Simply Stephanie: ChristmasDecor.

I know this is late, but by the time I had the pictures taken and the apartment actually decorated, Christmas was in full swing around here and there was no time to actually finish the blog. So here is a little bit about how the Hartford's decorate for Christmas.

I'm a minimalist when it comes to decor of any season really. I like pieces that are multipurpose and that do not require a lot of work or change and I hate to spend much money. On the same note however, I love crafts, DIY and keeping on top of what is hot and popular.

The husband and I decided to choose Christmas colours that were timeless. Things that we could easily add to and that we would still enjoy even ten years down the road. I love the fuchsias, turquoises and bright greens that have been popular as of late, however I knew that with time the colours would fade and I would not be so thrilled to have them screaming brightly at me each Christmas. We picked our colours before we were married and bought a bunch of decor for half price on boxing day (and we have then added to it each year since). We went with silver, red and white. I love it and am happy with what we chose.

Last year we were in a small apartment. Hence the tree fit the space and we found a little went a long way. I fill a vase we keep out year round that was actually left over from our wedding, as well as a bowl my friend brought back from Africa that is always on our coffee table with a mixture of left over bulbs.

Last year I made a Christmas wreath for the door. I wired in the bulbs and used the bow that was originally on the top of our card box from the wedding and was able to create a wonderful wreath. I love to display the various Christmas cards we receive on a ribbon on our wall. The location this year was not as ideal as last, however I still love the idea of it and then we are able to enjoy all of the wonderful cards.

This year I was feeling creative and with our new balcony door and a number of extra bulbs I thought up a creative way to display them. I took simple ribbon (I am thinking of switching this for better ribbon later) and simply tied one end to the bulbs and stuck the other end into the ceiling. I hung them at different heights and used a variety of styles of bulbs and it is just the perfect match while still leaving the door and draps completely functional.

So those are just a few of the ways we add a little festivity to our apartment over the holidays. I love the Christmas season. I love the sentimental aspects of it and the reason behind the celebration and I love how the husband and I have been able to make it so meaningful while still taking into consideration the issue of space and storage.What do you do to decorate? I would love suggestions and easy, cost effective ideas to incorporate into the decor for next year.