It’s the most magical time of the year, and apart from creating gingerbread cookies and mark everything off from us winter bucket list, we’re most excited about putting up a Christmas tree and filling our house with festive cheer. And while we love traditional, we also like to change things up and take advantage of our own during the season. So this year, we’re following the lead of Anastasia Casey — founder of Collective Identitè and IDCO Studio—With a modern approach to holiday decor that ditches sparkle for a neutral and natural theme.
Simplicity, neutrals, and nature were the goal, so Casey infused her monochrome aesthetic, layered in textures and patterns with holiday greenery to evoke a woodland setting right from the get-go. a modern fairy tale. Just finished one completely renewed Last year, she couldn’t wait to decorate her new space for the holidays. “The holidays for me are about gratitude for the abundance we experience throughout the year, so I tend to keep things feeling very natural when I decorate,” she shares. . “I’ve tried to focus on ideas that are relevant to the ongoing pandemic: sustainability, simplicity, ease of maintenance, and efficiency.”
Our favorite detail? Beautiful golden brown velvet ribbon. In fact, Casey says this is the starting point for her modern holiday decor and inspires an entire color palette throughout the rest of the house. To make them feel festive but not cliché, she opted for color blocking and varying textures. After sourcing local beeswax candles, Casey took inspiration from their golden butter color and played with ribbons. “Although it is very small, the blocked color approach creates an important moment,” she said. We couldn’t agree more.
Take a tour to see Casey’s approach to modern holiday decor, then shop:
Tell us more about the color palette.
Every holiday season, I pick a color palette and run it around the house. I like to have greenery as a focal point, so I usually choose two or three solid colors to complement it. I went with a muted bronze and a pale marigold. They share a similar and complementary tone while differentiating themselves enough to feel unique. Just three velvet ribbons are enough to decorate my entire house.
The greenery is gorgeous. Let us know about it. Any tips for maintenance?
All the beautiful greenery comes from Lulu & Georgia. Because I was natural all of our wreaths and garlands, I immediately soaked them in the bath overnight. This gives your raw veggies a good last drink after their trip and prepares them for an extra week or two on your wall. After the plants have been hung, I water them once or twice a week. We’ve had a particularly warm fall so far in Austin, so I sprayed my greens every day.
What’s the tip for creating a typical Christmas-free look?
I’ve always gravitated toward slightly “off” colors. Faded beard, dusty heater, bold cobalt – the trick to making it feel like holiday is to use satin or velvet ribbons and skip the glitter.
Putting candles on green trees is a beautiful feature. Any advice for this?
Safety is always my top priority when decorating for the holidays, so making sure these candles stay steady is a must. Instead of using a traditional garland, I just cut individual olive branches and tied them around the candles so they could sit upright on the mantle.
What is the best approach to recreating this fireplace look? Any tricks people can steal?
Get as many different candle sizes as you can, then buy 20% more. The best way to recreate this look is to group the candles together tightly, leaving little space between them. It produces a better editorial effect and feels less confusing. When it comes to styling, less is more! A few simple velvet ribbons tied casually in monochromatic colors will elevate the whole look.
What type of greenery goes best with this look, and did you draw inspiration from the artwork when choosing it?
This look works universally with any greenery you can find. During the season, I actually cut new branches from my yard and replace them every two weeks to keep the mulch fresh. These particular branches are olive branches, a traditional symbol of peace, which I sourced locally from an olive grove in the hills. Once I chose the palette, I used Samsung frame TV to find free artwork to showcase. This is a Rembrandt from Samsung Art Store. I love this TV because I have access to an archive of art from the top museums around the world, which makes it simple to switch it seasonally.
We really love the other natural elements you used in the decor, can you expand on that?
This year, I especially decided to focus on natural wreaths and garlands for my holiday decorations, and I love how it smells the house, especially when you use unexpected greenery like bay leaves. cinnamon, olive branches or eucalyptus wreaths. In the kitchen, I like to decorate with the harvest season: bowls of persimmons and pomegranates on the open shelf and little rosemary on the counter that I cook with all winter.
Any tips for those who don’t have a big budget to decorate?
Well, use what you have! Use items you already have around the house in a new way. The holidays are all about sparkle, so group your copper or chrome decorative accents spread throughout your home into more strategic locations. Metallic lights, sculptural objects, or glittering storage boxes create the perfect amount of sparkle when sprinkled throughout a room.
We love how you incorporate art into your space. Tell us about putting it together for the holiday.
From chic vintage landscapes to budget-friendly downloadable prints, turning your artwork into something more seasonal is more than a designer trick that just makes everything special. separate. I have a large snow landscape painting my great-grandmother painted that I hung in our living room, which instantly sets the tone for the entire space. Placing small prints in metal frames all over your bookshelf is a timeless trick that sparks moments of joy.
We love how simple the holiday decor is and how it complements the space. Is that intentional?
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past 18 months, it’s that simplicity is a luxury. Every moment of your day has a chance to be special, and sometimes it requires you to get rid of the superfluous to find it. I recommend decorating in stages if decorating your home feels too intimidating for a weekend. A small flower headboard is all a bedroom could need to create a festive feel. Crystal clear glitter lights may be all the tree you need right now, and you can add decorations as a family in a few weeks. Enjoy every moment as it comes and cherish the beauty in simplicity.
Now, shop around to achieve a modern holiday decor at home…
DECORATE
ENTRANCE
LIVING ROOM
DINING ROOM
KITCHEN
BEDROOM
BATHROOM
