A Little Luxe in our Holiday Decor

Our 2011 Holiday theme is "natural + color" . . . but that doesn't mean there's not room for a little glamour. Inspired by the holiday bling in the fashion world (like this spread from Harper's BAZAAR), this year we decided to mix in just a touch of gold to raise the sparkle quotient.

On our tree, we purchased some gold chain at the hardware store (thanks for the tip, Emily Henderson and HGTV) and turned it into a festive garland, hanging it right next to the color pop garland purchased at Anthropologie. Then we bought some shiny gold fabric and bunched it artfully into our tree skirt. It's all topped off by our golden moon (a nice alternative to the traditional star).

We wove a similar gold chain into the garland that decks our stairwell.

We love the juxtaposition of the shiny gold with the natural greenery.

Top: you can see how simple twinkle lights enhance a rustic straw wreath. Bottom: The gold chain appears once again above our bench . . . leopard + gold + green = subtle holiday glamour!

We added mini-trees made of different materials all around the space. Left, feather trees offset a vase of glowing branches. At right, a rosemary tree sits next to a tiny pine cone tree. The bright turquoise wall, fuchsia ornaments, and red table bring merry shots of color to the scene.

When you're decorating this week, don't be afraid to combine materials and colors. We created a mix of color, rustic textures and a touch of gold . . . what can you create? Let us know in the comments below!