Our winters are a time of returning to navel, to the center. Hedged by shortened days and a colder earth, we slow down, we learn how to create warmth within. Our homes are sanctuaries for connection, as though drawing indoors the abundance of prior seasons to feed the moments until spring returns. The holidays are a moment when this ambiance becomes part of an offering to family and friends. At Artemano, this means decorating by taking a conscious, minimalist approach to suggest celebration.
Set Up Subdued Lighting
When we walk into rooms with just the right light, something akin to an internal sigh emerges. It’s as though magic is afoot, alive with the possibility of surprise and delight. Simple things, like a good conversation or just the right taste, become imbued with enchantment. At Artemano, many of our pieces are designed to shelter creative and discreet lighting. Reflective materials like chrome multiply brightness, unfurling tongues of light into the room.
Set The Table Au Naturel
Winter walks in the woods show us a contrast in stark, barren trees and rich green pines covered in snow. The stillness that is found there is an oasis for our senses. Bring that sense of escape home by creating centerpieces that blend natural textures, such as small boughs, pinecones, glass, and wood. Invite that feeling of connection by setting a tea light in front of each plate at the table to celebrate the uniqueness of your guests.
Build With What You Have
During the holidays, we trace our roots. Where we’ve been, who we’ve been, and who we choose to bring close for moments of enchantment and celebration. We draw our map of connections. We draw our family tree. The symbol of the Christmas tree is reminiscent of this form, which you can replicate with candleholders, mirrors, or similar objects of varied heights. This kind of subtle pattern replication is a beautiful exercise in creativity.
Reinvent the Christmas Tree
Since Roman times, evergreens have been used as a symbol for life during the winter. The dark green whispers life into a home. In Guatemala, shops even line their floor with long pine needles so that the fragrance can rise from the ground as you walk. Create the forest inside, with smaller trees in vases or bowls. A chrome base can draw out the colors of the branches and the pine needles. And while pine is a traditional choice, practice the art of sustainability and lasting magic by choosing live trees, like bonsais.
Put It All Together
Each Christmas gathering is a story in the process of unfolding. The ambiance of a home, its richness, its ability to inspire, is the landscape for the movement of life. At the core of Artemano’s mission is beauty in the every day. Cultivate a sense of warmth by showcasing strong wood features, like logs as side tables, setting up subdued lighting and placing mirrors to create the shape of a Christmas tree. Exaggerate a quantity of the same object to captivate the eye. A few contrasting textures, like wood tables and wool seating, will cleanly render that quality of cosiness, without clutter. When you look at your space, in the moments before the doorbell rings, or when you’ve just arrived after a long day of work, you are inviting yourself home, again and again.
