Sharing Holiday Decorating Ideas

Hi everyone! I am really excited to share this interview with you! Interview with Dagmar Obert from Balsam Hill Sharing Holiday Decorating Ideas. This is the designer who helps with all of the beautiful designs behind the Balsam Hill line. I am so glad to have her here today! I’ve been working with Balsam Hill and you know me, I love professional interviews. I think you can learn so much that way.I thought it would be really cool to hear from a Balsam Hill designer about some Holiday decorating ideas.

1. How can someone interested in buying a  tree make the best choice for what will fit in their homes?

If you have no idea how to choose the perfect tree for you, one of the branch sample kits is well worth the investment. Since some people are attracted to trees from a geographical area, the branch samples from the kit have been arranged by collection and inspired by particular places, such as Vermont, Colorado, or Napa; ideas of trees are often tied to all sorts of memories, places, and people. Taking a closer look at the shape, color, and texture of individual branches can also be helpful.

You can also choose a Christmas tree based on the color of the needles and the size or color combinations of the ornaments. For instance, the fir has large, strong needles in a cool green shade that look fabulous with bold silver ornaments. It’s dense so you want to be careful about the size and length.

The traditional green and red color palette, seen in ornaments with a Norwegian or Scandinavian feel, looks great on a tree because of the subtle yellow tone of the needles. It is fabulous with the red and whites of that theme of tree.

 

2. What do you love most about Christmas trees?

I love the variety and how real they do look. I like that each kind of Christmas tree can create a unique atmosphere in a room. You can set it against different backdrops with different themes or styles. And because of their realism, they can even stay for a good part of the year as décor without the need for decorations.

With their true-to-life needle shape and color, you can have multiple trees in multiple rooms and create a different “feel” to each room. Say a rustic pine with simple woodland ornaments, a Fraser fir with bright red ornaments; possibly a refined elegant look with the a faux spruce as a backdrop to lighter elegant ornaments.

 Finally, they are made well.  There is some assembly and fluffing to showcase the branches and highlight the realism, but the time spent is well worth it.

3. What is your recommendation for someone who loves the look of a real pine tree but misses the smell?

 I recommend two solutions: you can place a planter or urn of evergreen branches that are freshly cut with some red willow branches and fake red berry branches on your door or any other entry point. That way, when you enter your home, that’s the first scent you catch as you open the door.

Also, along with an artificial tree, you can always have fresh sheaths, as well as cut greens, on your door or in your home. Maybe use a spray of greens in the window sill or on a mantel. Hang a fresh wreath on the inside of a door to bring in the aroma.

If you want convenience and lasting fragrance, you can simply take  scented ornaments with fir, spruce, or pine scents and hang a set or two throughout your Christmas tree.

 

5. What is your favorite new home decor item ? How would you use it?

 My favorite items are the candlesticks and fairy string lights. The candlesticks cross many styles of decorating and work in rustic, vintage, or contemporary settings. They can be chic, formal, and elegant.

Some candles have faux wood textures; others have metallic paint or that “aged” look that hints of yesteryear. The Balsam Hill candlesticks can be part of my mantel décor for many different seasons.

I am also hoping to use them in an upcoming wedding because of their classic elegant look with a Renaissance feel.

The fairy lights are also a lovely accent light. They are battery-operated and can be used in bird cages to highlight the lines.  They can be under sheer or transparent fabric to create a special ambiance, or outline an architectural feature that needs to be highlighted.

Our fairy lights can also fill a dark or shadowed place above a book shelf or be displayed behind candlesticks on a mantel for some low light without the risk of fire. They are delicate and dainty, giving a feminine style and look to bathrooms or girls’ bedrooms without much complication because they are so light and easy to work with. The fairy lights are such a versatile product.

6. Do you have any tips on decorating for the holidays?

First, consider how much entertaining you want to do and who you will be hosting. And, remember to reserve some time at the end of the holidays to put everything away. Also, decide if it’s a go-all-out year, or a do-a-serviceable-job-and-then-some year. I am practical with my decorating, and if I am not spending much time in my home I am more utilitarian about how much I put out, since I am the one who puts it away.

 Second, decide on a theme that you could extend from a room to your entire house. For instance, here are 12 ladies who themed their Christmas decorating perfectly.

It helps to have that unifying motif, such as a rustic atmosphere where you could use woodland-themed decorations. There are just so many areas to embellish. There are coffee tables, sideboards, countertops and little areas that can make a big statement when decorated as a whole room theme. For other areas of your home, such as powder rooms, entry areas, and the office or den, you can use that themed décor in effective ways for a backdrop of true celebration. As you’re decorating, don’t forget to use ribbon to add texture, color, and more depth to your displays.

You can often find ornaments pre-packaged in themed kits, like the ones Balsam Hill is carrying this year, to make coordinating a look that much easier.

7. What is your favorite part of the holidays?

 Two things: first, I appreciate that the holiday season stops us from the everyday status quo and it causes us to reflect amid the “busyness” of it all. We spend time reflecting in thankfulness.

Second, this is a time to meet with friends and family and pour ourselves into each other’s lives.  We are truly more interconnected than we realize. You and your loved ones can play games, and just seeing how your loved ones’ faces light up adds so much meaning to this occasion of togetherness.

Overall for me, there is no greater sense of belonging on Earth than when you are in a loving family on Christmas.

Dagmar Obert is a designer and is part of the Balsam Hill team with over two decades of experience transforming homes into spaces that reflect comfort and elegance. Surrounded by family and friends, Dagmar takes delight in turning her own home into a venue where wonderful occasions are made more memorable. You can find her how-to guides and inspiration articles on the Balsam Hill blog here. You can also follow what inspires her on Pinterest here.

Thank you so much for being here today Dagmar and Sharing Holiday Decorating Ideas!