December has a special talent: it makes you want to upgrade your entire life while you’re still wearing the same hoodie you wore in October.
One minute you’re “just lighting a candle,” and the next you’re debating whether your lamps feel emotionally supported.
That’s the magic behind Current Obsessions: Into Decembera Remodelista-style mood board for the considered home, where every object earns its keep and every “little treat” is quietly excellent.
This isn’t a list of frantic holiday buys. It’s a curated set of December fixationssmall-batch, low-gloss, high-charm finds and rituals that make winter feel intentional.
Think: artisan ceramics, wearable sculpture, stockings with actual soul, gifts that give back, and a cozy rotation of scents, cookbooks, and puzzles for the hours when the sun clocks out early.
Why December Obsessions Feel So Satisfying
In design terms, December is a season of contrasts: darkness and glow, stillness and bustle, comfort and chaos.
The “obsessions” that land best right now tend to share three traits:
- They add warmth without clutter (light, texture, and ritual beat plastic snowflakes every time).
- They reward close-up living (if you’re home more, details matter more).
- They feel personal (handmade, vintage, or cause-driven beats mass-produced and forgettable).
Obsession #1: The Lamp That Turns a Corner of Your Home Into a Scene
If December had an official interior design move, it would be: add a lamp.
Not overhead lighting (we’re not trying to interrogate anyone), but a warm, grounded glow that makes a room feel lived-in and calm.
What makes this lamp “December-perfect”
Remodelista’s picka hand-thrown ceramic lamp created through a collaboration between a ceramics studio and an interior design duohits the sweet spot:
sculptural but soft, handmade but clean-lined, and sized to feel substantial without overpowering your table.
It’s the kind of piece that makes your nightstand look like it has a skincare routine and boundaries.
The bigger lesson: in winter, lighting is décor. A well-placed table lamp can replace half the seasonal “stuff” you’d otherwise buy.
Put one in a dark hallway. Add one to the kitchen counter. Drop one near your reading chair.
Suddenly, your home looks like it’s hosting a quiet holiday movie montage (minus the unrealistic snow budget).
Obsession #2: Wearable Sculpture (a.k.a. Jewelry That Looks Like Art History)
December style is tricky: you want to look pulled together, but you also want to be able to eat cookies and disappear into a scarf.
Enter: statement earrings that do the work for you.
Why “art-object jewelry” works right now
Remodelista’s December fixation spotlights earrings inspired by a historic design and reimagined by a contemporary ceramic artist.
That blendarchive + modern craftis exactly the mood of the season.
It feels meaningful, not trendy; expressive, not loud.
If you’re gift-shopping, this category is gold: it’s personal without being risky, special without being flashy, and it doesn’t require anyone to guess the recipient’s exact sweater size.
(Jewelry is basically fashion’s version of “no assembly required.”)
Obsession #3: Stockings Made from Vintage Quilts (Holiday Nostalgia, Upgraded)
A store-bought stocking is fine. But a stocking made from a vintage quilt?
That’s not décorthat’s family folklore.
How to pull it off without sacrificing a beloved heirloom
The best approach is to use quilts that are already worn, stained, or damaged in places (the ones that can’t live on a bed anymore but still have gorgeous patchwork).
The result: a textured, one-of-a-kind piece that looks collected over timebecause it literally was.
If sewing isn’t your thing, you can still steal the idea:
look for quilted textiles, vintage kantha, or patchwork remnants and use them as mantel runners, tree skirts, or even gift wrap.
December loves texture. Quilts deliver it in a way that feels warm, human, and sustainably smart.
Obsession #4: Artist-Designed Plates That Actually Do Something Good
Hosting season is also “plate season,” which sounds fake until you realize how much joy a single great dish can bring.
Remodelista highlights a limited-edition artist plate project that benefits a homelessness charityproof that tabletop can be beautiful and generous at the same time.
Why a plate is a surprisingly great gift
Plates are functional art: they live out in the open, they show up at gatherings, and they become part of people’s rituals.
A limited-edition plate can be a conversation piece that’s also… a plate. Revolutionary.
