The holidays are upon us! There are some who transform their homes into a holiday wonderland, and there are some who keep their homes exactly the same. I’m somewhere in the middle and will set up smaller areas to update for the last month of the year! Since I don’t have a chimney with a mantle (a classic holiday spot for decor), I find that a small shelf or ledge does great as an area to concentrate your holiday joy. Here’s a look at my before and after and some tips for creating an area of your own…

The Before/Non Holiday Version
Here’s what this little nook looks like most of the time—a couple plants, some books, a few objects for display, as well as a large print and a sculptural mirror on the wall. I love this little entry way area.

The After/Holiday Version
For the holidays, I’ve updated with some of my collected pieces that I put up every year as well as some items that were already there.

1 – Keep in some things you already have
Some people have storage rooms full of their holiday collections ready to transform their homes. But I have limited storage so I really try and use some of the items I already have out. Items like plants, plant stands, and sculptural objects can stay and mix in with your holiday items. Also, large prints or art can be hard to tuck away so don’t be afraid to work them into the moment!

2 – Add in the holiday!
Have a handful of things ready that create your holiday scene. I stocked up on these glass trees last year in a few colors so I love the idea of combining them in new ways each year. I scattered them throughout this ledge around the large print.

3 – Keep a color scheme in mind
When it comes to the holidays, I have always been a fan of the off-kilter version of Christmas. So I tend to lean towards green and pink in various shades. With green as the focal color, I popped in some pink with the hot pink candles (notice I used ones that aren’t brand new!) and a couple pink glass trees, too.

4 – Use everyday objects in creative ways
I love vintage ornaments, but it wouldn’t be easy to hang those in this area. So instead, I placed a handful into a clear ice bucket which offers a fun way to display them and let their colors still peek through!

5 – Create variation in height and texture
Finally, when placing your objects for display, aim for a variety with heights of the objects. That will help move the eyes along as you don’t want items that all look the same. Create clusters and groupings when mixing the objects. And, odd numbers always do well! You can see I have three trees, three candles, and five trees!

(Sources: Dove (similar); Glass Christmas Trees (Similar); Pink Candles; Ice Bucket (similar); Vintage Ornaments; Wood Candle Holders, Wreath (Similar))