November is almost over and we made it through Thanksgiving and Black Friday in one piece (I hope)! For those of us who celebrate Christmas, the next hurdle is here. Gift buying, Christmas parties, more cooking, and the stress of Christmas decorations just to name a few. We all want our holidays to be magical and filled with joy but most of all, we want a cozy and inviting atmosphere to welcome our loved ones each time they step through that door.
Ok, now it’s time to get real. If I’m not getting smacked in the face with smells of pine and cloves, getting blinded by white sparkly décor, and getting burned by the warmth of a perfectly decorated fireplace … I need to up my Christmas decorating game. I think we all can agree.
I’ve noticed most of us these days have a preference for a more natural style of Christmas décor which involves whites, greens, and silvers and this makes me really happy. Trends these days really bring in elements of snow and ice into our homes with cozy and fluffy elements that I absolutely love! In this post, we’ll review simple and easy ways to decorate for Christmas on a budget that is sure to impress!
Christmas Tree
The first and most important element of Christmas décor is the Christmas tree. I’ve designed mine a few different ways over the past several years but all have been inspired by whites, golds, silvers, and forest critters. I was daring and started using ornaments that were the same color as my living room walls and although I was skeptical, it turned out to be a great choice! I love decorating my Christmas tree with rustic but sparkly ornaments. And yes, those are fake antlers on my tree with a star made out of twigs on top. I was being serious when I said my décor game is inspired by forest critters!
For colors, I find the most beautiful Christmas trees are flocked with white rather than being pure white. Don’t have access to a flocked tree? No problem! This can be done easily at home with a little flocking powder. Flocking a green Christmas tree, no matter how old it is, will really make your home scream winter in the best way.
Lastly, let’s talk about my biggest Christmas tree pet peeve. Gaps. One issue I’ve found myself dealing with concerning Christmas trees is gaps and spacing that seems to get worse each year when you’re reusing the same tree. The best way to fix this is no covering it up with an excessive amount of ornaments. Large ornaments, especially if placed incorrectly, can make a tree appear unbalanced. Instead, use fake florals such as sparkly petunias or bushy branches to fill in these areas.
Fireplace Mantle
The most simple and hassle free Christmas mantle décor is to dress it up with garland. This year, I went with flocked garland since I don’t have much room to work with due to the TV placed above but if you’re working on a budget, this is the way to go! The best part about garland is that it can be layered and dressed up with ornaments and ribbon. I prefer a basic garland, but soon I’ll experiment. Make it look even more dramatic by purchasing garland hooks and having the garland hang rather than sit on top.
The bottom part of my fireplace I keep simple since I have a one year old rolling around that tends to knock EVERYTHING over. I made sure to use very lightweight and unbreakable pieces this year. In the past, I’ve used glass lanterns and metal deer but not this Christmas! It’s ok, he’s worth it.
Artwork
For that extra layer of Christmas and winter cheer, add in snowy artwork. I purchased this (fake) piece of art from Hobby Lobby for $30. It has cool hues that match the color of my home and brings in a snowy, nature feel. Dress it up with garland for extra points! It’s always a great idea to have areas of your home with rotational artwork that you can swap out with the season.
Artwork will look even better this season if it’s dressed up with garland. Drape your garland around the corners at the top for a more rustic feel. Garland is also a great idea to really hide the edges of a canvas painting that hasn’t been framed like mine!
Wall Décor
Most people have wall shelving that could use some Christmas spirit. This is something you can get really creative with. Add in small pieces of garland and candle sticks, or just keep it simple and clean with just a few stand alone items. For my living room, I really only felt it necessary to keep it minimalistic since there is already so much going on between the Christmas tree and fireplace mantle. Adding even more garland would be overkill.
For other areas, like bathroom shelving for example, this could be an area you want to have a lot of fun with! Use bigger pieces, fluffy garland or signage to make a statement. For my bathroom, I decided to go with some rustic signage and silver deer.
Winter Linens
This step isn’t really necessary, but if you’re anything like me, you tend to decorate every room in the house but your own. Why? Well for one.. I’m a little lazy and figured my guests never see my bedroom so why decorate? Because Christmas spirit – that’s why.
The winter gets cold and a warmer comforter is needed so to keep it Christmas, I chose evergreen flannel. This is warm, cozy, and fluffy which really makes it feel like winter. I like to keep a large, fake evergreen on my night table with a winter candle for looks.
Lastly, this may sound extra, but shower curtains! Holiday shower curtains are so affordable and so easy to change out. They add a HUGE pop of Christmas to a small bathroom space that can be done by anyone. Simple. Easy. Cheap.
The Couch
The couch is crucial. I spend most of my free time here unfortunately so it’s important to keep this area merry. Luckily for us, it’s the easiest place to decorate! All that’s really needed is a few Christmas pillows of varying sizes and a fluffy, chunky throw or two. Since it’s cold weather, I like to go for chunky knits and lighter colors that will provide some contrast against my dark couch. Add in a useless tray and candle (or even a fancy book you’ll never read) for style points.
Decorative Tables
It’s a MUST for every home to at least have one decorative table. For me, it’s right behind the couch to provide some separation between kitchen and living room since it’s a combo in my home. This is my most important area to style for every holiday as it’s the main area people see when they’re welcomed into my home. It’s the space in between the living room and kitchen – where everyone lives.
I ALWAYS put a garland here but in contrast to my fireplace, I recommend a flat, less fluffy garland for this space. The reason behind this is that if you are decorating a space with lots of decorative objects, a fluffy garland can really distract and take away from their charm. Decorate with family photos in shimmery frames, attractive Christmas objects, and snowy winter pieces for a charming holiday display.
Kitchen
Since the kitchen is an area of total chaos, I keep the décor here limited. The average family is going to need every bit of counter space they can get. Adding some small seasonal signage, Christmas themed jars and hand towels is good enough for the counters. Tables or eating areas can be dressed up with a simple vase with winter greenery or metallic candle holders adorned with white candles.
From the soft, twinkling lights to the shimmering Christmas tree (awaiting attacks from the household cat), Christmas is a time of warmth and cheer. With these tips, I hope you are able to turn your space into a holiday haven that’s both merry and bright! For me, it’s time to wind down and embrace the havoc .. I mean magic.. of Christmas.