Mexican-Inspired Christmas

Design on a Dime : Episode DOD-1213 -- More Projects »
Each Christmas Maria and Rudy Jimenez-Chacon play host to their extended family for the annual holiday get-together. This year they want to celebrate the season with a modern and festive theme. The Design on a Dime team drops by to create a Christmas they'll never forget for less than $1,000.
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Before: The colorless space needed a dose of holiday cheer.
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After: Festive red and lots of sparkle provide holiday style.
The Dilemma
Maria and Rudy have a great space for entertaining their large family, but it needs a dose of holiday cheer. The large room has a creamy-neutral color scheme, so it needs bright color and lots of trimmings.
The Solution
The team brightens the space with peppermint-red--everywhere. Red fabric wall treatments define the space and make it more intimate. Handmade ornaments and a festive pinata lend a traditional element to the otherwise contemporary Christmas look. A hanging centerpiece for the adjoining dining area and candleholders for the fireplace add holiday sparkle, and a snow-kissed Christmas tree adds a finishing touch. Here's how the team gets it done.
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Figure A
The team makes handmade ornaments by cutting star shapes from thin sheets of tin (figure A). The cutouts are creased using the edge of a wooden block and shaped to create 3-D ornaments.
The existing draperies are replaced with the red fabric used throughout the space, and a unique overlay is added for a touch of modern glimmer. Design coordinator Charles Burbridge creates the overlay by tying individual metal rings to lengths of monofilament at varying intervals and hanging them in front of the red draperies.
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Figure B

Host Lee Snijders creates sparkle for the fireplace by handpainting glass votive holders with transparent glass paint (figure B). He gives the holders the look of stained glass by applying adhesives that mimic the look of leading. The votive holders sit atop miniature wooden shelves that are attached to the flagstone of the fireplace. Tiny mirrors on the back of each shelf reflect the candlelight throughout the space.
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Figure C
Charles creates a traditional Mexican pinata that will be filled with candy for the children (figure C). He cuts two five-pointed star shapes out of lightweight cardboard. Each star cutout has flaps on one edge of each point. The flaps are glued to one another to create a 3-D decoration.

He then makes a holiday cardholder using an unpainted bun-shaped foot for a sofa, miniature alligator clips and vinyl-coated wire. He first paints the bun foot white, adding red stripes for the look of a peppermint candy. He drills holes in the top of the piece and inserts the wire. He then attaches the alligator clips to the tip of each piece for a fun card display.

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Figure D

Summer creates mirrored snowflake medallions (figure D) to cinch the center of the fabric wall treatments by using stencils and spray-on frost treatment.
Summer then gives ordinary white lampshades holiday style by adding red jingle-bell trim. The trim is attached using hook- and-loop fastener so the family can remove it after the holidays.
Designer Summer Baltzer also creates a serving tray using peppermint candies. She unwraps each candy, placing them in the bottom of a simple wooden tray and attaches them with craft glue. When the candies are in place she seals the design with clear resin.
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Figure E
Charles creates a modern holiday sculpture for the dining area using Christmas ornaments and monofilament (figure E). He first paints a custom-cut disc of Plexiglas with transparent red paint and drills small holes in it at random points. He ties the Christmas balls to the ends of the monofilament at varying lengths and ties the opposite end to the disc. When mounted, the light from the fixture will illuminate the space with holiday cheer.

The dining table gets a red runner, while the chairs get red chair covers that reverse to a chocolate-brown color for after the holidays. Summer handpaints simple white dishes and clear glassware to create festive dishware for the Christmas party--and for Santa and his reindeer.

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Figure F

The team gets to work on the tree by first giving it a coat of white spray-on flocking. After wrapping it in white lights they trim the tree with red and gold balls and the homemade tin stars (figure F). A modern tree topper made of extra Christmas balls adds the finishing touch.

The Cost

Reversible chair covers - $75

  • Fabric - $1.99 per yard - Kashcool

Decorative light fixture - $80
Cardholder - $25

  • Bun foot - $8 The Home Depot

Christmas dishware - $28

  • Groggy glassware, 30018070 - $1.49 each - IKEA

  • Svepa pitcher, 105882 - $2.99 - IKEA

  • Syntes bowls, 90058058 - $2.99 - IKEA

Stockings and decorations - $81

  • Grundtal mirror, 40047883 - $24.99 - IKEA

  • Starlight Decorations, 055022380 - $1.11 each - Target

Lampshade makeover - $76

  • Lampshades, 074080607 - $14.99 each - Target

Fireplace re-do - $48

  • Glass paint - $1.99 each - Michaels

  • Glimma tea lights, 07150110 - $2.99 - IKEA

  • Hej tea light holders, 60026484 - $1 each - IKEA
    IKEA
  • Stained-glass stick-on kit - Michaels

Fireplace screen - $15

  • St. Vincents

Wall panels - $100

  • Stave mirrors, 40054411 - $19.99 - IKEA

  • Glass frost for mirrors, 020066190385 - $3.98 each - Home Depot

  • Fabric - $5 per yard - Kashcool

Candy tray - $35

  • Wooden tray, 065092503 - $19.99 each - Target

Tree and trimmings - $250

  • Lights for tree - $4.99 each - Michaels

Coffee table - $25

  • St. Vincents

Centerpiece - $48

Pillows - $25

Pinata - $32

Total - $998

Resources
decorative project materials
Kashcool, Inc.
Phone: 213-489-3010

decorative project materials
St. Vincents
210 N. Ave 21
Los Angeles, CA 90031 Also in this Episode
Design on a Dime : Episode DOD-1213
•Mexican-Inspired Christmas