite things during the holiday season,” Brown divulges.

"My usual first step is to completely discard any idea that I've used before," says designer Scot Meacham Wood. That way, each year is new and exciting. He even goes as far as putting the tree in a totally different room each year.

Repeating design statements adds serious impact. "If I decide to put a wreath in a window, I'll almost always end up putting matching wreaths in every window," says Wood. Last year, he used the same plaid textiles all over his study to create a magical holiday retreat.

Designer Amy Berry says she uses boxwood wreaths all over her house — in front of mirrors, tied onto furniture, anywhere. One reason: "It's not nearly as messy as garland can be," Berry says.

Just because your hutch is simple during the rest of the year, doesn't mean it should be a Scrooge come the holidays. Virginia Fynes from Fynes Designs tucks ornaments into baskets and tiered trays and sprinkles them with fake snow.

Garlands are designer CeCe Barfield Thompson's go-to decoration. "They don't take up much space and can be used in a number of ways that are child-friendly," she says. Her favorite? Magnolia leaves. "I use two and tie them together at the top of my mirror so that they look like one large garland."

Smell plays an important part of the season, which is why designer Frank Bostelmann says not to underestimate it. "Nothing gets that feeling going quicker than a bowl full of clove pierced oranges," he says. Or try a mulled wine with cinnamon. Shucks.

Even though Wood admits his style motto is usually "more is more," he says it's important to do a final edit. "I always try to create one big statement, then make sure everything else is secondary," Wood says. Last year, he created a garland canopy, but kept the rest low-key.