The main winter holiday is approaching, and preparations for it are in full swing. It is important not only to choose gifts for loved ones, carefully consider the menu, but also to think about how to decorate the yard for the New Year with your own hands.
New Year's decoration of the local area and home
To decorate a house for the New Year, sometimes just garlands around the perimeter and a couple of bright accents are enough: a scarlet bow on a lamppost, a Christmas wreath on the front door.
In the dark, the yard will turn into a bright fairy-tale clearing with a gingerbread house
History and traditions of home decoration for the New Year and Christmas
The tradition of decorating the house before the New Year dates back to ancient times. Our ancient ancestors used something edible as decoration: fruits, vegetables, sweets, etc.
In Russia, the first New Year and Christmas festivities and decorations came from Europe with the light hand of Peter I. It was during his reign that the beginning of the year was “moved” from September 1 to January 1 and introduced the tradition of celebrating for a whole week, having previously decorated palaces, houses and entire streets with fir branches , toys and sweets. Of course, New Year's decorations were only available to the rich nobility.
Defining zones
Do you know the difference between a professional approach to decor and an amateur one? Decor studios always begin work by determining the scope and budget. This is the key to the wow effect. What's the point?
Before you start purchasing, be sure to determine your budget. The number of places you decorate depends on it. The main rule: if the budget is limited, you should not spread yourself across many points. Otherwise, you will really decorate the whole house, but the effect will be blurry.
To make your home decoration for the New Year look expensive with your own hands, focus on a couple of zones. They should be decorated as much as possible. For example, it could be the main tree and facade or staircase - it depends on your preferences. The rest of the places don't need to be decorated at all. This approach allows you not to waste your budget.
What to pay attention to
Holiday decor looks stylish when it is decorated in the same color scheme and style. This design of a country house for the New Year will unite all spaces. Therefore, if you are purchasing materials for the first time, count on all zones at once. And if you buy more of them, then try to maintain the range that is already available.
- The red color scheme is a classic of this time. The introduction of another color will make the palette more interesting. Gold, white, black and green are suitable for the additional role.
- Gold is another universal shade. Any palette will suit it: from modern black to silver.
- Silver goes better with cool tones: blue, light blue, mint and lilac.
- You can also consider non-standard options, for example, caramel-blue or beige-green. It is convenient to select such pairs according to the Itten color circle.
The second point is the stylistic component. You can put an original artificial white Christmas tree in the living room, and add classic green garlands to it. But such decor will fall apart by the New Year. It is better to select decorations for all areas in the same style.
Garland of balloons
A garland of balloons will be an original decoration for any holiday. Ideally, the balloons should be filled with helium, then the decoration will float in the air. But you can also use the reserves of your own lungs, but in this case the garland must be fixed.
Sky lanterns
This decoration is suitable for kindergarten. Inflate balloons of the same size. Cut the green ribbon and connect the ends. Glue the resulting ring to the top of the ball. Press the knotted tip of the ball inward. All that remains is to attach the balls to the base of the red satin ribbon.
Do-it-yourself wicker garland of four balls step by step
We inflate a lot of red and white balloons. We knit two balls of the same color. Cross a pair of red and white balls. We stretch the fishing line and thread it through the middle of the balls. The result is a three-dimensional decoration for the ceiling.
When to start decorating your yard
Not a single rule defines when exactly you need to start decorating your yard for the New Year. Each owner of a private home can independently decide when to engage in this exciting activity. Of course, decorating the site one day before the New Year will not be entirely reasonable. In addition, no matter how the decoration turns out, by that time it will definitely lose its relevance.
A brightly shining area around the house contributes to a joyful mood and creates conditions under which a person lives in anticipation of a real New Year's miracle. For this reason, it is better to start decorating the yard in an original way a few days before the holiday itself.
It is better to take on work on a day when there are no other serious matters, nothing will distract from the pleasant process. However, there is also no need to start implementing the idea in early December; it is unlikely that the neighbors will understand such advance zeal.
