If you don't have time to make your own holiday handmade items, Etsy can be a good resource – or a place to get some ideas and inspiration to make your own items. All the items shown here are from Etsy, so whether it's stockings, wreaths, tea towels or tree skirts – there are many cute holiday themed homemade items on their website!
ANTIQUE ACCESSORIES
In my own home, I like to use a lot of unique antique accessories to add character to rooms. I love going to antique shops and hunting around for small things that catch my eye. The old NS sign above was one of my favourite finds. It's an old sign that was used to indicate picnic table locations. I have quite a few favourites, but these are a few others!
Some kitchen items.
A wooden trug and old croquet set.
A giant old shell and basket.
My fave whale bone and antique Quebec farmhouse painting.
DIY: CREATE A STYLISH PILLOW
A very simple, inexpensive DIY idea is to use a stencil and fabric screen printing ink to add some pattern to a solid piece of fabric. I happened to have some white cotton pillow covers, so I decided to add some colour and pattern. It's as easy as holding the stencil on the fabric and tapping on the ink. The great part is you could use this idea for just about anything: a table cloth, place mats, napkins, pillows, etc. There are lots of different stencils and ink colours, so the options are pretty endless. Here are the pictures of my progress right up to the pillow in my living room.
DESIGN INSPIRATION: ARTWORK BY THE ANIMAL PRINT SHOP
I was looking at Domaine Home and saw this room, with this adorable artwork on the wall of a baby nursery. This is a print called wolf pup, shown below.
I was intrigued by the wolf print and found that the credit was given to an online company called The Animal Print Shop. They sell adorable animal prints. I think they are a perfect fit for a child's room, but they show their prints in a variety of rooms. This is a great resource for interesting animal artwork. I also love them in the white frames, it provides a soft backdrop and lets the animal print be the focus.
Images from: The Animal Print Shop & Domaine Home (top image)
ASK DEB NELSON: HOW TO DECORATE A MANTEL
A fireplace is often the focal point of a living room. I'm frequently asked about how to decorate the mantel. It usually requires one larger item, like artwork or a mirror to ground the whole area. Then from there it's all about experimenting with different heights and objects to get the right balanced look. Some mantels are more layered with items, while others are a bit more sparse. I always suggest checking some decor magazines, or looking online, for some inspiration of mantels you like and then try to recreate the look at your own house. Here is another of mine with a black mirror and some simple vases of shells and antique books.
This mantel from House Beautiful has always caught my eye, it's simple yet pretty and colourful. Also interesting to see a round mirror.
Another simple mantel from Elle Decor that looks great. This kind of looks like a chalkboard to me above the mantel but it may be art.
A more layered approach with a few pieces of art.
