- Wrap your chandelier arms with garlands (greens or wire stars, etc.) or twisted gold ribbon and Christmas lights. Use low wattage “flicker flame”, “wax-dipped”, gold, or red and green bulbs in your chandelier. For a whimsical touch, try our golden star bulb! Tie tiny holiday ribbon bows around the crystals on your chandelier. Or add wired ribbon bows with long steamers to each chandelier arm.
- Hang Christmas ornaments (metallic balls, gold tassels, cherubs, stars, etc.) from your wall sconces, chandelier and ceiling lights using holiday ribbon. Hang chandelier crystals (to reflect the light) from your wreath, garlands, and Christmas tree. Add magnetic crystals to your chandeliers and metal floor lamps.
- Put candlestick lamps on every windowsill and tie holiday ribbons and holly sprigs around them. Flicker-flame bulbs will give the effect of real candles.
- Create “curtain lights” for your window (hang between curtain panels) using Christmas net lights sandwiched between sheer gold metallic fabric looped over curtain rod.
- Hang mistletoe (using holiday ribbon) from your front hall lantern or chandelier.
- Use a portable outdoor spotlight in your front yard to spotlight your wreath.
- Use a plant light to highlight special holiday arrangements (nativity, decorative Santas, mantle scenes, gingerbread houses, etc.). Or use a battery candle inside gingerbread house, Nativity barn, etc.
- Change your chandelier shades for the holidays. Try red and green or gold silk shades. Or glue holly leaves and berries around the edge of inexpensive shades. Wrap existing shades in wrapping paper or foil and tie them with ribbon (make sure there are no loose ends near light bulbs).
- “Dip” your chandelier crystals and tree balls in gold (use gold spray paint to give this effect).
- Outline your doorways, crown molding and kickplate below cabinets (especially the bar) with tiny light strands (or rope lights).
- Wrap Christmas lights (or rope lights) around garlands & wreaths and the outline your powder room mirror.
- Wrap your banisters and columns with string lights. Then wrap with sheer metallic fabric.
- Put net lights over your indoor plants for a quick effect.
- Line your mantle with window candlelights or real candles in varying heights.
- Use timers on your tree, outdoor holiday lights, and window candles!
- Use our crystal bulb covers (clear or amber) on sconces and chandeliers.
- Fill a Moravian star with tiny Christmas lights and hang from the ceiling over your Christmas tree.
- Lay a gold frame mirror down on a table and top with cluster of crystal candlesticks. Add holly or magnolia?
- Fill glass vases with battery Christmas lights, glass ornaments, and holly sprigs.
- Line stairway with pillar candles, circled with greenery.
- Take white wire Christmas lights and create “sculptures” and hang from the ceiling like a pendant.
- And don’t forget to light the fire and put on the holiday music!
©Shades of Light 2008
Posts Tagged ‘plant lights’
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Looking to freshen your home without emptying your wallet? Check out these simple ideas to keep costs low and results high.
- Paint one wall an accent color or a deeper shade of the color you already have. If the room is long & narrow, paint a warm dark color on the short wall. Or paint the ceiling a light cool color. Or just paint the fireplace wall section an accent color. Add new lamps with that accent color.
- Paint a piece of furniture (such as a coffee table or 2 end tables) an accent color. Be sure to use the proper prep (ask the local hardware store for guidance).
- Rearrange your furniture and add a new rug. Change or recover your throw pillows or try “wrapping” them with your favorite scarf.
- Take an existing console or end table and add a storage shelf on the bottom for baskets to hold “stuff”. Paint the shelf an accent color or use antique wood flooring. Or sell an existing piece of furniture at a consignment store and replace it with a storage piece like a mirrored furniture piece that will always go with any look you do.
- Add inexpensive seating “stools” that can double as end tables. Paint them a fun color or distress them and “paint” with an antique wash.
- Add accent lighting (plant lights on timers, picture lights, spotlight on sculpture or architectural feature). You will be amazed at how much accent lighting can do for a room at night! Put dimmers on all other lighting in the room.
- Add some interest to your walls by taking all pictures down and rearranging them in a new plan on the floor, adding short shelves made from antique molding (for collections of sculpture, colored or clear glass, candles or candlesticks), table clocks and decorative items from the kitchen that can be hung on the wall (platters or plates, containers that can hold trailing greenery, handmade bowls, etc.), and small mirrors hung from decorative chain or interesting ribbon. Try adding an open empty frame (antique ones are great) around a plate or platter (maybe even on the diagonal).
- Add a “fun” fabric lamp shade on a plain lamp.
- New monogrammed towels for your bathroom (Hit the white sales!).
- Frame your bathroom mirror with antique molding, polyurethane molding painted in an accent color, upholstery braid, or outdoor ribbon.
©Shades of Light 2008
