Each year all households plan to make the festive season one to remember, and each year, most households do things exactly the same as they the previous year.
There is much to be said for sticking true to traditions, particularly where traditions as important as Christmas are concerned, keeping things simple is always better.
This does not mean that a few minor tweaks here and there will not make a difference; if Christmas is all about keeping things simple, a handful of simple home improvements could be just the thing.
Particularly if hosting family and friends this Christmas, each of the following low-cost improvements comes highly recommended:
- Spruce up Your Kitchen or Dining Room
Focus your time and effort on the rooms you will be spending most time in, at Christmas the vast majority of indoor socialising takes place in the kitchen or dining room. Rather than going for a complete refit, simply sprucing up the place with a few seasonal adornments could do the trick.
For example, bringing in plenty of fresh flowers and plants can add a cosy atmosphere, as can adding a seasonal vibe to your dining table with runners, placemats and napkins in seasonal colours. Bowls of fresh fruit never fail to bring something appealing into the mix, as do candles and all the fabulous scents of the season.
Creating the perfect ambience with mood lighting is also essential, which is where the following upgrades come into play.
- Invest in Smart Lighting Technology
This is by far the simplest and most affordable entry-point to smart home technology. With devices like the Evvr Zigbee 3.0 In-Wall Relay Switch (smart relay), any conventional light switch can be transformed into a smart switch. One that gives you total control over the lighting in your interior spaces, taking mood lighting to places you never knew possible.
With a smart lighting system you can control intensity, colour, hue and pretty much anything else you can think of. You can pre-set your own preferred programs, create lighting schedules and generally make your interiors as inviting as possible.
The benefits of smart lighting automation can also be extended to the outdoors, giving you total control over your decorative lighting this Christmas.
- Pick up Some Flexible Furniture
Flexible furniture is ideal for making the best possible use of the space you have available. For example, an extendable dining table can be just the thing for accommodating as many guests possible. After which, it can be folded down to its compact size, occupying minimal space in your dining room.
The same also applies to folding chairs, which can be a godsend at this time of year. Available seating tends to be in short supply over Christmas when guests have a habit of dropping in unannounced.
Not only can flexible furniture be affordable, but it can also be surprisingly attractive. Not to mention, available in all imaginable colours, styles and configurations to perfectly complement your interior décor.
- Intelligent Storage Solutions
Christmas also tends to be the time of year when clutter gets completely out of hand. For a long list of reasons, you suddenly find yourself with more bits and pieces about the place than ever before.
This is where intelligent storage solutions can help; those that blend in seamlessly with their surroundings, or pull double-duty. An example in the latter camp is an elegant footstool you can also load with detritus to hide it from sight. Or perhaps, a serving trolley stacks with drawers and shelves to accommodate plenty of hardware.
Ensuring everything has its place at Christmas holds the key to keeping things orderly and enjoyable. Far better than allowing clutter to create a chaotic and claustrophobic environment. The less space you have available, the greater the importance of getting creative with storage solutions.