What is New Year's lighting
This is a system of interconnected electrical equipment mounted on the facade, operating according to a specific algorithm. The glow algorithm can be linear, a regular garland with bulbs of the same color and static light output.
More complex New Year's lighting design for building facades implies non-linearity of light supply. The operation of the system is monitored by automation, which can create entire light compositions by changing the color of the light bulbs or the dynamics of the glow.
Installation rules are regulated by SNiP. All components of the façade lighting system must have certificates of conformity and also meet fire and electrical safety standards.
Installation of New Year's decoration of building facades is carried out from the outside. Wires, light bulbs, junction boxes must be properly sealed.
All elements of the lighting system must withstand multiple freeze-thaw cycles and not be destroyed by ultraviolet rays. This is especially true for the braiding of electrical connecting cables.
Porch
How can you decorate your home for the New Year? It’s worth starting with the porch - this is the element of the house that affects the first impression of the owners. He should be given maximum attention. Guests who want to celebrate New Year's Eve should feel the holiday right from the yard.
Nothing says more about the proximity of the main winter holidays than the bright light from garland lanterns. The entire porch should be hung with garlands. They are also hung on doors and windows. You can add an unusual addition to an electric garland - it is wrapped in pine or spruce branches. Next, all this is hung on the pillars and railings of the porch. After this, the garland will look more festive.
Wreaths are made from green winter plants. This is not just a decorative element, but a symbol of strength. The best way to welcome guests is to decorate your front door with a beautiful wreath. It is made from spruce branches or branches of other evergreens.
The porch is also decorated with flowers. One of the symbols of Christmas and New Year is spurge. It is sold both artificially and live. A living flower is afraid of the cold, and is placed indoors on the windowsill. An artificial plant is hung on the door - it will complement the flower arrangement at the entrance.
A small but very important detail is the welcome mat on the porch. It is also a symbol of Christmas. It will perform not only a decorative, but also a very practical function. Guests will be able to wipe their feet so as not to carry dirt inside the apartment or house.
Idea #5 – ceiling medallions in action
You rarely see natural stucco in a house today, but its imitation based on polyurethane or plastic is quite common. Take a closer look at the cute medallion under the chandelier. Doesn't he remind you of anything? But this is an excellent basis for a Christmas wreath. It can be painted with spray paint in any color. If you have an idea for multi-color decoration, it is better to use acrylic paints.
The surface of such a medallion is a whole world for making your fantasies come true. Not only bows and artificial snowflakes will be used, but also beads and even rhinestones. If the medallion itself looks simple and does not spark any creative impulses in you, you can use it as the basis for a wreath, which will be completely hidden under coniferous branches and various decor appropriate to the occasion.
Beads, rhinestones, artificial snowflakes, buttons, braid and multi-colored ribbons - all these elements give the decoration a special charm and personality
Garden
There are many interesting ideas on how to decorate an apartment or house for the New Year. But not enough attention is paid to the garden. But in vain! Are there trees in the garden? This is great, they need to be dressed up too. To do this, a garland is wrapped around the trunk. In addition to the trunk, the lights should also be distributed along the crown of the tree.
Ordinary indoor lighting equipment will not work; purchase an outdoor model. Glowing icicles are also sold - they are hung symmetrically on tree branches.
Making a fence
The fence around the house shapes the appearance of the entire site. You should remember this on the eve of the New Year.
Regardless of the material, the fence will sparkle with new colors if you simply throw a garland-net on it.
You can make a garland from artificial or natural fir branches. You'll have to tinker, but everyone will like the result.
This decoration will look elegant in the evening and during the day. To do this you will need to add bright bows.
If you hang colored light bulbs or shaped garlands, the design of the fence will be even more beautiful.
Imitation of fire, creating a safe fireplace in the house
A garland can successfully imitate fire. To do this you will need a beautiful woodpile or basket filled with twigs. A garland is placed between them. The flickering of its lights will resemble the movement of flames. For realism, it is better to choose light bulbs in yellowish-red shades. Simple, unusual and tasteful.
