Brooklyn apartment gets decked out in cozy Christmas decor in festive transformation

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On this special holiday episode of 1K Dream Room, host Will Taylor (@brightbazaar) helps Ilene and Jorge turn their sun-soaked Brooklyn apartment into a winter wonderland with a budget of $1,000 and just one day to finish. The couple wants a warm and inviting atmosphere for hosting holiday gatherings that combines the beautiful dining space next to the cozy living area, and they’re excited to see what Will has in store.

Will begins the Christmas decorating magic by adding a large plaid rug in a muted red, white, and gray color palette underneath the dining table, giving the area some warmth. To create an optimal socializing space, Will streamlines the living and dining areas using a Christmas tree fitted into a simple tapered rope tree collar as the design focal point. 

For trimming your tree, Will recommends stringing the lights on before hanging any other ornaments or “you’re going to be reaching for a very strong eggnog.” Since lights can be the most challenging part when decorating a tree, Will suggests having 100 lights per every foot of the tree and testing them before stringing them on to make the process easier.   

When finding the right holiday ornaments and decorations, Will says the process is similar to how you would typically decorate in that you want to maintain a consistent color palette. For a festive holiday look, Will gives the space a classic red, white, green, and gold palette, starting with the tree ornaments before adding items such as couch cushions with fun cotton velvet covers along with an assortment of festive trinkets, like this small ceramic Christmas tree, arranged on each surface. 

A berry Christmas wreath hung over the mirror above the fireplace in the dining area helps link the decorations between spaces. Will further highlights the charming fireplace by stringing a lit pine needle garland across the mantel before styling the interior with various flameless candles surrounding a white ceramic vase filled with decorative branches. 

To create a spread that can be repurposed for more than one holiday, Will dresses the dining table using natural textures and a neutral palette with pops of red, seen in the red and white striped dinner plates beneath the white snowflake salad plates

Personalized knit monogram Christmas stockings hung on the mantel are the perfect final touch for a holiday transformation that “sleighs.” When it’s time for the decoration debut, Ilene and Jorge are blown away by their apartment’s warm and cheery atmosphere. 
In addition to their party-ready dining room, the couple loves their cozy living room setup, complete with a game of Scrabble accompanied by hot cocoa and cookies on top of a walnut-colored Dahlia coffee table. Like two little kids on Christmas morning, Ilene and Jorge are thrilled with how the decorations enhance the look and feel of the space for a fun and inviting holiday gathering.

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