Raise your hand if the decorations are one of your favorite aspects of the holiday season. Yup, me too. Now keep it up if you've got tons of extra time and money to fill your home with with pricey baubles and elaborate DIY's. No, me neither. The truth is, as much as I'd love to devote endless hours to decking my halls, December is my busiest month of the year. Holiday decor ideas that deliver big impact without requiring major effort are worth their weight in gold.
To straddle the line between striking and simple, I stick with a '3, 2, 1' rule: 3 elements in 2 colors to make 1 eye-catching arrangement. Here's the perfect example. Inspired by the Scandinavian simplicity of the Swedish ceramics brand Mateus, I used 2 colors (white and earthy) red to fill three vessels of three heights with three different components. You could do this with any of your favorite special dishes. Mix and match them with a couple single-blossom bouquets from Trader Joe's. In a shallow bowl place anything from nuts or oranges to glass Christmas balls. Use what you've already got and don't overthink it to save yourself money, time, and stress!
To help you create this look at home, Mateus is giving one reader a two gorgeous ceramics pieces of her choice! The winner will pick two serving items from the collection, up to an estimated US retail value of $250. The Swedish sophistication of Mateus pieces makes them perfect for everything from food (they just appeared on The Taste!) to flowers, or even displayed on their own. Use the widget to enter and good luck—both with the giveaway and with your holiday decorating!