Shea McGee’s three favorite Christmas decorations
What do her favorite Christmas decorating ideas involve? Here, Shea reveals how to bring the Studio McGee look into your home.
1. Dress your mantel with a faux garland
The designer begins with a ‘faux, mess-free garland for draping on everything from mantels to stairwells,’ as seen in her mantelscape above. Secondly, she suggests picking up ‘time-worn golden bells [that add] character to a tree or styled in a vignette.’ Lastly, Shea recommends grouping sculptural trees to bring a ‘festive feeling to any corner.’
2. Experiment with festive accents
Garlands and golden bells are amongst Shea’s top three Christmas living room decor ideas – but how does she style them in the McGee household? The key is in the textures. In her blog (opens in new tab), Shea adds that alongside garlands and bells, you can ‘add festivity to each vignette with textural mini trees’ and soft furnishings that have a subtle nod to the holidays. ‘Switching out your throws and pillows to more seasonal ones can go a long way, but they don’t have to be embroidered with reindeers and Santa Clause to feel festive,’ Shea explains. Instead, she suggests ‘incorporating velvet, wool, and knit textures to add a pretty, streamlined look.’
3. Balance big statements with small furnishings
While bells and garlands may sound wholly transformative, Shea adds that these ‘small moments’ are essential for creating a balance between the larger focal points. For example, when considering Christmas hallway decor ideas, you can add ‘cheer to your bookshelves’ by adding ornaments in a bowl – to create the right first impression over the holidays. This is the most sociable season, after all. You can continue to take inspiration from Shea, long after festivities conclude. In Make Life Beautiful, the designer and husband Syd share how they built their business – and how to bring their sought-after aesthetic into your home (at all points of the year).