Decoration for the New Year
If on summer holidays courtyards and facades of houses are decorated with flowers, then on New Year and Christmas the most spectacular way is illumination. You can decorate a building with your own hands, using different types of lighting fixtures - street lights, lasers, spotlights, duralight. By installing a projector in the courtyard of a country house, you can arrange an original laser show on the facade of the building. Even from the street you will be able to see the magnificent light show.
To help with the illumination, tinsel, ribbons, pine branches, and decorative figures are used. Let's take a closer look at what elements make up New Year's decorations for a dacha or private home.
Ice decor
It's frosty outside? This is not a reason to stay home. It's time to go into the fresh air to make ice decor.
To make an ice ball, you need to fill a balloon with water and leave it in the cold. If you need a colored ball, then add dye to the water.
When the water hardens, you only need to remove the shell. The same technology is used to make ice candlesticks decorated with berries and cones, or garlands that are hung on trees.
Decorating your yard for the New Year with your own hands is a fun, creative process. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to have fun with your loved ones.
Bows
Bows look elegant and festive. You can make them from bright packing tape or thick fabric.
Watch the video: how to make bows to decorate a Christmas tree.
A bow can be an independent decoration for a staircase railing, railing, fence, or become part of a decorative composition.
Bright details decorate lamp posts, street flowerpots, entrance doors or canopies over the porch.
Vases
Often the area near a private house is decorated with flowerpots. In summer, living plants bloom in them, in autumn they are decorated with dried flowers, and in winter - with spruce branches.
You can add chestnuts, acorns, rowan branches, pine cones, beads, Christmas tree decorations, bows and a garland to the composition.
Such an impromptu New Year's bouquet will decorate the porch area, terrace or path to the house.
Christmas tree in the yard
The main symbol of the New Year is the spruce. It is a great success if this evergreen coniferous tree grows on the site.
When decorating it, you can use toys in the form of balls, snowflakes and figures, tinsel and LED garlands, so that in the dark the tree twinkles with fairy lights and gives a festive mood.
In order for a decorated tree to remain elegant throughout the holidays, it is necessary to use products made from unbreakable, moisture- and frost-resistant material.
The decor must be firmly attached to the branches in case of wind. Preference should be given to large parts.
Hanging planter
Hanging flowerpots are often used to decorate a site in summer. You shouldn’t give them up on New Year’s holidays either.
Only instead of living plants, you can use compositions from spruce branches, tinsel, balls, bows, beads, and decorative rowan bunches.
Textile decor
To decorate the yard, you can use textile crafts: mittens, socks, Santa Claus hats, fabric flags and garlands made from them, soft toys.
Fantasy is not limited. Decorations can be made in traditional New Year's colors: red, white, blue, green. Natural fabrics are suitable: linen, cotton, burlap with natural wood decor.
Figures
The best option for decorating the yard would be snowman figures. You can purchase a ready-made version in a store or make your own decoration. In the second case, you will have to spend a lot of time, but the end result will please the home owners. You need to use plastic cups for these purposes.
You can supplement your plot of land with the help of gift boxes. It’s easy to make a figurine of a suitable size if you have old boxes in the house. Simply decorate the box with wrapping paper and secure a ribbon and a large bow on top.
LED strips will become the main element in the design of a personal plot if you place them on top of the figures. At night, the snowman, gift boxes and other figures will be beautifully illuminated.
Tinsel
The most economical and simplest option to decorate the facade of a building is to use New Year's tinsel.
You need to purchase rain of various colors and sizes from a toy store (it all depends on the tastes of the home owner). It is important to use both tinsel, selected in one color scheme, and to combine several shades with each other in decorating a cottage.
If the porch is decorated with railings, then they can be beautifully wrapped in rain. You can also use tinsel to decorate columns (if they are on the terrace). It is better to hang a New Year's garland on the front door and windows. You can also decorate a Christmas tree in the yard with the help of New Year's toys and tinsel.
