Text by Bethany Adams
When it comes to decorating for Christmas, Monica Lavin of the lifestyle blog Lavin Label knows that her approach isn’t typical of others in her field. “I’m probably a little different than the average blogger who is probably planning their Christmas décor in July,” she admits. “Sometimes I think, especially being in the blogging world, that there are these really high expectations for Christmas. And so, I thought this year I would take a simple approach and really just focus on adding some natural elements.”
Rather than decking the halls with vivid colors and shimmering gold ribbons, Monica accented the natural tones of her home’s existing décor with an abundance of greenery, which, along with her trees, she bought from Webster’s Christmas Tree Farm in Darien, Georgia. The soft blue hues and crisp white walls throughout the home are perfectly enhanced by the rich green tones of plentiful wreaths and garland, with drops of red peppering the design with holiday cheer. “I kind of wanted to just keep the décor simple in a sense,” the blogger notes.
In keeping with that desire, Monica made the decision to forgo ornaments and garland on the tree. Instead, she created interest by pairing two gray-blue Carolina Sapphires, which she placed in custom-made crates and wrapped with white string lights. “And then I decided, since I wasn’t going to do a lot of ornaments, to maybe bring in a little bit of fullness with the gifts under the tree,” she adds. “And so, I stuck with a color palette of blues and greens and just a little bit of red and pink.”
When it comes to dining room décor, Monica says, “It’s about being more approachable.” She adds that an understated elegance can help guests feel special without making them nervous to sit down at the table. On her own table, she used simple taper candles and tulips accented by a lively wreath and a spray of greenery atop the art on the wall.
While classic greenery is the trademark of Monica’s Christmas décor, she isn’t afraid of branching out in places like the living room. Above the mantel, a grouping of wreaths is a festive focal point for the space. “I kind of just wanted to bring the focus to the actual fireplace and add a little bit of spunk above it, and so, I decided to use varying wreaths of different sizes and different materials,” she says. “So, some are eucalyptus, some are rosemary, some are Carolina Sapphire, and then others are just regular pine.”
In place of brand-new décor pieces, Monica says that her must-have for the season is definitely greenery. “It’s the best time to bring in the wreaths and the garland,” she says, noting that she used snippets everywhere, from windows to light fixtures to the backs of chairs. “But I also brought in magnolia leaves and things that I just kind of salvaged around the house,” she adds.
A creative at heart, Monica enjoys the Christmas season as a time during which she can flex her artistic muscles. “My favorite part of decorating is just being able to turn on holiday music and pour a glass of Champagne in the evenings and just have that time where I’m being creative,” she says. “Obviously, I love to decorate, and I love that whole creative process, which is why I became a blogger. So, it kind of fulfills that in my heart.”
