With so many holiday design elements to choose from, it’s important to recognize that many holiday items are toxic or harmful for the environment. Take energy usage, as an example.
Everyone loves bundling up and taking a tour of the magical light displays on neighbor’s lawns and rooftops. The amount of electricity used to power these shows could probably sustain a small town for a month. The problem with using too much electricity is that it releases heat into the atmosphere. Green friendly decorators can choose to use LED lighting. These bulbs use less than a tenth of the energy of traditional bulbs and last more than twenty times longer. Being earth conscious doesn’t mean you have to give up decorating, only that you need be more thoughtful about your decorating ideas.
Use What You Have
A complete holiday transformation can often be achieved with materials you already have. Photos of your family with Santa or old Christmas cards are works of art waiting to happen. Make a collage of all of your old cards and put them in frames. Replace your wall hangings with card art for the holidays. Work with your den design instead of against it.
Don’t be so quick to throw away cracked or broken tree ornaments, as they can be used to dress up a mantel or placed in a bowl for a dramatic centerpiece. Old ornaments offer glitz and glamour of light, without the mess and heat of candle wax. Conceal small cracks in the glass or broken tops by burying those areas in beautifully arranged leaves and branches. Sometimes the simplest decorating ideas are the most effective.
Go Green with Greenery
Trim small branches and greenery off of trees in your yard, and incorporate them into your seasonal displays. Magnolia tree branches can be displayed in a vase. Spray them with a water based clear paint to make them last all season and use less water. This is especially good for holiday kitchen design ideas.
Don’t forget the brown parts of the plants. Twigs, branches and pinecones make dramatic and beautiful displays. Spray paint them for a fun and modern holiday look. When working with these types of decorating ideas, be sure to use clay based paints. These paints are made with soy and do not give off harmful toxins, and have a lovely matte finish that keeps the natural theme.
Fallen brushwood also looks beautiful when distributed among the branches of a Christmas tree. Eucalyptus and magnolia leaves give a tree a unique, decorative element. Abandoned bird’s nests can be brought inside for a whimsical touch.
Some of the best decorating ideas come from what you already own and the beauty of nature that surrounds your home. Holidays are the best time to bring the outside in, to create beautiful and earth friendly designs.
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