Decorate Like a Pro This Holiday Season

You don't have to be a professional to decorate like one this holiday season. Enter Joss & Main Style Director Donna Garlough, former lifestyle editor of Boston magazine. In her new role, she helps comes up with new decor ideas and trends for products.

We asked her for a few tips based on her expert experience to help get your home ready for entertaining this season — while keeping your sanity.

Pick a Look — Then Stick With It

Hosting a lot of holiday gatherings at your home this year? Save money and stress by sticking to the same entertaining decor from event to event. Starting with Thanksgiving and ending in 2017, one look will last you if you choose wisely.

"Last year I bought a metallic-linen table runner and mercury glass votives, and I used them for both a cocktail party and Christmas dinner, as well as setting out the candleholders on Christmas Eve," says Garlough. "I also decorated my tree with the ribbons and ornaments that would work best with that natural-glam theme, so everything looked cohesive from room to room and I didn't have to redecorate anything for specific events. It was a lifesaver."

Shop Your Own House

If you have family flying in, the pressure to get sleeping arrangements, bathrooms, and everything in between ready for them can be stressful. But don't let it get to you.

"We always turn my husband's office into a guest bedroom with an air mattress, and I do my best to really make it feel like a guest room by pulling in an end table that acts as a nightstand, stealing a lamp from a kid's room, and the like," says Garlough. "It's great if you have a full-time guest room to dedicate to visitors, but if you don't, shop your house and make one!"

Mix and Match With Your Favorites

As fun as it is to buy fancy, over-the-top holiday decorations, you still want your home to feel like your home. Garlough recommends keeping family favorites front and center and adding a few new touches into the mix to make things feel even more special.

"We really wanted people to be able to easily layer holiday touches into their existing decor, or use seasonal pieces to add a new dimension to what they already have," says Garlough. "There are plenty of unique takes on holiday, too, from woodsy, natural decorations to retro-inspired pastels. You really can mix and match."

Photo credit Joss & Main