The holiday season is here! The streets are bathed in twinkle lights and glitter and hot chocolate is in abundance. But how do we turn all of this holiday spirit into a home aesthetic that won’t leave even the most forgiving craft-enthusiast cringing? Our visual merchandisers are here with a few tips to help you spread cheer around your home…responsibly.
Pick a Theme.
And stick with it to avoid seasonal chaos! When doing a display in the store, we think about “who is the customer?” and create a display based on lifestyles. When decorating a store, it can be difficult to find a healthy budget to buy new decorations every year. However, there is now the option for stores to hire Christmas decorations. This seems to be one of the best ways for stores to decorate, especially since most stores don’t have a lot of storage space to hold decorations. Perhaps stores should consider getting a Christmas tree from a company like phs Greenleaf, for example. A lot of businesses seem to hire from there as phs Greenleaf have a spectacular range of Christmas trees for your premises, available for hire over the holiday season. Every store needs a Christmas tree, so it’s important to try and find one to use in your holiday display. Planning a party? Think about your guests. Who are you inviting? Is it just for family and friends? Or is it a party for a cause with a lot of coworkers or business associates? Pick a theme that connects to the guests or cause.
Pro tip: Picking a theme doesn’t mean you have to buy all new things! Look at what you already own and work from there. If you have bird-shaped napkin holders, you’re halfway to a wintry woodland theme (just add some tree cuttings!). Repurposing is your friend.
Rule of Three or the “Pyramid Principle.”
This is an easy way to make a display look purposeful. The idea behind this concept is that when the eye looks at something asymmetrical, it keeps moving; we look at the focal point and then “step down” to the other items. We do this at our stores most commonly with height (tall, medium, and short) and work with items in sets of three. Make sure your display has a sense of height and/or depth.
Pro tip: Pyramids can be created from any type of object, from folded fabric to round vases to animal statues. Start with the tallest object first. Mirrors will always add depth to a display, especially if placed behind all the items.
Keep It Balanced.
We know it is easy to get carried away when decorating, sometimes simple peel and stick wallpaper is best. Remember to step back and edit. Most of the time, less is more (except in those cases when more is more and you can always add one more sparkly feature…).
Pro tip: How do you know if it’s too cluttered? Taking a photo sometimes helps you determine this. If your display is hard to frame with a camera or doesn’t look as good in 2-D, you might need to take a couple of items away or to rearrange.
