Festive season trends 2016: DIY decorating on a dime

What's Christmas without a little bit of shimmer and sparkle? Just another holiday, that's what!

Most of us associate Christmas with OTT decorations, baubles, tinsel, and a whole host of red, green, and gold - well, everything! But according to the experts, it's all about natural, toned-down glamour this festive season.

While South Africans aren't lucky enough to enjoy a white Christmas, we still make the most of the festive season - especially on the East Coast, where blue skies and sunshine provide the ultimate backdrop for a truly African Christmas.

Decorex SA, the country's premier decor, design and lifestyle exhibition, have compiled a list of tasteful ornamental and decorating ideas that can be incorporated into every home this Christmas. 

Here's what you can do to spruce up your decor:

Forget the reds and greens: 

With a focus on colour, rather than excess, the team at Decorex SA suggest that while traditionally reds and greens have been used as focal colours for all things Christmas - especially decor - a contemporary Christmas trend is to adopt a more neutral, earthy colour palette to create a serene - rather than garish - environment. 

Copper and gold tones are also popular this year, as is rose gold - which will add a warm tone to the usual metallic Christmas colours. 

Keep it natural:

Scoring a fresh, 6-foot, Hollywood movie-esque fir in KZN isn't the easiest thing to do. But the tradition of using fake, plastic trees and sensory-assaulting tinsel, lights and ornaments - is so 2015!

A new trend is to use more natural, textured decorations that are both environmentally-friendly and functional. 

Blush, rose and soft green-coloured succulents make for elegant décor and ornamental creations, while coastal Christmases can see the incorporation of driftwood, as well as white and rose seashells.

Another modern idea is to use painted tree branches to hang your Christmas decorations off.

DIY:

The trend is on individuality this Christmas, so why not shirk the consumer sentiment and make your own festive decor.

The focus is on environmental sustainability, which can be achieved by crafting ornaments and decorations that can be reused throughout the household - or given as Christmas presents.

Another great idea is to bake (yes, bake) your own tree decorations. Gingerbread cookies are both festive, and long-lasting - making for the perfect edible ornaments.

Some interesting ideas for décor and design this Christmas:

For those celebrating along the coast this festive season, take a stroll along the beach to discover some oceanic decor gems. 

Seashells, dried starfish, driftwood and even sand - can all be fashioned in creative ways for use as holiday decorations.

A great idea is to spray paint sea shells and apply a thin wire adorned with small beads to create stunning tree or table ornaments. 

Simple, transparent glass or plastic balls come in a variety of shapes, styles and sizes, and can easily be transformed into beachy decorations. 

All you have to do is remove the top fixture, fill half the bauble with sand and small shells, and voila... you have a unique and tasteful Christmas bauble!

Forget about decking the halls with boughs of holly - why not try sprigs of fynbos, or individual King proteas instead.

These can also be incorporated in beautiful homemade wreaths, like these...

For table decorations, leaves and soft-coloured flowers can be beautifully wrapped conically in brown paper, and fastened with twine. These can be placed in a glass vase on the table, and taken home as gifts following the feast.

A great budget tip for Christmas gift wrapping is to use brown paper and twine. 

This inexpensive alternative to flashy wrapping paper can be jazzed up by adding adornments such as mini pine cones, sprigs of leaves or flowers, and even sticks of cinnamon.

Share your holiday decorating pictures with us on Twitter: @ECR_Newswatch