Here are some expert-backed ways to give your home a festive makeover: A practical reader guide

Here are some expert-backed ways to give your home a festive makeover: A practical reader guide

Today, ready-to-use rangoli templates make the process much easier! A festive home makeover should not be something you overthink. It should reflect your personality and the things you love. For instance, if you love florals, you can give your home a floral refresh with fresh flowers, leafy accents and indoor plants. Sometimes, small updates, such as adding warm lighting or decorative frames, can bring a festive touch to your interiors. With Diwali around the corner, I remember spending hours looking for rangoli designs to recreate at home. The key is to work with what you already have and identify the areas that need a little refresh. Colourful cushion covers, fresh flowers, decorative diyas, warm lighting and a well-arranged dining table can transform your space without extensive redecorating. Even cleaning windows, refreshing curtains and decluttering surfaces can make a noticeable difference to how your home looks and feels.

Here are some expert-backed ways to give your home a festive makeover: A practical reader guide

7. Declutter first and decorate afterwards

Ishika Narang is a Multimedia Writer at the Hindustan Times, with over three years of experience in digital journalism, specialising in health, lifestyle, beauty, and consumer-focused reporting. Her primary coverage areas include evidence-based health journalism, preventive care, wellness trends, and affiliate-driven consumer guides tailored for digital audiences. She began her professional journey in digital media, where she developed expertise in multimedia storytelling and platform-optimised editorial strategies. Over the years, she has worked with reputed organisations such as Park+, Jagran, and Wavel.ai, steadily building credibility in health and consumer journalism. Her work reflects a strong progression in editorial responsibility, combining research-backed reporting with audience-focused content formats. At Hindustan Times, she produces in-depth health and lifestyle features, expert-led explainers, and data-informed consumer stories. She also focuses extensively on affiliate articles, creating well-researched buying guides, product comparisons, and recommendation-based content that balances commercial intent with editorial integrity. Alongside writing, she conceptualises and manages social media storytelling, ensuring content is informative, engaging, and optimised for platform-specific consumption. Her subject expertise includes preventive healthcare, nutrition, supplements, women’s health, beauty trends, consumer awareness, and affiliate commerce content. She integrates expert consultations, peer-reviewed research, verified product analysis, and transparent sourcing. Her strengths lie in evidence-based storytelling, simplifying complex information, and producing reader-first affiliate content that prioritises trust and value. Ishika holds a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) in Marketing from Guru Gobind Indraprastha University, which enhances her understanding of consumer behaviour, digital commerce, and audience engagement, skills that complement her specialisation in consumer and affiliate journalism. She is committed to ethical reporting, transparent affiliate disclosures, rigorous fact-checking, and maintaining editorial credibility, ensuring every story upholds reader trust and journalistic standards. Similarly, experts suggest focusing on a few important areas, balancing traditional elements with contemporary interiors and choosing decorations that can be reused throughout the year. Here are some expert-backed ways to give your home a festive makeover without changing everything. Windows and doors are easy to overlook when planning festive decorations, yet they affect how a home looks from both inside and outside. Refreshing these areas can make your interiors look cleaner and brighter without changing the overall design. Ankit Modi, Managing Director of Durakraft Extrusions, points out that small changes can significantly alter the perception of a home. He also highlights the importance of windows and doors in the overall appearance of a property. Start by cleaning windowpanes, frames, and door surfaces to remove dust and marks. Clean windows can let in more natural light, making rooms feel brighter during the day. If your existing curtains look heavy or dated, consider switching to lightweight curtains or sheer panels that complement the rest of the room. Once the room is tidy, choose a few accessories that add color, texture, or visual interest. A decorative tray can group a small arrangement of objects, while a vase of flowers can make an otherwise plain corner feel more inviting. Leaving some space around decorative objects helps each piece stand out and makes routine cleaning easier. This is also a useful time to sort through existing decorations. Set aside items that can be reused, repair anything that needs attention, and identify what, if anything, is genuinely missing before shopping. A festive makeover does not have to leave you with boxes of decorations that sit unused for the rest of the year. Choosing versatile pieces can help you refresh your home for different occasions without buying new accessories every time. Sharma recommends investing in flexible decorations that can be reused for different celebrations. Rather than focusing on short-lived trends, think about whether an item will suit your existing furniture, colour palette and everyday routine. For example, a decorative tray can style a coffee table year-round, while a ceramic vase can hold festive flowers in October and everyday foliage in other months. Neutral table linen, metallic candle holders and cushion covers in complementary colours can also work across different seasons. The most effective festive makeover is one that suits your home, budget and everyday needs. As the experts suggest, a few well-considered changes can create a warm and celebratory atmosphere without replacing furniture or undertaking expensive renovations.

Because it is a festive occasion, avoid filling every empty surface simply.

Founder of Shankar Fenestration and Glasses, creativity and the effective use of existing decor are more important than repeatedly buying new decorations, according to Dinesh Chandra Pandey.