Decorating in a Way That Actually Supports How You Live

 By Scott Goshorn

The holidays have a way of cutting through the noise.

Suddenly, “home” isn’t about trends or resale value.
It’s about how a space handles real life — conversations that run late, people who linger, quiet mornings before the rest of the world wakes up.

That’s why I think holiday decorating gets misunderstood.
It’s not about turning your home into a catalog spread.
It’s about helping your home do its job better during the season that asks the most of it.

1. Decorate Based on How You Actually Use the Space

Before you pull out the boxes, take a beat.

Ask yourself:

• Where do people naturally gather?

• Which rooms get used, and which ones don’t?

• Where do conversations start… and where do they end up?

Nine times out of ten, it’s the kitchen. Or the living room couch everyone crowds onto.
Decorate there first.

Clear walkways. Add lighting where people sit. Make it easy for a room to hold people comfortably.

Good design — holiday or otherwise — works with human behavior, not against it.

2. Comfort Is Not a Bonus. It’s the Point.

Here’s something I’ve learned from years of walking clients through homes:

If a space doesn’t feel good, nothing else matters.

During the holidays especially, comfort carries the weight.
Soft lighting beats bright overheads.
Textures matter more than polish.
Warmth beats perfection every time.

Your home should lower stress, not create it.
That’s not decorating advice — that’s just good living.

3. Create Moments, Not Just “Decorated Rooms”

The most memorable spaces are rarely the biggest.

It’s the chair by the window with the throw.
The coffee station that becomes a morning ritual.
The entryway that sets the tone the second you walk in.

Those aren’t accidents.
They’re intentional choices that say, this is how we live here.

If your decor helps create small, repeatable moments, you’re doing it right.

4. Let Your Decor Reflect the Season of Life You’re In

Homes evolve. So do people.

Maybe this is your first holiday in a new place.
Maybe kids are older.
Maybe gatherings are smaller… or bigger.
Maybe traditions have shifted.

You don’t have to decorate like you used to.
And you definitely don’t need to decorate like anyone else.

The best homes — the ones that actually feel grounded — reflect where life is now, not where it was five years ago.

5. The Real Test Comes After the Decorations Come Down

Here’s the question that matters most:

When the holidays are over, does your home still support you?

Because the right home doesn’t just shine in December.
It works on quiet January mornings.
On regular Tuesdays.
On the days nobody posts about.

That’s always how I look at real estate.

Not just how a home photographs — but how it lives.

Why This Matters More Than People Realize

The holidays highlight something important:
Homes aren’t containers for stuff.
They’re environments that shape how we feel.

When a home is designed — and decorated — with intention, it gives back.
It supports connection.
It lowers friction.
It creates ease.

And that’s what people are really searching for, whether they say it out loud or not.

A Final Thought

This season, don’t aim for perfect.
Aim for supportive.
Aim for comfortable.
Aim for a home that lets life happen naturally inside it.

That’s what lasts.

That’s what matters.

And that’s always the goal.