Festive interior design decoration ideas 3: bright & cheery

In today's post we're going to move away from traditional Christmas scenes and take a look at modern ways to decorate your home this year in a bright and cheery way! Focus on using bright colours to brighten up even the smallest of living rooms with a touch of whimsy mixed with some all time favourites with a modern twist. Let's start with the tree – for this look you'll need to go artificial – a white tree with carefully spaced and placed coloured decorations are what makes this style look so chic.

Try not to overload the tree otherwise you'll spoil the simplistic look which is so stunning. The fireplace is a place where traditionally wreaths and garlands are hung and this style is no exception. The difference which makes it stand out from the crowd is the use of the colours – brights which reflect the décor of the room. And yet this style isn't about neons, these colours are bright yet muted to compliment the room's soft furnishings beautifully.

So if you have red cushions make sure the decorations you use are the same tone to get a balanced look. Likewise, if you have teal curtains use an identical shade and tone of teal as part of your mantle piece garland. Rather than have a traditionally styled wreath made from holly and ivy make your own (or buy) a wreath made-up from matt finished baubles in varying sizes. The end result is eye catching without being too bold or garish.

If you have an open fire then it's a good idea to use cheap rugs to help prevent the sparks or ash from ruining your flooring. However, it's also a sensible idea to use a fire guard – especially if you have a decorated mantle piece as accidents do happen and the last thing you want is to be spending the festive season camped out in someone else's front room because your house caught fire – so always be vigilant with any naked flames, such as open fires and candles.

Add further festive touches to your home by displaying cards from ribbons and even using tree decorations as tie-backs for your curtains. You don't have to adorn every wall or flat surface to create a room which is full of festive cheer. Chose your theme wisely to suit your interior design style, your colour scheme and your budget.