Materials Girl

By Naperville Magazine
Appears in the December 2022 issue.

Many of the tried-and-tested materials that interior designer Rachel Alcorn uses in her holiday decor are simple and easy to find. Here are some of her favorite goods for getting her home holiday-ready:

• Use fun, nontraditional wrapping paper to cover boxes of different shapes and sizes to display in your holiday embellishments.

• Mix dried eucalyptus, which is easy to find at many grocery stores, with greenery for an unexpected twist. Bonus: As it dries, it crisps, but it won’t look dead or wilted.

• Ornament bulbs add festive bling to seasonal tableaux. Mix versions from stores such as West Elm with less expensive finds from craft stores such as Michael’s and Hobby Lobby.

• Use bulbs or ribbons in a single color to unite the mishmash of handmade and sentimental ornaments on a tree.

Photo courtesy of Kristi Hughes