These Are the Decorations Hallmark Designers Use to Make Their Christmas Movies Look Magical
Hallmark Christmas movies are great for many reasons: They’re family friendly, so the whole crew can don their matching pajamas and watch together. The romantic storylines are bound to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. And, without fail, they’re set in a gorgeous location.
The network always finds the most charming small towns, and each palace, mansion, or cottage within them is picture-perfect. The interiors are filled to the brim with tinsel and cheer, and it likely makes you wish you could create a similar winter wonderland in your own home. The good news is—you can!
The Strategist chatted with the pros, a.k.a three Hallmark set designers, to find out exactly what items they use to make everything so darn beautiful. They include things you might expect, like flocked artificial Christmas trees, but there are some other additions that may surprise you, such as paper snowflakes, record players, and, get this, spray deodorant. The latter apparently makes windows look perfectly frosted!
“The overall look on set is tasteful, warm, and aspirational—people look at a Hallmark movie and they want to live there,” production designer Tom Lisowski told the outlet.
The first step is to decide your theme. For A Nashville Christmas Carol, for example, it made sense to have a “nostalgic homey Christmas vibe” for many scenes, which led to the eclectic touches like musical ornaments you’ll see throughout. But perhaps you want something more glam, in which case shiny, silvery decorations are the way to go.
Take a look at some of their top picks below, and remember one tip from Lisowski: You should always buy “tons of stuff” so you can be prepared for anything. “That’s something I’ve learned: You’re always going to need more than you think you need," he said.
You heard the man! Fill those online shopping carts!
