Inside the Holiday Aesthetic of Dwyane Wade: A Design-Led Vision Board That Shows How Candles, Luxe Linens, and Thoughtful Tablescapes Set the Perfect Mood

Decorating and entertaining for the holidays, whether it's Thanksgiving or Christmas, requires thoughtful planning and curation, and while some of us still like to plot our strategies out on pen and paper, vision boards are one of the most fantastic tools for those of us who are visually inclined.

NBA All-Star and self-proclaimed Dwyane Wade has recently jumped onto the platform, and looking at his Holiday Entertaining board, it becomes clear that ambiance is everything.

Featuring creamy linens, minimalist trees, elegant wine glasses, and elaborate tablescapes, his aesthetic leans traditional-meets-nostalgic.

'For me, it's about how do you create the vibe that you want?' he tells us on a call from LA. 'How do you set the scene? We all know that certain things take us back to a certain moment in our holidays. Whether it's the music, whether it's a smell, a scent, whether it's coming from the kitchen, so I understand how those little moments take you back to things that make us feel good.'

While the decor process can be daunting, Dwyane likes to think of it as a style collage, in the same way we put together an outfit.

'I always tell people, I treat it very similarly as I treat getting dressed. What vibe am I going for? What look, what color, what season? Before I get to the fabrics and stuff, I started picking the color palette first. The last two years, I've created it in the open walkway of my home, but other years I've done it in other rooms. I envision the space that it's going to be in, and how the colors are going to bring that space to life.'

One of the main ways Dwyane likes to set the festive spirit is through scent and light; and sometimes even both at once, courtesy of a cult-favorite Jo Malone scented candle (Wood Sage and Sea Salt).

'I make sure that candles are in all spaces. I highlighted the Jo Malone candle [from Saks Fifth Avenue] in my board because I have so many people who have given me a lot of them, but Jo Malone is something I go purchase myself,' he tells us.

When it comes to the food, Dwyane says he has been working with a personal chef for 20 years, and as such, pays close attention to the appliances used around the holidays for optimal results.

'Whenever you do an event, I don't care who you are, who you think you are, if there's food involved in it, the food is probably the number one thing that draws people there or can get people to stay longer or get people to leave,' he tells us. 'This is the time of the year when I'm like, 'Don't hold back. The fried turkey is so important in my household, so to be able to make sure we go get all the fryers that we need is very important to make sure that we can accomplish the turkey in the way that everyone likes it.'

Above all, Dwyane emphasizes the holidays as a time to make memories, and as such, sentimental touches can be the ultimate form of decor.

'I like to have family portraits around for the [Christmas tree] ornaments more so than anything else.'

Shop Dwyane Wade's holiday decor essentials