Deck the Halls with Heinen’s Holiday Floral

The following post was provided by local blogger, Charity D’Amato of I Heart Cleveland.

It’s that time of year! We have cleared out the fall gourds, pumpkins and candles and are preparing to redecorate with a little more holiday flair. Making your home look holiday-fancy doesn’t have include dainty ornaments or flashing lights – seasonal décor can be simple and elegant with the help of a little festive floral.

Luckily, Heinen’s has a beautiful assortment of seasonal greens and plants to help make holiday home décor dreams come true and I am going to show you how simple it is to deck the inside and outside of your halls!

Let’s get started!

How to Decorate a Mantle

Start by picking up a few bunches of seeded eucalyptus as well as a dozen fresh red roses from Heinen’s Floral Department. Cover the mantel in layers of the eucalyptus allowing a few boughs to drape down and cover some of the mantel trim detail. This will make the entire installation feel casual and approachable.

Next, nestle individual stems of holiday red roses into the greens for a touch of color and sophistication. To make the roses last longer, add a small, florist water vial to each individual flower stem. These can be found at a local craft store or online.

For the final touch, add a few individual candle sticks and ornaments lying around the house for a touch of seasonal shimmer. When you’re done, your mantle will look like a one-of-a-kind holiday installation styled by a fancy floral shop ,when in reality, you created it in under 30 minutes for less than $20!

How to Create a DIY Holiday Centerpiece

We’ve all seen the evergreen boughs featured in holiday centerpieces, but have you ever seen arrangements filled with pears, clementines and limes, seeded eucalyptus, feathers and animal print velvet ribbons at the center of the table?

This DIY design is both super simple to put together and will add an eye-catching touch to your holiday meal.

First, add a table pad or cloth to your dining or buffet table to protect it from scratches. A simple table runner will work, too.

Next, begin building the arrangement with non-traditional greenery. I used the winter-inspired seeded eucalyptus. Place some of the greenery facing one end of the table and the other side facing outward toward the other end of the table.

Nestle the citrus fruits and pears in between the boughs of eucalyptus. Once the greenery and fruit are in place, add the finishing touches of feathers and ribbons, weaving traces of each through the entire length of the arrangement.

Remember these types of arrangements should be easy and fun. Don’t overthink it — go with what feels natural and festive.

How to Create a DIY Holiday Gift

We’ve all gifted friends, family and hosts/hostesses a bottle of wine or a pine candle, but this year, surprise those you love with a creative DIY surprise. The best gifts are those made by hand, right?

Start by choosing a small, fresh evergreen wreath from Heinen’s Floral Department as well as a special, smaller blooming plant, like paperwhite bulbs.

Pick up a vintage or decorative cake stand at your local thrift store or perhaps you might already have one buried deep in your kitchen cabinets. While your rummaging through storage, grab an old container to hold the smaller live plant, too! Used candle containers always work well, if you have those on hand.

Once you have acquired your gift “ingredients” they can be easily layered onto each other. Start with the cake stand, add the small greenery wreath and nestle the repurposed container filled with the live plant in the center of the wreath. That’s all there is to it! Easy, thoughtful and creative, what could be better?

How to Decorate Outdoor Vases and Urns

Let’s take this décor party outside, because your neighbors deserve something seasonal to look at, too! Outdoor planters are a perfect place to start. Whether they live on your front stoop, on the back patio or near the side door, creating beautiful outdoor décor during the holiday season can be achieved in a few simple steps!

Start by cleaning out the dead leaves and old dirt from the planters. This will give you a fresh base to work with.

Collect a variety of greens from Heinen’s Floral Department as well as colorful elements like winterberries, decorative sticks and painted pinecones.

Fill each planter with the greenery first. Place some of the boughs horizontally from the center of the planter while inserting other branches into the vase vertically to give the arrangement height. Remember to wear gloves as the greenery branches tend to be covered in sap.

Add pops of color for visual interest by filling in some of the holes with red decorative berries and snow-flocked pinecones. Voila, you have winter planters perfect for any area outside of your home.

Looking for something to make your planters extra bright? Add battery-operated white twinkle lights for added sparkle and shine.

How to Spruce Up Outdoor Planter Boxes

With the colder months upon us, why not take a new approach to your window boxes and give them a holiday makeover just in time for the first snow?

Begin by pulling out all of the withered summer plants. These new arrangements will look their best with a fresh slate.

Shop for a few combinations of greenery with different textures and various shades of green in Heinen’s Floral Department. Add shatterproof ornaments, pinecones and festive painted sticks to give the planter box arrangements height and visual interest. Colored sticks add drama to any outdoor planter box with minimal cost and design time.

Layer in the greenery first, making a solid base of evergreen boughs for each planter box. Add in the sticks, ornaments and pinecones to give the design a touch of sparkle and festive fun.

How to Decorate Outdoor Light Fixtures

Do you have an outdoor lamppost at the end of your driveway? Perhaps your front door is flanked with a pair of pretty lantern-like sconces. Does your backdoor have an overhead lamp to illuminate the back porch while you attempt to find your keys during these darker winter months? Why not take the time to spruce up your lighting for the holidays?

With just a few easy steps your outdoor light fixtures can be as pretty as any flower arrangement you have inside your home.

Start by picking up one of the premade greenery swags from Heinen’s Floral Department. You can keep the swag intact and affix it to a lamppost with floral wire or disassemble it and use each bough individually,

Use additional bunches of red or white berries to add small pops of festive color and texture. These small details can take any lamp or sconce from winter drab to festive fab.

That’s it! From the cozy mantle to the center of your table to bright lights that illuminate the front of your home, you now have all the tips to create a simple, elegant and impressive holiday ambiance that will surely fill everyone with cheer!