We know what you might be thinking: It’s AUGUST. Is it really time to start thinking about decorating for the holidays?
If you’re a business owner or if you administer a facility, it certainly is. Demand for holiday foliage and decor is immense throughout the fall months, and in NYC, especially, the competition is fierce among businesses to create a vibrant, festive atmosphere for employees and customers alike during the holiday season. To ensure ample time and materials to create a display designed to impress, now is the time to get started. Whether this is your first time planning a holiday display or you’ve done this before, here’s an overview of what you need to know going into this season.
Start Planning (and Ordering) Now
Start by visualizing a theme or aesthetic for your display, taking into account things like spatial considerations, available natural light, etc. Are you looking for something traditional or modern? Simple or elaborate? Are you creating ambience for your employees, your customers, or both? Our design experts can provide some creative ideas based on your space availability, company aesthetic, and overall intent for the display. The key is to get started as soon as possible before schedules fill up.
Once you have a game plan for your display and what items will be needed–get the order placed. The earlier the better when it comes to ordering holiday decor – most suppliers will need at least 4-6 weeks notice to process and deliver. Of course, items with a limited life span like seasonal live plants and cut flowers won’t be delivered right away, but you can typically reserve them in advance for delivery when needed. (Pro tip: When it comes to holiday plants, if you wait until you need them to order, they probably won’t be available.)
Choosing Items for Your Display
There are four main elements to consider when selecting specific items for your holiday design:
- Flowers and Greenery: Holiday blooms are a trend to check out this year. They bring a touch of nature into your facility and can be coordinated with your chosen color scheme. Holiday trees and evergreen clippings are obviously common, as well, but you can also explore more exotic options–for example, a tropical theme with decorated palms, wreaths made from seashells, etc.
- Lighting: The right lighting can make or break your display. Consider using LED lights for their longevity and energy efficiency. You could also explore options like fairy lights and lanterns for a warm, cozy glow. If you’re looking to draw attention, you might also look into programmable lighting–to change lighting “moods” at different times of day, animate your lighting, or even sync light displays to music.
- Ornamentation: This step involves choosing the ornaments and objects to enhance your theme and colors. If you have a winter wonderland in mind, you might go with snowflakes and ice crystals. You can also explore unique items like custom-made signs and banners, ornaments featuring company logos, etc. For large focal points or window displays, you can do something as simple as a gorgeous floral arrangement or as elaborate as an animatronic scene.
- Structural Elements: Structural elements will help to give your display shape and structure. Consider incorporating planters, wreaths, pillars, topiaries, etc. throughout your display. You can also hang ornaments from the ceiling to create an interesting 3D effect.
Indoor and Outdoor Displays
Your holiday display isn’t just limited to the interior of your facility. An outdoor display can draw people in and make a strong first impression. Consider adding some twinkling lights to the exterior of your building or placing a beautifully decorated tree in a visible location.
For indoor displays, think about where your customers will spend the most time. This could be a waiting area, the entrance, or near your products. If you’re focused on decorating for your employees, you can create a main display in the common area with occasional holiday accents throughout the office.
Holiday Trends to Watch For
As with anything else, what’s popular with holiday decor changes with the times. If you’re looking for current ideas, here are some holiday decorating trends we’re already watching:
- Elegance and luxury: The pendulum is swinging from minimal designs from the past few years back toward shiny, luxurious abundance. Metallics, bright colors, generous lighting, and full, rich displays will gain attention this year.
- Broader color ranges: While red and green are always in fashion for the holidays, many designers are looking toward pastels, pinks, blues, and whites–and sometimes just whites and creams. (White and “flocked” holiday trees are seeing a surge in interest.)
- Earthy and natural: Almost in contrast to the luxury theme mentioned earlier, “earth tones” are still highly popular for some displays–trees decorated with natural elements, a focus on plants and foliage, calming natural effects, etc.
Get on Our Calendar Today
As you might expect, the holidays are a time when we at Horticultural Creations truly get to shine. Contacting us as early as possible will ensure our design team has ample time to prepare your designs and order the supplies needed to make your display stand out. Reach out here so our team can schedule time with you.
