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Something Old, Something New Mix tradition with festive flair for a holiday all your own  Image courtesy Pier 1 Imports The holidays are all about combining the old with the new. Heirloom tree ornaments hang among the latest Hallmark collectibles. Recipes passed down through three generations fill the kitchen with familiar aromas, but the chef in the family never fails to unveil a new dish for the holiday feast. However, challenges can arise when setting the table and decking the halls. Bound by tradition to use Grandma's china, a flummoxed host wonders how to pair the pink floral pattern with the platter she brought back from Mexico. A shopper stands in the seasonal aisle eyeing some amethyst balls, but how will they fit with her traditional red and green trimmings? "When mixing Christmas ornaments of any kind, it's important to have a plan," says Los Angeles-based interior designer Sarah Barnard. Sort ornaments into groups, like with like. Then, "decide what exactly it is that you're going for," Barnard says. "Would you like to make a more traditional statement with a subtle infusion of modern style?" In that case, she recommends using 75 percent traditional ball or bell-shaped ornaments accented with 25 percent "wow elements" evenly distributed throughout. If you have Great Aunt Edna's randomly assorted Victorian ornament collection and want to modernize it, consider purchasing 2-inch balls in a unifying color, such as chrome, which will add a fresh, minimalist element to the mix. Barnard's favorite brand of ornament balls is Roman, sold in specialty, department and gift stores. Along with the usual holiday palette, the balls come in colors that tweak tradition. Look for champagne, opaque white, kiwi and olive this year. Perhaps the simplest solution is to select ornaments that are all one color. "This helps create cohesiveness, easily blending the old traditional ornaments with the newer modern ones," says Monica Pedersen, the Chicago-based host/designer for HGTV's "Designed to Sell" and "Dream Home." Grouping by theme is another way to ensure cohesion. For example, use angel ornaments in any style, but use angels exclusively. Whether you're grouping like with like, or by color or theme, think beyond the boughs. Arrange decorations in glass hurricane candle shades of varying heights, and place them on a sideboard or tabletop, says Linda Bettencourt, owner of San Francisco-based Studio B Design. Using fresh or fake garland, attach decorations with floral wire and drape the greenery across the mantel or wrap it around the banister. This keeps antique or fragile ornaments out of children's reach, she says. Hanging ornaments from a chandelier "can really make an impact over the dinner table," Pedersen says. When combining old and new holiday decor, choose one element as the inspiration or focal point and play it up as much as you can, Bettencourt recommends. For example, one of her clients has a collection of vintage glass beaded fruit, which inspired a palette of orange, purple and red for the other holiday decorations. They bought faux fruit for the tree, garlands and door wreath. "The color and sparkle of the fruit were perfectly complemented with shiny ornaments and the simple, natural texture of the fresh garland," she says. In her own home, a set of Franciscan apple dishes Bettencourt inherited from her grandmother serves as the inspiration. For the holiday meal, she uses red charger plates and then her own Lenox Eternal wedding china, crowned with the apple dishes. A set of red checked salad plates she bought in London completes the festive layout. "I try to strike a balance of large and small, neutrals and colors, and shiny and dull," she says. With those happy contrasts in mind, "Go ahead and mix your grandmother's china with your wedding china. Use a set of matching chargers underneath to bring together disparate sets," Bettencourt says. Juliska's octagonal pewter-colored chargers lend themselves to layering. Available at specialty shops and fine department stores, Juliska tableware is microwave and dishwasher safe yet elegant enough to share a tablecloth with the daintiest china. |
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