Styling tip: hang one on the wall as art, lean it on a shelf, or use it as a serving plate for citrus and walnuts.
December décor doesn’t need more objects; it needs better roles for the objects you already love.
Obsession #5: Subtle Home Scents (Not the “Mall Candle” Experience)
December scent can go one of two ways:
cozy and understated… or “I walked into a craft store and got hugged by cinnamon.”
The Remodelista approach leans subtlelayered, atmospheric, and not trying to win a fragrance shouting contest.
How to make scent feel intentional
- Pick one ‘base note’ for the season (wood, resin, citrus, herb) and keep it consistent.
- Use scent in zones: a gentle diffuser in the entry, a candle in the living room, and a simmer pot in the kitchen (only when you’re home).
- Ventilation matters: even a great candle is better with fresh air and a little common sense.
And if you want the lowest-effort trick: place a bowl of oranges, rosemary, or eucalyptus somewhere warm-ish.
Your home will smell like you have your life togethereven if your laundry basket says otherwise.
Obsession #6: Cookbooks You Actually Want to Leave Out
December is when cookbooks become both tools and decor.
A great cookbook can sit open on the counter like a still-lifeinviting, useful, and quietly optimistic.
(“This year I will roast more thoughtfully.” Sure. Let’s go with that.)
What makes a cookbook a December obsession
The best picks for this season usually have:
strong visuals, cozy recipes, clear instructions, and enough personality that you’d read them like a magazine.
They’re also perfect gifts because they’re aspirational but practicallike giving someone a future dinner party.
Display tip: stack two or three on a sideboard with a small bowl, a linen napkin, and a candle.
Instant vignette. Zero glitter cleanup.
Obsession #7: Jigsaw Puzzles for Passing the Time (and Saving Your Brain)
December downtime is real… and so is December screen fatigue.
Puzzles are having a moment because they’re meditative, social, and satisfyingly analog.
You don’t just “consume” a puzzleyou build something piece by piece, which feels very on-brand for end-of-year energy.
How to make puzzles feel like part of the home
- Choose a design you’d frame (art prints, landscapes, modern graphics).
- Set up a puzzle station: a board, good lighting, and a small tray for sorting.
- Make it social: 15 minutes after dinner beats doomscrolling every time.
Bonus: puzzles are one of the few December activities that work for mixed groupskids, adults, introverts, extroverts, and that one relative who insists they “don’t do games.”
(They do puzzles. They just don’t know it yet.)
Obsession #8: Surprises for the Eco-Minded Aesthete
“Eco-friendly gift” used to mean “this is responsible but kind of sad.”
Not anymore.
The new wave is beautiful, useful, and lower-wasteitems made to be kept, repaired, refilled, or composted.
Easy eco-minded swaps that still feel giftable
- Refillables (hand soap, cleaners, bath basics) in containers you’d proudly leave on the counter.
- Textiles with a second life (linen towels, wool throws, quilted accessories).
- Tools over trinkets (a great kitchen utensil, garden pruners, a sturdy match striker).
- Wrap smarter: fabric wrap, paper you’ll recycle, or a reusable bag that becomes part of the gift.
The goal isn’t perfectionit’s fewer “temporary objects” that turn into January clutter.
December can be generous without being landfill-adjacent.
Obsession #9: Shop Small Like It’s a Holiday Activity
Remodelista’s December notes include following a “shop small” guide for favorite stores and stopsbecause shopping can be a form of local travel.
When you buy from small businesses, you’re not just getting a product; you’re buying a point of view, a skill set, and usually a better story.
How to shop small without turning it into a marathon
- Pick a theme: ceramics, linens, paper goods, vintage, pantry gifts.
- Make one good stop, not ten rushed ones.
- Ask for “the thing people come in for”shop owners know what’s special.
Even if you’re shopping online, you can apply the same rule:
fewer purchases, better quality, more meaning.
It’s the antidote to the scrolling-and-forgetting cycle.
