Podcast Summary: How to Decorate – Ep. 443: Holiday Throwback Special, Pt. 1 - Janie Molster

Date: December 9, 2025
Host: Caroline (Ballard Designs), with Taryn and Liz
Guest: Janie Molster, Interior Designer

Overview

This special episode revisits a fan-favorite holiday conversation with Richmond-based interior designer Janie Molster. Chosen by Caroline for its timeless and fresh take on holiday decorating, the episode dives into how to select colors that complement your home, layer decor for visual interest, and infuse personal touches. Janie’s down-to-earth wisdom offers actionable tips for creating festive rooms that feel both classic and uniquely yours, as well as solutions to listener decorating dilemmas.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Rethinking Holiday Color Palettes

• Go beyond red & green:
  Janie encourages listeners to use their home's existing palette as inspiration for holiday decorations.
  • “I don’t think red and green are necessity. I think what is key is greens.” (Janie Molster, 04:01)
  • Incorporating fresh greens or quality faux options can create a festive atmosphere that feels organic.
  • Ribbon becomes a crucial accent—choose colors that complement your décor rather than defaulting to traditional holiday hues.

Layering for Impact

• Design philosophy for the holidays:
  Janie applies her “edit and accentuate” approach to holiday decorating.
  • “Everything cannot be, you know, the star of the show. Give a few places for your eye and your mind to go, and then let that thing sort of stand alone.” (Janie Molster, 02:54)
  • Focus the “wow” on features like the tree, allowing it to stand out.
  • Use layering for both greens and ribbons to mimic a designer’s approach to textiles and finishes elsewhere.

Tree Decorating Techniques

• Mixing personal and aesthetic elements:
  Janie loves a "hodgepodge" tree filled with sentimental ornaments, brought together with cohesive ribbon and loads of lights.

  • “It's all jumbled in one big hodgepodge of a tree...dripping and sort of, that's my thing.” (Janie Molster, 03:27)
  • Ribbons unify the whole look even when ornaments are eclectic.
  • Practical advice: Run some ribbons horizontally, some vertically—from symmetrical to more organic arrangements (09:15).
  • Use extra-long ribbons, push them into the tree, and trim at the end (09:53).
  • Pro designer tip: Add lights until, when you squint from far away, there are no dark spots (13:54).

• Involving kids but keeping style:
  While Janie cherishes handmade ornaments, she jokes about curating even the color of her children’s art supplies to fit her palette (08:09). She’s sentimental but also “can’t part with them”—these pieces are what make her tree meaningful (12:24).

Expanding Decor to the Tabletop

• Carry the color story:
  Select natural elements like fruit and vegetables in your chosen palette for a cohesive tabletop (05:49).
  • “It’s really just picking a palette that makes your house look good and then just taking it to holiday type accessories.” (Janie Molster, 05:59)

Gift Wrapping Tips

• Practical & stylish:
  While magazine shoots have perfectly coordinated gift wrap, hers is more organic but usually aligns naturally with her taste.
  • “My favorite sort of go to thing is paper, craft paper, and then, you know, pretty special ribbon.” (Janie Molster, 10:34)
  • Bonus tip: Use butcher block paper for large or awkwardly-shaped gifts (11:11).

Listener Decorating Dilemmas

1. Dormer Bedroom Dilemma (Jade’s Room) [16:09]

• Wallpaper over paint:
  Janie recommends wallpapering not just the angles, but the entire attic room (including ceiling!) for unity and visual expansion.

  • “I would not only wallpaper the angles and the eaves, but do the ceiling, do all of it.” (Janie Molster, 17:43)

• Headboard hacks:
  Suggests creating a custom-upholstered headboard shaped to fit between dormers; if doing only one thing, start with wallpaper for impact.

• Window treatments:
  Remote-controlled blinds for tricky-to-reach windows and integrating odd trim or doors with either the same wallpaper ground color or coordinating fabric.

2. Awkward Living Room Layout (Lauren’s Room) [22:56]

• Furniture placement:
  Avoid the “timeout chair” by positioning chairs/love seats to encourage group conversation.

  • “You always want to have at least two to three people that can interact in a more intimate way.” (Janie Molster, 24:07)

• Updating built-ins and fireplace:
  Modern tip: Fill in deep old TV niche for a cleaner, more current look.

  • “I would fill that in and mount her television...it’s just a cleaner, simpler look.” (Janie Molster, 25:18)

• Rug layering:
  Use a large neutral rug under a statement piece to visually tie a room together.

  • “Layer a real room size rug underneath ...really fill the room up...then her existing rug could be layered on top.” (Janie Molster, 27:23)

• Drapery:
  Hang curtains high and wide for softness; use enough fabric so they could close fully, even if you don’t always do so.

• Mixing patterns and colors:
  Use drapery and pillows to bring color and pattern, but keep drapery fabric simple for longevity.

  • “Pattern really is the thing we tire of first. So put that in pillows...stick to something straightforward...for curtains.” (Janie Molster, 31:06)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On customizing holiday decor:
  “Pick your color palette...that mixed with natural greens has a complete Christmas look. So I do it to enhance the design of a house, not to enhance, you know, the Hallmark color palette.”
  —Janie Molster, 04:21

• On the sentimental side of decorating:
  “Standing on that ladder at 1:00 clock in the morning, drinking eggnog and unpacking all those little children ornaments...it's my favorite thing in the world.”
  —Janie Molster, 12:24

• On tree lighting:
  “Get several feet back from your tree and squint and...if there are any places that you can see...then I started walking out my front door, out on the street and squinting, and at that point we knew I was really losing it.”
  —Janie Molster, 13:54

• On built-ins vs. art:
  “The best, best thing for bookshelves is books. So...disparate sort of knickknacks are not a good look...just go buy artwork.”
  —Janie Molster, 28:04

Important Segment Timestamps

• [01:55] Why Janie doesn’t stick with red & green, color palette philosophy
• [02:31] Layering greenery and ribbon to suit your space
• [04:21] Creating a Christmas look that fits the home, not just tradition
• [08:00] Tips for unifying sentimental tree ornaments with ribbon and lighting
• [09:15] How to achieve a professional look with ribbon on your tree
• [13:54] Pro tree-lighting advice for maximum impact
• [16:09] Listener dilemma: Dormer bedroom – wallpaper, headboards, window treatment
• [24:07] Listener dilemma: Living room seating and layout
• [27:23] Rug layering and unifying a large space

Find Janie Molster

• Website: janiemolsterdesigns.com
• Instagram: @janiemolsterdesigns

Final Takeaways

• Holiday decorating should be personal and support your home’s year-round aesthetic.
• Let organic, layered, and meaningful elements shine, whether through ribbon, greenery, or sentiment.
• Approach each decorating challenge—holiday or year-round—with creativity and a willingness to edit for balance and beauty.