Stickers
Another inexpensive option to quickly decorate your home is Christmas stickers. You can find this item in the store to suit every taste. Fans of fairy-tale characters can decorate their house with Santa Claus, a snowman, Father Frost, Snow Maiden, deer or hares.
It will be easy to buy stickers in the store with a themed image of the main animal of the year. The congratulatory inscription on the picture will also create the right mood.
The easiest way is to place the sticker at the entrance to the door. If you stick a stencil on the windows, the house will also be transformed in a matter of minutes. Children will be happy to take part in the decorating process and decorate their home with their own hands.
Ribbons
You can use this decorative element to create a festive composition or as a separate decoration. Using gift ribbons, you can simply make large bows and hang them on the staircase railing, fence, or secure them at the front door. A composition made from fir branches and ribbons will look quite harmonious.
Thanks to bright satin ribbons, you will be able to make your own Christmas wreath for the door. If you hang additional Christmas balls or bells on the circle, the product will have a complete look. Using satin ribbons, it’s easy to make a decoration in the form of a New Year’s arch or decorate a terrace.
Congratulatory inscriptions
Good wishes on the wall can be laid out with pieces of duralight or voluminous tinsel. As an addition, a frame figurine of Santa, a gnome or New Year's bells, lanterns, balls, snowflakes, or a pine twig can be used.
Ideas for greeting inscriptions:
- Happy New Year!
- With coming!
- Congratulations!
- Happy New Year!
- Merry New Year and Christmas!
- Number for the coming year.
Glowing curtain
It’s easier with a curtain, since the installation of garlands on the facade can be done once and for all. There is no need to take them off, because they decorate the veranda well even in summer.
Before attaching the garland, you need to make calculations. Typically, a gap of 5-10 centimeters is left between the turns of the curtain.
It is at this distance that we install the clamps. You can make markings right away.
How can you hang a garland? We will be hanging it forever, which is why we are looking for permanent installation. There are 2 of them in total:
- Plastic hooks. Frequent fasteners for curtain installation. They are transparent, so it is almost impossible to notice them. They are fixed to the house using self-tapping screws and dowels. They are not bad for home decor, but they are not worth buying for outdoor use. Plastic doesn’t really like temperature changes, and if the region has variable weather (terribly cold in winter, scorching hot in summer), then within a couple of years it will crack. Moreover, the LED garland will always press.
2. Metal hooks. But they are suitable for permanent installation. Metal is not afraid of temperature changes and does not care about the weight of the curtain. The downside is that the hook will always be noticeable, although not very noticeable. When purchasing, you need to examine the metal. If it's ordinary steel, don't take it. It will quickly rust and become unusable. The steel must be protected with a stainless metal (nickel, copper). Stainless steel will also work.
We figured out how to attach a garland to the wall to the facade. How to connect it? Often, the New Year's lighting at home already has a step-down transformer on the control unit. Therefore, you just need to connect it to the network.
By the way, a garland on a window cannot be deprived of stabilization. Transformers are very sensitive to the quality of electricity. Any jumps can burn the controller and you will have to go get a new one.
Interesting crafts for decorating your home before the New Year
But you can move away from standard ideas and make unusual crafts with your own hands that will fit perfectly into the New Year’s interior of your own yard.
Such crafts will definitely help you create exclusive compositions and unusual designs.
Crafts from branches
Small twigs left over from gardening in the fall will be useful for New Year's crafts. Therefore, do not throw them away, but be sure to save them.
Of course, these are Christmas wreaths, where the twigs will serve as the base.
You can decorate such a wreath with ribbons, balls, and other New Year's paraphernalia.
Snowmen. Another idea for crafts made from twigs. You will need to paint the branches and twist them into rings. These rings are of different sizes and will be the basis for the future snowman.
Next, we attach the wreaths to the wall or door and decorate the resulting blank with snowman elements. It will be a cool scarf, a bucket hat, and a carrot nose.
Compositions from branches
To do this, we paint the branches in a bright, gold or white color. Or we dip the branches in transparent glue and attach foam chips.
