Juli Risner owns Grounded,

with her husband, Rich.

^{Photo by Tara Sharp}

Chock full of clean-lined, nature-inspired goodies – everything from orb-shaped bird feeders to felt wine cozies – modern living boutique Grounded is currently having its busiest holiday season since opening in 2004. Juli Risner, who owns the shop with her husband, Rich, took some time out of her busy schedule to share tips on holiday decorating with the same clean, streamlined look as the contents of her Encinitas shop.

1. Show off your ornaments. Risner utilizes West Elm’s 3-foot and 4-foot silver Christmas trees throughout both her home and her store because their open branches allow for large ornaments to be the focal point.

“It works well for small condos and apartments on a table or a grouping of them in a larger space,” she says.

Another non-traditional way to display your favorite oversized ornaments is by hanging them from fishing line in front of windows, in the same fashion as the grouped glass terrariums (that Rich made) are hung in Grounded’s window display.

2. Stick with a color theme. This year, they are doing a chartreuse, green and silver holiday theme in their home, similar to the color scheme of one of the glass ornament-adorned trees showcased in the store. Risner says they use many products from the boutique in their personal residence, including the glass ornaments they sell for $10-$11.

The key is continuity, she says, which can mean anything from choosing to emphasize one color to choosing to decorate in a type, such as using all bright tones.

West Elm's table-sized

Christmas trees.

^{Photo by Tara Sharp}

3. Go with felt. With its handcrafted, “homey” feel, felt work is perfect for holiday décor.

“Felt is gaining popularity in modern design,” says Risner. “It’s clean, but warm and cozy at the same time.”

Grounded carries an assortment of felt products, from drink coasters by Los Angeles-based Gräf & Lantz to handmade felt doll ornaments from Scandinavian company Én Gry & Sif. The store also sells felt heart-shaped garland for a twist on the usual popcorn string.

Poinsettias in a conversation-

starting pot.

^{Photo by Tara Sharp}

4. Give poinsettias a facelift. Risner recommends putting these classic Christmas plants in a distinctive pot so they become more of a design standout piece. Since Encinitas is the poinsettia capital of the world, it’s a great way to take advantage of this locally grown beauty without sacrificing style.

5. Shop local. Risner believes Grounded’s success this year can be, in part, attributed to more and more San Diegans shopping locally. She adds that by supporting our neighboring independent shops, we are contributing more to our economy than by shopping at national chains.

She recommends two other nearby boutiques for holiday décor: Dreamy, a bath and body store that carries seasonal girly ornaments, and Gardenology, for those looking for more of a French-country feel.