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5 Simple Steps to Stage Your Home for the Holiday Season

By Laura Amendola on December 16, 2024

Close up of holiday tree.

The holidays are rapidly approaching. Festivities are just around the corner, whether it be full-blown holiday parties or just small family gatherings, so it’s time to get in the holiday spirit. Put your home staging skills to the ultimate use: by staging your own home for the holidays! Here are some steps you can take to do just that!

1. Create an inviting entryway

Blue door with wreath.

Your entryway is the first thing guests see when they enter your home, so you want to make it pleasant, welcoming, and appealing. Here are some ways to do this:

  • Ambient lighting: Ambient lighting is great for any holiday or time of year because it fills the space with warmth. You can incorporate this both indoors and outdoors.
  • Statement doorways: Festive wreaths, garland, or large, tasteful decor pieces can make the exterior of your house pop.
  • Welcome mats: A simple staple that you can align with any holiday.
  • Layered decor: Add a festive touch to any existing decor you already have. Potted plants or trees can be wrapped in burlap or ribbon and light fixtures can be dressed in greenery.

Read more: 10 Top Design Trends of 2024

2. Start with seasonal textures and fabrics

Holiday table with plaid table cloth.

The great thing about decor items like pillows, blankets, and even curtains or rugs is that they can be interchangeable. Replacing your everyday blankets and throw pillow covers with seasonal or festive ones is a simple way to stage your home for any time of year. Some other ways you can incorporate seasonal textures and fabrics include:

  • Color: Add festive hues and color palettes wherever you deem fit, like deep red, emerald green, or gold.
  • Layering: Layer fabrics and mix textures for a cozy and unique aesthetic.
  • Go natural: Natural textures like wood and woven materials can create a cozy vibe.

3. Add statement pieces for a festive focal point

Christmas tree and fireplace.

Depending on your personal style, statement pieces could be the perfect addition to your holiday decor. Here are some ideas for the kind of statement pieces you can incorporate:

  • A holiday tree: This one may be obvious, but the decor doesn’t always have to follow the traditional lights and ornaments layout. A festive or unique tree can be great decor for any holiday or time of year.
  • Mantel decor: A mantel is a great place to show what you can do with garland, baubles, or if you hang stockings, some statement stocking holders.
  • Centerpieces: When hosting holiday dinner, it’s important to dress the tables with festive centerpieces to tie the meal together.
  • Holiday artwork: Adorn your walls with art that matches the time of year. You can capture the holiday spirit with festive sculptures as well.

Read more: How to Use Instagram to Grow Your Interior Design Business (Guide)

4. Use layered lighting for a warm, welcoming glow

Twinkle lights in window.

Utilizing light can be key to staging a home for the holidays. Ambience is often the best way to make a house feel like a cozy retreat, especially this time of year. There are a variety of ways you can achieve this aesthetic:

  • String lights: Perhaps the simplest yet perfect way to add some ambient light both indoors and outdoors, string lights come in various hues of white and gold, or you can go with colorful options to bring the season to life.
  • Candles: Real or fake, candlelight can make any holiday evening feel warm and comfortable. Seasonal scents can also create a festive environment.
  • Lamps: Floor and table lamps can shower your space in warm light. With the invention of smart lightbulbs, you can even change the color of the light they give off.
  • Accent lighting: Lucky for you, ambience is very in right now and thus, the lighting options are near endless. Under cabinet lights or light strips around your television can add more warmth into your home.

5. Create cozy seating areas for holiday gatherings

Holiday pillows and twinkle lights.

Where and how you seat people at holiday parties can make a difference. Here are some ways you can do this right:

  • Furniture arrangement: Make it easy for your guests to get lost in conversation by positioning furniture in an inviting way.
  • Blankets and throw pillows: Having seasonal throws and pillows is great, but where you put them can help achieve the exact vibe you want. Ideally, you want many of these lush staples in easy reach of anyone who may want one.
  • Creative seating: If you’re having a large gathering, you don’t need to invest in 20 more chairs you’re never going to use again. You can utilize ottomans or floor poufs for additional seating.

Read more: Learn Home Staging Online

Holiday home staging tips for every room

Now that you’ve learned these steps, it’s time to put them together for each of the rooms in the house! Here are some ideas for how you can combine steps for each room:

  • Entryway: Wreaths, garland, or statement pieces like large nutcrackers can make this area pop.
  • Living Room: The tree, if you’re having one, should be the focal point. You can accentuate it with decor on the mantel and cozy rugs, pillows, and throw blankets aplenty.
  • Dining Room: This is a great room to experiment with textures and fabrics! Tablecloths layered under runners coupled with festive centerpieces can make your table stand out.
  • Kitchen: Your holiday specific decor can shine in this room. Bust out those seasonal dish towels and holiday mugs and top it off with a scented candle crackling on the stovetop.
  • Bedroom: String up some fairy lights to create a comfortable ambience. You can also switch out your everyday bedding with a holiday quilt and maybe add a tabletop tree to your nightstand.
  • Bathroom: Holiday towels can be put on display here as well. You can also hang some greenery like eucalyptus to create a festive aesthetic that smells great as well!

New York Institute of Art and Design (NYIAD) interior design advisor Janet Ramin shares one last tip that can work for any room! “Don't forget to pay attention to scents. It's the holiday season so whiffs of evergreen, apple pie, and cinnamon wafting through the air will make guests feel right at home. And no need to cook - just use candles to lure them in!”

Learn more home staging tips and tricks

To get inspiration, there are plenty of design shows you can put on to see how the professionals do it. NYIAD graduate Mariah Terrel found her passion this way. “During the shutdown, I eagerly joined my dad in renovating our home,” she shared. “I gained invaluable skills by delving into tasks like flooring, painting, woodworking, and crafting furniture. Meanwhile, my mom and I bonded over HGTV, particularly Fixer-Upper, sparking my fascination with design.”

Like Mariah, enrolling into a design school like NYIAD can help you hone your skills, which you can not only use for future clients but also for staging your own home for the holidays. Request more information on our home staging and other courses to see if this is the right move for you!

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