A Room-by-Room Guide to Holiday Decorating
A Room-by-Room Guide to Holiday Decorating
Here’s how we deck the halls
Decorating for the holidays always makes me fall in love with our home all over again.
And though you won’t find us decking the halls until after Thanksgiving, we love planning it all out ahead of time. When the day comes, our tradition is to head out on the Saturday morning after Thanksgiving, pick out a tree at our local farm, and spend the afternoon at home setting everything up. When decorating, I go heavy on the natural (or faux) greenery and minimize the amount of “holiday-specific” decor that’s incorporated. Greenery really goes a long way! From the moment I string the twinkling lights and hang up the stockings, I’m reminded of how much our homes means to us especially around the holidays. Today I’m sharing my strategies for holiday decorating. Festive touches aren’t limited to just the living room, and I’ll show you how to add some texture and richness to every space.
The Entry
If your entryway involves a staircase, now is its time to shine. I love running fresh garlands along the banister for a classic holiday look. Secure the garlands using velvet ribbons every few feet to keep the greenery in place. The entry is also a great place to swap around your everyday artwork to something more seasonal. Snowy landscapes look gorgeous throughout the winter months and just make your home feel really special.
Entry Holiday Decorating Checklist:
Hang a gorgeous fresh or faux wreath or door swag on the front door
Swap in your entry artwork for winter landscapes
Add potted rosemary to your console table
Fill a decorative bowl with natural moss
Hang fresh garlands along your banister with ribbon, brass bells, or dried citrus slices
Inspired Entryway Holiday Decor
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The Living Room
Next, we’re moving into the most popular space for holiday decorating: the living room. I treat the mantle as the primary focal point in the living room and always decorate using greenery and garlands. I like to start by clearing everything off the mantle so I’ve got a fresh slate to work with. From there, I secure the garland, layer in some twinkle lights, and hang stockings on their hooks. Once the mantle is set, I’m ready to tackle the rest of the space. I focus heavily on adding lots of texture, pattern, and seasonal color tones with a tree skirt/cuff, ornaments, uniformly wrapped presents, or even textile selections. Keep in mind that sometimes the biggest impacts you can make with holiday decor aren’t holiday specific at all.
Living Room Holiday Decorating Checklist:
Decorate the Christmas tree in a way most meaningful to you – don’t forget the tree topper
Secure fresh garlands on the mantle
Hang your family’s stockings + add a signature ribbon color
Swap in cozy, winter-inspired throw pillows and blankets
Add seasonal coffee table decor (candles and fresh greens are always understated + elegant)
Hang fresh mini wreaths in the windows
Style shelf decor (try adding a few small accessories, like ornaments or pine cones in a bowl)
Living Room Christmas Classics
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The Kitchen
The kitchen doesn’t need much to get dressed up for the holiday season, but a few simple touches can go a long way. Try hanging a wreath above your range hood, and add fresh potted rosemary or seasonal greenery inside a vintage vase to your countertops. You can also swap out your everyday tea towels for a classic gingham or plaid pattern for a subtle nod to the season.
If your kitchen features open shelves, it’s always a fun opportunity to get extra festive. Try swapping out everyday dishware for your favorite champagne coupes and decorate with the season’s harvest, like bowls of persimmons and pomegranates. Round out the look with mini wreaths here and there until the shelves feel well-balanced.
Kitchen Holiday Decorating Checklist:
Hang a wreath above the range hood using a nail-free hook
Swap your tea towels for subtle holiday patterns or color tones
Add potted rosemary to your kitchen countertops
Style a bowl of fresh persimmons or pomegranates
Greenery= Festivity
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The Dining Room
Our current home has an open concept dining room with our kitchen and living room, and I love that I can see it all. We have a very large open wall with two sconces on either end in the dining area, so I’ve previously used that as a blank canvas to hang an oversized wreath during the holidays. For the table centerpiece, I like to keep things understated and simple. I’ve found a bowl of natural moss adds just enough color without going overboard. When we’re hosting, I always pull out our prettiest plates, glassware, serveware, and linen dinner napkins to help set the scene.
Dining Room Holiday Decorating Checklist:
Hang a set of mini wreaths in the window or on an open wall
Style a bowl of natural moss as your centerpiece
Pull out your best (or most sentimental) serveware for hosting
Layer a few taper candles on a buffet cabinet or table
Set the Scene in the Dining Room
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The Bedrooms
Bedrooms are not the most obvious space for holiday decorating, but I love the thought of bringing a festive touch to every corner of the home, especially in kids’ bedrooms. Setting up a small tree inside their rooms along with a mini wreath, fun stocking of their choosing, or bells at the end of their bed or right above it is such a sweet way to get them into the holiday spirit. You can also run garland over your headboard with the help of a few well-placed hooks. It can also be as simple as adding an extra cozy throw blanket or swapping in a new seasonal throw pillow combination. Placing a few springs of evergreens inside a vase adds a nice touch in the bathroom.
Bedroom Holiday Decorating Checklist:
Swap in a seasonal duvet cover + add a cozy wool throw
Change out your decorative pillows for a seasonal-inspired look
Hang stockings, brass bells, mini wreaths or ribbons above or at the end of their beds for a festive touch
Bonus: run fresh or faux garland along your child’s headboard
Festive, Fun and Playful
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