Gone are the days when an indulgent and luxurious Christmas demanded a large, sprawling space. Today, thanks to the extensive offering from some of our favourite brands such as HomeSense and TK Maxx, it is now possible to create the idyllic Christmas setting in the smallest of spaces. In fact, there’s something incredibly satisfying for us at GAFF about decorating an apartment for the festive season; it requires a little creativity, but the cosiness and warmth you’ll have in spades. Here’s our guide for making the most of a smaller abode.
1. The Alternative Christmas Tree
The largest and most obvious element of your Christmas setting will always be the tree but we’re no longer limited to shoving a massive tree into our studio setting, leaving nowhere to sit. HomeSense has gorgeous mini tree alternatives that can take pride of place on a side table or even clustered in a corner on the floor. It’s contemporary, quirky and it’s a lot more practical if space is a major issue. The goal here is to create lots of smaller points of interest rather than sticking to those large traditional elements.
2. Mini Decorations
If you’re working with a much smaller tree – whether that’s a beautiful, rustic wooden tree or a 4 or 5 foot real Christmas tree – it makes sense to choose smaller decorations that won’t weigh down whatever it is your decorating. What’s more, if you make a decision to downsize in every sense, it will keep everything in proportion, so that nothing is overbearing or looks out of place. TK Maxx has gorgeous boxes with the tiniest cute baubles already curated in terms of colour. You can have a mixture of copper and gold miniature decorations or something more dramatic such as white and black. The choice is yours. These also work really well if you want to add a little sparkle to some decorative branches in a vase.
3. A Wall of Wreaths
So in an apartment, where floor space is limited, you’ve got to think about decorative features for the walls. Something we adore is Christmas wreaths. But these aren’t just for the front door. With a little rustic twine, you can suspend a series of wreaths – at varying heights – to hang flush against the wall above your sofa, creating a new point of interest that maximises space. When browsing the wreath offerings at both HomeSense and TK Maxx, we simply couldn’t choose between the incredible wreath offering. So? We picked our favourite five wreaths and did exactly what we’ve described here. Genius.
4. Creative Lighting
One of our favourite activities is getting creative with lighting. Lighting doesn’t just need to decorate something else, it can be the direction all by itself. For example, you might create a lighting feature on a wall with a few small hooks. String them up in a triangular pattern and you’ve got a totally new take on a Christmas tree without taking up a single square inch of floor space. Another brilliant way to incorporate lighting is to wrap them around existing shelving – you’ve got instant festive oomph. At both TK Maxx and HomeSense, you’ve got an assortment of battery powered lights, some with stunning paper lanterns, others with twinkly geometric shapes. And the best thing about lighting at Christmas? There’s no such thing as too much.
5. Candles
Sometimes, the Christmassy feeling is less about what you can see and more about what you can smell; think cinnamon, cloves and all those beautiful wintery fragrances that transport you to the North Pole. If space is an issue, and you don’t have room for countless candles, choose one larger candle – which you’ll have no problem finding in either TK Maxx or HomeSense – that boasts a festive scent.
6. Soft Furnishings
Last but by no means least, one of the essential ways to add an air of Christmas to your apartment is to swap out your cushions with suitably festive options. Go for more luxurious textures such as velvet or faux fur and you’ll up the cosy factor tenfold. Christmas is all about getting comfy and cosy on the couch so this part should not be overlooked, and don’t forget to choose an indulgent throw – we love this one from X. You can even go so far as to have a special Christmas rug that you swap out for the last few weeks of the year. The feeling of sheepskin under your feet as you sit down to It’s A Wonderful Life? Heaven.
For more inspiration – for which you will be spoiled – check out the Christmas decor offering in-store at HomeSense and TK Maxx now. And don’t forget, what you see today may not be there tomorrow, so if you fall for something, pick it up now and let your creative decor be the envy of your friends this festive season.
HomeSense and TK Maxx offer branded homeware and both extraordinary and everyday essentials at up to 60% less the RRP.
Homesense store locations here. TK Maxx store locations here.