Modern, vintage mix for holidays

The drill will start in the next two weeks. Homeowners around the metro area will begin climbing into the attic or digging through the garage for the holiday decorations.

Whether you’re an avid designer of holiday styles or starting out in a new abode with no idea of how to begin, Jamie Kern has a few ideas to make your space a sensation this season.

The Sandy Springs interior designer and owner of Design Theory Interiors likes to mix vintage and modern items that are whimsical, nostalgic and not necessarily all that expensive.

“I love decorating for the holidays in my own home because I get to pull out all the fun stuff from when I was a kid,” said Kern. “It lets me relive my childhood a bit.”

Vintage Christmas ornaments and decorations are a way to transport a space back to a simpler time, said Kern. “And there’s something charming about the way they age. They’re not the typical red bows and green garland that everyone else has.”

Among Kern’s favorite vintage decorations are a collection of old children’s Christmas books; little cardboard Christmas villages from the Pennsylvania Dutch; retro Coca-Cola stuffed Santa dolls; and a 1950s sign that blinks “Merry Christmas” in colored lights. Many times, homeowners can create a holiday vignette using things they already have, such as skates, sleds and toys.

“If you think about other ways to use what you have in your house, you’ll be surprised,” said Kern.

If you don’t have a stash of your childhood books or Grandma’s figurines, buying substitutes is easy. But don’t feel pressured to buy a truckload of items just to come up with a look; take time to browse and see what’s out there, said Kern.

“If you’re just starting out, I’d go to the big antique markets because that’s where you’ll see things that are unique,” she said. “You can get some really great bargains at places like the Scott Antique market. There is always someone there with vintage Christmas items.”

When it comes to color, Kern leans toward silvers, golds and white, especially for a contemporary environment such as a loft or a less traditional home. She lets the color scheme of a room dictate which bold shades she’ll add. Sometimes, adding festive color is as easy as replacing everyday pillows with ones trimmed in gold, beads or tassels or adding a throw in a rich shade.

“I also add sparkle in unexpected places by sprinkling small brightly colored foil trees throughout the house,” she said. “A tabletop silver foil tree with brightly colored ornaments is a wonderful unexpected twist. And a fuchsia or aqua bow on your traditional wreath will have the neighbors talking.”

Kern even adds color below the tree. “I usually buy 3 yards of fabric, depending on how fluffy I want it, and throw it under the tree,” she said. “It looks so much prettier than those basic tree skirts. You can get a more elegant, festive look by draping fabric across a table.”

If you’re still looking for new decor items after the holidays, Kern suggests an unlikely place.

“I’d tell people to check out their local Starbuck’s,” she said. “They often have these quirky little decorations in their stores that they sell after the holidays.”

Design tips

How can you make your home look like the Ritz this winter?

Follow these five fashionable tips from Theresa Williams, the floral designer of the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead:

1. Put a fresh or faux red amaryllis in a tall glass cylinder and place on the mantel or entryway. The real flowers will last at least a month and provide a pretty floral focus in a traditional holiday color.

2. Create warmth and ambience with candles. For a mantel or table centerpiece, float candles in different-sized cylinders filled with water.

3. Break out the 24-karat gold spray paint! The tips of branches, dried flowers and even evergreens can be touched with gold or sprayed completely for a holiday look. Give a new look to an old silk or dried flower arrangement with gold spray.

4. Don’t scrimp on ribbon. Run it through tree branches, around napkins and up the banisters.

5. Create a rich look using different shades of the same color in floral arrangements.