Ho, Ho--Hum?

Admit it: It feels good to take down holiday decorations, to sweep up pine needles, box ornaments and trim, and get your house back to normal.

After a few days, though, “normal can seem boring,” said Les Brownstein, a La Habra-based interior designer. “Your home looks its best during the holidays. When they’re over, a ‘ho-hum’ feeling sets in.”

Florist Paul Ecke, owner of the Black Iris in Laguna Beach, agrees that most homes feel a bit empty in January. “But, I see it as the start of a new year, as a time of cleansing,” he said. “It’s the perfect time to take a fresh look at your interior and try something new.”

Where to start? The experts concur: Eliminate every vestige of the holidays, from poinsettias to twinkling lights. Then, you will be ready to celebrate the winter season.

Even in sunny Southern California, you can enjoy winter’s unique natural elements, woodsy scents and warm textures. One of the most effective ways to introduce a wintry mood to a home is with seasonal greenery, fruit and flowers, which not only add color, but “fragrance--a very important part of the ambience of an interior,” Brownstein said.

A potpourri made from salvaged pine twigs, baby pine cones and cedar-scented oil fills the air with a forest-like scent, said Jeff Johnson, special events director for Chris Lindsay Productions in Costa Mesa. He recommends putting the mixture in an antique pewter or bronze bowl and setting it on a coffee table. Or, use it in sachets made from organza squares tied with satin ribbon.

Johnson also likes to fill large bowls with seasonal fruits--tangerines, oranges, pomegranates. Pierce the fruit with whole cloves, he suggests, “to allow fragrance to enter the environment.”

Johnson, who has designed for some of Orange County’s top hotels, likes to replace poinsettias with oxblood-red amaryllis or paperwhite narcissus planted in cachepots.

Ilex branches, also known as winterberry, are a fresh alternative to holly, he said. Place the branches in a tall vase filled with water and use the arrangement in a foyer or on a console table. “It’s a simple, but dramatic look that will last nearly the entire season,” he said.

Ecke’s signature winter arrangement is white cymbidium orchids paired with sprays of curly willow. He also likes to create topiaries made from seasonal fruit rather than traditional ivy. “An arrangement of cone-shaped topiaries, made from green apples, crab apples or pomegranates, looks great on a kitchen island or buffet table,” he said.

Home accessories also can introduce seasonal textures to the rooms in your home.

“Don’t be afraid to spend a little money right now,” Brownstein said. “A few quick fixes can create important punctuation points in your home’s design.”

Keep the dining room table set with china that has a winter theme such as Winter Greetings by Lenox. Or, dress up everyday dishware by placing a snowflake-shaped sugar cookie wrapped in cellophane on each plate.

Cover dining chairs with slipcovers made from jewel-toned crushed velvet or ivory floral Jacquard to create a more intimate mood.

“Slipcovers provide an instant change of texture and color,” Brownstein said.

To create a centerpiece, “Group pillars of varying heights on a silver tray,” said Colleen Grillo of the Expo Design Center in Huntington Beach. Expo offers carved candles with intricate, three-dimensional designs. Try the leaf or geometric pattern in a warm shade of cream or buttermilk.

To brighten a kitchen, set ceramic hot-chocolate mugs decorated with a snowy motif on a wooden tray. Add a matching pitcher, packets of hot cocoa and a plate of colorful cookies. Or, arrange tall glass bottles filled with preserved fruits and herb-infused oils along the counter top or windowsill.

A family room feels more inviting with a beautiful throw draped over the furniture. Choose a cozy texture such as wool, cashmere, mohair, “even faux fur,” Brownstein said. “It looks like a gorgeous mink coat draped over your sofa.”

For the ultimate fluffiness under foot, lay a flokati rug--made of white, super-shaggy, New Zealand wool--next to the bed. They’re available at the Pottery Barn in Fashion Island.

Change bathroom rugs and towels with the season, too, said Shelley Brose, interior designer for Macy’s Home Store at South Coast Plaza. Choose nubby-textured rugs in deep colors such as wine or forest green. Coordinating, ultra-thick towels complete the look.

Add a finishing touch to the bathroom by filling a chrome bathtub tray with seasonal soaps and oils. Try the sweetly-scented Warm Vanilla Sugar and Toasted Hazelnut collections, which are favorites at Bath & Body Works at South Coast Plaza.

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Looking for other ways to brighten your interior?

* Animal print rugs in zebra, tiger and leopard are hot-sellers during winter, says Colleen Grillo of the Expo Design Center in Huntington Beach.

“Place one in front of your fireplace or roll up a few rugs and put them in a large basket for a more subtle touch,” she says.

* Hang a wreath on the front door made of variegated English ivy, finished with a French ivory ribbon.

* Fill a silver pitcher with an oversized bouquet of baby’s breath and set it on a night stand.

* Nestle a collection of oversized pine cones in an antique urn or handmade basket and place it on the hearth.

* Tie bunches of dried herbs such as rosemary and sage with a cheerful bow and hang them upside-down in the kitchen.

* Fill a hand-carved, wooden bowl with nuts in their shell, along with a classic nutcracker.

* Create a grouping of photos framed with dark woods, leather, burnished metals or animal prints.

* Replace traditional tablecloths with a vintage quilt made from jewel- or earth-tone fabrics.

* Add warmth to bedrooms by placing hand-crocheted linens atop night stands or dressers, and needlepoint pillows on beds.

* Place books with covers that reflect a winter mood on coffee tables and night stands.