Interiors director Meg Crossley shares her favorite holiday window displays and how to mimic the look in your home.
Everyone loves Christmas windows, as evidenced by the throngs of people checking out the displays in major cities across North America. the most noteworthy ones are from high-end department stores like Holt Renfrew and Barneys new York, but I personally like the windows of the small independent shops.
I feel a kinship with the creative people behind those windows, and think they are much like our H&H design editors; they need to create something eye-catching, nostalgic, friendly, accessible, inspirational and many of all, relatively inexpensive. Here are some of my favorite small seller windows in Toronto this year, with my suggestions on how to translate the look into your own home.
Type books is known throughout the city for its gorgeous windows, developed by display artist Kapna Patel, and this year’s Christmas display didn’t disappoint. I have always loved those little vintage houses, especially when they’re clustered together to make a village. It feels like a a snowy European setting, with houses slowing winding up a cobblestone street, cheek by jowl.
Photographer: Meg Crossley
Designer: Kapna Patel
With just a few houses and bottle brush trees, you can start your own small village on your mantel. grow the population each Christmas with new tchotchkes.
Get designer Sarah Hartill’s suggestions to styling the above festive mantel here!
Photographer: Sarah Hartill
Source: house & home December 2011
Designer: Sarah Hartill
Always a Christmas favorite, The Paper Place can do much more with easy paper cutouts than most. each year they show off their best oversized paper snowflakes, which are all available to purchase in-store.
Photographer: Meg Crossley
Incorporate paper cutouts into your home for holiday design that makes a big impact. the best part? They can be used year after year. learn how to make our diy Paper Oak Garland here and get the template here.
Photographer: Michael Graydon
Source: house & home November 2012
Designer: Sarah Hartill
Glass domes have the ability to elevate something easy into something special, as seen in The Devil’s Workshop’s holiday window display. Offering an extra hint of glimmer, the jewelry boutique creates a completely nostalgic Christmas scene.
Photographer: Meg Crossley
Prop glass domes over items like old books, vintage Santa figurines, acorns, bits of bark or pinecones to achieve the look in your space.
Photographer: Ashley Capp
Source: house & home November 2013
Designer: Lynda Felton