Shades of Winter
Tall ceilings demand
large-scale solutions. In the voluminous living room,
a 15-foot Christmas tree with 47 strands of white
lights fills a wide-open corner,
opposite.
A massive
wreath-topped mirror sits on the mantel. The fresh
greenery and chartreuse accessories add splashes
of color to the white-walled space.
Pretty as a Package
Fresh greenery and
painted pinecones tied in polka-dot ribbon are
elegant toppers for the Christmas presents,
left.
Have a Ball
Alive with color and texture, the
Christmas tree includes a mix of black-and-white
and chartreuse ornaments,
below
—a collection that
took five years to amass. “I love ornaments that are a
little bit on the funky side,” Shana says.
As an interior designer, Shana Smith is adept at creating high
style that is also livable and affordable. Her sensible, budget-
savvy approach to decorating has her constantly thinking
outside the box—a skill she puts to use when crafting her
home’s holiday decor.
Practicality motivated Shana to incorporate her home’s
existing color palette into her Christmas designs. There’s no
reason, she feels, to spend a fortune on new accessories that are
only displayed for a few weeks. Her matter-of-fact philosophy
frees her from the limitations of a traditional red-and-green
Christmas palette.
“My husband, Matthew, and I don’t have red or Christmas
green in our house, so I don’t use those colors for my holiday
decorating" says the pragmatic designer.
Light-color
walls,
distressed
white
furniture,
and
neutral accents fill the Smith family’s Michigan home. The
potentially stark black-and-white palette is invigorated with
drama from playful chartreuse green accents.
Black, white, and kicky green may be an unorthodox
holiday color scheme, but Shana has no trouble making
it work. She extends the palette throughout the house so it
flows logically from room to room. Traditional touches meld
with contemporary embellishments for a fresh twist on
Christmas classics.
“I just wanted to create a timeless yet fresh design that was
anything but boring and not over-the-top unrealistic" Shana
says.
Converting
her
everyday
decor
into
a
seasonal
showstopper takes Shana about a week. She starts the
transformation with the tree. Vaulted ceilings in her living
room call for a large tree—typically between 12 and 16 feet—
that takes time to decorate.
Best of Christmas Ideas
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