The basis of the composition is ready. Then we supplement it with cones, balls, and rain.
You can make three-dimensional balls of different sizes from painted branches. Such unusual balls will look great on a Christmas tree, on trees, or simply scattered along the paths.
And if you use luminescent paint or wrap such balls with neon ribbons or street garlands, you can get cool landscape lamps for the street.
Garland of ribbons
We cut different ribbons and tie them in knots on a jute rope. The New Year's garland for the Christmas tree is ready.
Santa Claus sleigh for street New Year's decoration
Many people probably have an old sled in their garage that no one has used for many years. Such a sleigh can become a real decoration of a garden or yard. They can be decorated with garlands or LED strips and a toy Santa Claus can be seated in them with a huge bag of gifts.
DIY ice decoration for the Christmas tree from scrap materials
We will need:
- glass with a flat bottom;
- spruce needles;
- rowan berries;
- rope (ribbon);
- glitter (optional).
Process:
- Pour some cold water into the bottom of the glass and pour sparkles into it (I have gold ones). Stir.
- We put the edge of the rope folded in half into the water so that the remaining part does not touch the water.
- Place in the freezer for several hours.
- When the water with sparkles has frozen, take out the glass.
- We put spruce needles on top and arrange rowan berries.
- Carefully pour in cold water so that the decor does not float away.
- Put it in the freezer again.
When the water has completely hardened, you can hang the craft on the street tree.
Snowmen and snow sculptures: decorating the outside of the house for the New Year
A traditional New Year's decoration for any garden or plot are various snow sculptures and snowmen. You can involve all family members in this activity. The resulting snowman or even a whole snowy family can be painted with paints and put on old scarves and hats. If you show a little imagination, the plot or garden will be decorated with various New Year-themed compositions made of snow.
Garlands made from straws for cocktails
Fans of original decorations will undoubtedly appreciate garlands made from cocktail tubes.
Traditional Christmas tree garland with rings – we make unusual decorations with our own hands
Let's make a decoration from cocktail tubes. Take four tubes of the same color. Cut off the top part. There should be one centimeter on one side of the accordion, and three on the other. We bend these parts and insert them into each other to make a square. We make our New Year's decoration from these squares of different colors.
DIY vertical garland of tubes
We pierce the tubes in the center. We pass the fishing line through them. We alternate different colors. The result is a children's garland.
Tips for decorating your home and yard for the New Year
Whatever decor you choose for your home and site, try to take into account the basic tips:
- Always remember safety! Choose all decorations taking into account their use outdoors in extreme weather conditions. Garlands must have high levels of moisture and dirt protection, and also withstand low temperatures. It is better to choose Christmas tree decorations not from fragile glass, but from plastic, wood or foam. It is important that the materials are not only durable, but also fireproof.
- Before buying jewelry, create a visualization project in which you can think through all the nuances. Even if it’s even a sketchy hand-drawn drawing, it will help you make a choice and purchase exactly the jewelry that suits your home, your goals and budget. You can take a photo of the house and the site, print it out and draw a decoration plan on it.
How to choose high-quality outdoor lighting devices
According to the experience of FORUMHOUSE participants, most of the garlands are made in China, but “China is different.” Be sure to ask the seller for installation instructions and understand what restrictions this garland has for installation on the site.
Thus, many types of garlands may not be suitable for the street, and their light is quite dim, although sellers often keep silent about this. How to identify street garlands was explained by the guru of the “Lighting” section of our portal with the nickname Dale85, who professionally deals with these issues. Need to:
- Look at the thickness of the wires - they must withstand light, stuck snow and icicles;
- The place where the wire and LED are soldered must be completely insulated; it cannot just be a casing placed on top.
Dale85FORUMHOUSE Member
If water gets into the cambric, hydrolysis begins and the contacts will rust or dissolve over time.
This is a street garland - the joint is filled with epoxy, a cambric is put on top:
Here is an indoor garland, with a simple cambric at the junction. It was not outside, it just hung in a warehouse for a long time and began to rust.
