3 home styling tips for holiday minimalism - Concetti
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3 home styling tips for holiday minimalism

Dec 5, 2018 | Education

3 home styling tips for holiday minimalism

Interior Design Strategists of RL Concetti share their expertise for a minimalist holiday look.

During the holiday season, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with too many holiday decorations, especially when you have a small space to work with. From garland to ornaments and dusty trinkets taken out of storage, our living spaces can quickly feel cluttered and closed in by too much additional décor. 

 Interior Design Strategists of RL Concetti, Rachel Nelson and Lauren DeLaurentiis, speak to the hearts of so many millennials these days who are bucking their parents’ traditional approach to decorative elements. Rachel and Lauren share three tips below on how to welcome a minimalistic look when it comes to styling your home for the holidays, so you can celebrate in a clutter-free space, with more room for family, giving and laughter. 

Make Your Space Feel Planned, Not Crammed

Rachel and Lauren agree “Work with what you have. Swap out key pieces in your room with holiday silhouettes to amplify your interior instead of hiding it under too much additional decor.” An easy way to do this? Utilize your living space to make it all about your beautiful Christmas tree. Put a floor lamp in storage for a month and let your tree take the spotlight! If you were looking for an excuse to rearrange your living room furniture, now is the perfect time to do so. Making your tree the focal point of your design allows you to put your mind at ease from feeling like there needs to be a holiday decoration in every corner of your room. Instead, blow everyone away with a focal point you’ve put your heart and soul into and leave your many trinkets in storage. Rachel shares, “Don’t try to have your cake and eat it too.” Not enough room for a traditional Christmas tree? Skip it! Find a unique way to incorporate it instead – minimalism is key for small space, so consider going table top with a small tree as shown in the picture to the right.

 Keep your tabletop neutral, and your centerpiece bold 

Tis’ the season to entertain family and friends, so why not start decorating in arguably one of the most important rooms for entertaining: the dining room. The key is to create a sophisticated feel that will last for many holiday parties to come. How do you achieve this? “Use a neutral place setting. Anchoring the room with neutral pieces allows for flexibility with the surrounding décor,” Lauren suggests. By utilizing muted colors such as greys, blues, or golds in your place settings, it gives the room a base, so that the surrounding décor can add holiday flair without feeling cluttered. Counter the neutral setting with a loud, fun centerpiece that will be the talk of the party – like silver-dipped, colorful trees resting in a pile of glimmering snow confetti. “Who says holiday décor has to be green and red?” says Rachel, “work with the colors you already have in your space!”

Simplicity is Key

It all boils down to this: Don’t overthink it. To maintain a clean, minimalistic look during the holiday season, keep it simple. Find ornaments that match the color pallet of your home, use pieces you already have and be selective about what you choose to put on display. Don’t feel the need to buy holiday décor every year – a few cherished heirlooms can bring more magic to the holidays than all glitter in your nearest big box store. Find what works best for you and your lifestyle, and the end result will be sure to fill your home with holiday cheer.

   

RL Concetti is a female-owned, Detroit-based group of interior design strategists who use human-centered design and strategic brand implementation to help businesses reach their goals. Their mission is to create functional spaces for personal and professional use and show through service-based philanthropy that design is attainable.

What does “dopamine décor” mean to you?

Rachel: It’s the pieces that make you happy when you see them. An instant smile or giggle. For me, it’s unexpected whimsy and humor. In my house, I’ve got a brass fox head wearing sunglasses and a monkey-head planter with a gold tooth. They never get old. It’s about surrounding yourself shamelessly with things that make you happy. I can’t wait to bring pieces like this into my new home, Divinely Detroit, the historic church located in Indian Village.

 

How did you land on the name Moxie?

Rachel: At Concetti, our brand persona is “genuine moxie” which means kind, calm, loving, but bold in who you are. We’re always building our clients up to take that bold, courageous step. Moxie is the bold part. The “I don’t need permission” part. When you choose dopamine décor, you’re choosing to surround yourself with pieces others might not understand, but you love.

 

Who is Moxie for?

Rachel: It’s for anyone who’s been told they’re too much, too loud, too bold. It’s for the person who wants that little empowering piece in their day whether that’s a trucker hat, a beautiful candle, or funky lamp. It’s for people who want to surround themselves with pieces lovingly crafted and curated to give you a little dose of empowerment.

How do you stay creatively energized when building something from scratch?

Rachel: I’ve never subscribed to the idea that your life should follow a certain timeline. Since I was 16, I knew I wanted to be an interior designer. That’s 23 years of being dedicated to one decision, and it still feels good and in alignment.
When I create something new, it’s like a spark goes off. I listen to that inner knowing. I tell my team, “One step in front of the other.” It might be clumsy, but you’ve got to start moving.

What design rule do you love to break?

Rachel: Any of them. If I want to turn my dining room into a recording studio or a kids’ playroom, then I will, and you should feel empowered to, as well. The only rules worth following are the ones that make you feel good in your own space.

What advice would you give to creatives who feel “too much” for the design world?

Rachel: There’s no such thing. What you’ve been told is “too much” is your superpower. That’s what makes you different and magnetic. Stand in your power. Make decisions from alignment, not shame or guilt. Be unapologetically you because that’s when you really shine.

Favorite dopamine décor brands or artists?

Rachel: Regina Andrew (Detroit-based and stunning), Seletti (monkeys holding lightbulbs, peacock lamps), Noir (the hand chair!), Bold Monkey, Zoe Bios (customizable art), and Eric & Eloise (quirky brass animal heads). I make them weird with purple lights in my basement because it makes me laugh every time.

What do you hope people feel when they bring home a Moxie piece?

Rachel: I want them to feel excited and happy. I want unboxing to be an experience that exceeds expectations whether it’s something you wear and feel empowered in or something in your home or business that gives you that hit of joy every time you pass it.

What does success look like for Moxie?

Rachel: Moxie is more than numbers, it’s a movement. It’s about inclusivity, empowerment, and telling people they’re perfect exactly as they are.

One mindset shift that changed everything for you as a founder?

Rachel: Realizing that everything I need is already within me. I can surround myself with mentors and partners, but at the end of the day, I’m the only one living my truth.

Advice for creatives carving their own path?

Rachel: Persistence wins. Your journey is your own. Do the things that light you up and keep going. Pause to reflect on what’s working, what’s draining you, and what you can add back in to make you excited again. There’s no one else like you so own it.

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