The Top 10 Must Know Decorating Tips for the Holiday Season

HOUSTON, TX December 11, 2010

The holiday season is upon us, and like most busy people we get focused on shopping, travelling and gift giving, with no time left to deck our homes with holiday cheer. Follow these ten must know tips and you are promised to have your home in tip top shape.

1. Stick with a color theme - Visit department or boutique stores for theme ideas. This lets you visualize and arrange in-store decor items before taking it home.
2. Add a little texture to the room - Add rich textures to your home with decorative cattail ball arrangements from Roost or pillows with a hint of metallic shimmer to make the room feel warm and lavish.
3. The dining room - Keep it simple with a centerpiece that blows everyone away. Use real flowers to add life to your table setting or ornaments to bring a little of the Christmas tree to the table.
4. Bring nature inside - Use twigs, branches, or other natural elements in your arrangements to emphasize the season.
5. Go green - Avoid artificial trees that bring chemicals into your home and buy an organically grown tree. Using LED Christmas lights use 100 times less energy than your old traditional lights.
6. Aroma therapy - Burn scented candles with long lasting scents from Voluspa, such as Pomegranate Patchouli or Black Figue and Chypre, and let the season fill your home.
7. Add warmth - Change lamp shades to warm colors and make the room richer. Placing metallic accessories under lamps help reflect light. Don't forget about candles.
8. From Christmas to New Year's - Having a New Year's party and don't have time to decorate? Take the poinsettias outside, switch your tree color scheme to all silver and gold, and invite guests over for an All That Glitters New Year's Eve party.
9. Showcase your family - No matter if you're going traditional or modern, adding family photos in designer frames, such as Michael Aram's nickel-plated frame collection, can add to your color scheme and bring back memories.
10. Shop smart - To make all of these tips happen, take advantage of seasonal sales and save on all your holiday decor and shopping list gifts. Find boutique decor stores online and ones that are hidden for unique accessories and accents.

One Houston based decor store, Laura U Collection, will be having a holiday sale from December 10th-24th, where everything is 30% off. Nothing says happy holidays like designer gifts from Michael Aram, Voluspa, Roost, and Stray Dog Designs, all available at Laura U Collection. Take advantage of their last sale for the year, but hurry because this sale doesn't last forever. Laura U Collection is an atelier for the designer and the designer-inspired, offering customized, handmade furniture and unique accents for the home. Fashion-inspired home accessories, hand-forged lighting, and special gifts are also a part of this unexpected collection. Interior designer, Laura Umansky, brings her spirited design sensibility not only to her boutique in Houston, but also into her clients' interiors. With a focus on luxury residential, vacation homes, hospitality, and commercial interiors, the team at Laura U brings a classically current look to every design.

To learn more about Laura U, visit the website at http://www.laurau.com or stop in to visit the furnishings boutique located in the River Oaks area at 1840 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX.

A full service interior design firm with experience in architecture and interior decor, Laura U has developed a focus on design and project management for multi-million dollar residences, locally and internationally. An elevated vision and an exquisite taste level are the hallmarks of our design sensibility. At Laura U, we offer painstaking attention to detail and excellence in client management. With a background in large-scale commercial interiors, high-end residential and architectural finish selections, Laura U provides unique rooms that are timeless and elegant.