Obsession #10: “Well-Traveled” Tableware and the Return of the Gathered Table
December is when the table becomes a stage:
breakfasts that linger, spontaneous snacks that turn into dinner, and gatherings that need nothing more than soup and warm light.
Remodelista’s December roundup nods to tableware that feels “well-traveled”pieces with texture, history vibes, and a collected look.
How to make your table feel special (without buying a new life)
- Mix materials: wood + ceramic + linen feels warm and layered.
- Use what you own, but change the composition: stack plates, add small bowls, swap in mismatched glassware.
- Bring in nature: citrus, branches, herbs, pineconessimple and seasonal.
Tableware obsession is really a people obsession.
It’s about creating a place where someone wants to sit, stay, and have a second cookie.
How to Turn “Current Obsessions” Into a December Game Plan
If you want the Remodelista spirit without buying a cartful of stuff, try this:
1) Choose one “glow upgrade”
Add a lamp, swap a bulb to warmer temperature, or bring in portable light.
The fastest way to make December feel cozy is to make the evenings feel gentle.
2) Choose one “handmade or vintage” move
Quilt stocking, paper star, vintage ribbon, reused wrappinganything that adds texture and story.
Handmade reads as luxury because it can’t be mass-produced the same way.
3) Choose one “slow ritual”
A puzzle, a cookbook night, a simmer pot, or a weekly market stop.
Ritual is what turns winter from “endless darkness” into “seasonal charm.”
Field Notes: of December Experiences Inspired by “Current Obsessions”
Here’s the funny thing about December obsessions: they sound like décor trends, but they behave like mood management.
Try one or two, and your home starts cooperating with the season instead of fighting it.
You stop trying to “decorate for the holidays” and start building small moments that feel good to live in.
The first experience most people notice is what lighting does to their energy. Add one soft-glow lamp in a corner that used to be ignored andsuddenlythat corner becomes a destination.
It’s where you drop your book. It’s where the cat sits like a tiny art critic. It’s where you stand for “just one minute” and accidentally decompress for ten.
In December, light isn’t just functional; it’s emotional architecture.
The quilt-stocking idea is another one that lands differently once you try it. Patchwork has this instant nostalgia effectlike your home is remembering something comforting.
Even if the quilt you use isn’t a family heirloom, the look suggests history.
And the processcutting, stitching, lininghas an old-school steadiness to it.
It’s not fast, and that’s the point. December is full of fast. A slow project feels like reclaiming your time.
(Also: the first time you hang a handmade stocking, you will absolutely stare at it like you’re waiting for it to applaud you back.)
Scent experiments are where people learn restraint. It’s tempting to go full “winter wonderland,” but the most successful homes keep it subtle:
a clean wood note, a little citrus, maybe something herbal. The experience you’re aiming for is “quietly inviting,” not “department store candle aisle.”
A small simmer pot on the stove during an afternoon at home can beat three expensive candlesprovided you remember it’s there.
(Yes, this is also your reminder to set a timer. December does not need extra drama.)
Cookbooks and puzzles change the vibe in a surprisingly similar way: they bring the home back to the table.
A cookbook left open on a stand makes the kitchen feel active, even before anything is cooked.
A puzzle on a board invites people to wander over, place a piece, and chatwithout the pressure of “game night.”
It’s low-stakes togetherness, which is basically the best version of holiday socializing.
Finally, the “shop small” habit creates its own December experience: you start noticing craft and detail again.
You notice the weight of a mug, the grain of wood, the glaze variations on a bowl.
You stop thinking of gifts as “things to finish buying” and start thinking of them as “objects someone might actually keep.”
And that’s the Remodelista heart of it all: fewer items, better stories, and a home that feels more like youright when the year asks you to slow down and take stock.
Conclusion: The December Obsessions That Actually Last
The best part of Current Obsessions: Into December is that it’s not about chasing a perfect holiday look.
It’s about building a winter home that feels warm, thoughtful, and realthrough light, craft, scent, food, and gathered-table rituals.
Choose one obsession, make it yours, and let the season do what it does best: turn ordinary days into something slightly magical (and significantly cozier).
