I love Christmas decorating. I truly do, but I don’t love stressing over my decorations. If you can relate this is the post for you. Let me show you how I decorated my living room for Christmas with lots of simple ideas for Christmas decorating
I love Christmas
I love the Christmas season…
I love the decorating, the twinkly lights, the trees, and everything that goes with it…
I love sharing my Christmas decorations with you all and visiting all my friends who are sharing their decorated Christmas home on their blogs.
Did you see my friend Kate’s home (Southern Home and Hospitality)? She does such a great job of decorating with plaid for Christmas. I am sharing all the links to my friends’ Christmas home tours that we are doing this week at the bottom of this post.
But as much as I love the whole Christmas hoopla. I kinda not love a lot about this season too.
Maybe you can relate, but I don’t like the stress put on us to do it all perfectly. I don’t like the implication that you can only have a beautifully decorated Christmas home if you spend a lot of money. And I definitely don’t like the idea that you have to reinvent Christmas every year.
Don’t get me wrong, if you like to go all new every year that is totally ok in my book. But it is just not me.
I am a sentimental gal at heart. I like my Christmases to be predictable, familiar and with lots of little personal traditions.
This year more than ever.
New Here?
While working on the renovation, we live in a temporary apartment that we created on the house’s first floor. The apartment is cozy and comfortable but still has a lot of unfinished touches. That’s OK. It will get its final makeover one day. If you’d like to follow our renovating adventures, watch them on our Youtube Channel: Lex and Marianne.
This year has brought so many changes: a new home, in a new country, a new life with a whole new lifestyle attached. I am craving safe, and familiar and tried and tested.
So that’s where this years Christmas went as well. Nothing new in this home. All my Christmas decorations came from the same totes I packed them in last year. Some of my decorations have been with me for more than a decade. A lot of them are homemade.
Let me show you….
my favorite simple ideas for Christmas decorating
Decorate your tree in an easy color scheme using what you have
My Christmas tree has been showing off mostly white ornaments for many years now. This year I used just about every Christmas ornament I ever made. Some white and some in wood or neutral colors. I was surprised myself how well they all work together.
There are the hand-sawn wooden Christmas stars, and my no-chrochet crochet ornaments, the vintage cards decorations from last year, the little Christmas puppet angels from many years ago and the burlap ornaments that are so old I can’t even remember in which year I made those.
This year I used a stack of painted suitcases as my tree stand. There is a stack of books in the bottom one to make sure the top is sturdy enough for the weight. I put my gym bag over the tree stand inside the top suitcase for some extra counterweight and hid that and the cords with my chunky knit blanket.
There is a memory attached to nearly over ornament in that tree. And I have used them over and over again. And I still love them all.
Create lots of simple vignettes
This temporary living room is rather small and there is a lot of living going on there. My Christmas decorations can’t take up too much space or it will all become too cluttered and busy quickly.
I am also dearly missing a focal point like a mantel or a dresser or a sideboard. So instead of going for a showstopper kind of Christmas centerpiece, I went for a couple of quick and easy ones.
Like my mom’s baking tin filled with moss found in the woods around our house. The larger deer is a thrift store find, it was a brass deer that I painted white a long time ago. The tiny driftwood Christmas tree is also a project from many moons ago.
The glass hurricane light got a quick filling with faux snow, some bottle brush trees and a lighted car ornament. Took me all but five minutes to pull together. There really isn’t much to it.
Just as easy is my ‘centerpiece’ – if you can call it that- at our small dining table. Just a nice large bowl with a huge pillar candle and some faux greenery around it.
It’s a nice contained centerpiece that I can easily put aside if we need the table.
Of course, there had to be a bit of lantern decorating too. I changed up one of my fall lanterns and added some bottle brush trees and tiny fairy lights. The paper star on top was part of a whole pack I made for a wreath (how to fold a paper star). To hide the battery pack for the lights I placed the lantern on a tray and added lots of painted pinecones. Looks good and the battery pack is nicely hidden.
Hang a Collection of wreaths
As I said before. This living room is kind of small and I don’t want to stumble over my decor. So when there is no floor space to use for decorating, go up and use your walls.
I gathered up all my old faux green Christmas wreaths and even whipped up an extra one with some leftover bits from my stash.
I love how the impact of each wreath is enhanced now that it is part of a collection.
I was pleasantly surprised myself with how good this wall of wreaths looks. This might become a new tradition…
Scatter Christmas Pillows
Through the years I have collected a couple of Christmas pillows that I bring out every year. It is the easiest thing ever to change a pillow case and it makes my soft furnishings look purposeful and perfectly in season. The one with the deer head on the couch is my favorite.
Although the french Joyeux Noel pillow has never looked better than it does this year in the brown chair underneath my wreath collection. In case you are wondering that pillow is years old and came from the H&M home collection.
Have Fun Christmas Decorating
Most of all remember that your home doesn’t need to be magazine perfect. If it feels right for you and your family it is the best Christmas home ever.
My Christmas decorations have always been easy, mostly handmade and incorporating lots of natural elements. It is simply my style that I keep gravitating back to year after year.
* check it out!
If you like my style of Christmas decorating you will love the E-book I wrote about how to get the natural Christmas look on a shoestring budget.
More Christmas Decorating Ideas
Next up on the tour is Kim from Shiplap and Shells with a beautiful rustic Christmas home tour! You’re going to be so inspired!
Be sure to visit all my friends who shared their Christmas home tours this week!
Sand Dollar Lane // 2 Bees in a Pod // At Home with Kristy // Exquisitely Unremarkable
Our Crafty Mom // Hearth and Vine
Zucchini Sisters // Postcards from the Ridge // Southern Crush at Home // Amy Sadler Designs
Pasha is Home // Simple Nature Decor
Worthing Court // The Tattered Pew // Cottage in the Mitten // DIY Beautify
Thistle Key Lane // At Lane and High // Feet Under My Table
White Arrows Home // Aratari at Home // White Lilac Farmhouse
Cottage on Bunker Hill // Bricks ‘n Blooms
My Family Thyme // Southern Home and Hospitality // Songbird // Shiplap and Shells
Chalking Up Success // Pure Happy Home
Marianne Songbird is the founder of Songbird, where she hopes to inspire everyone to create a home they love, one DIY project at a time. She shares anything from craft ideas to home decor inspiration and from DIY projects to decorating hacks. Originally from the Netherlands Marianne and her husband Lex are currently renovating a 250-year-old farmhouse in Germany.
Maria says
Love your style Marianne! It’s so eclectic and rich in textures. Great meeting you and hopping with you!
Leen Curinga says
oh my gosh, I love everything about this! Your tree with home made ornaments, the cute little vignettes and the wreaths together on the wall, its all gorgeous.
Suitcases as a tree stand is absolutely genius, it looks great!
Jayne via Chalking Up Success says
Wow, I love your Christmas tree! So great that you have lots of homemade ornaments to hang on your tree year after year! I’m not a fan of buying new every year either, I don’t know where I would store it all! I’m glad I’m not the only one who grabs bits and bobs from nature to decorate with. This year to my husband’s annoyance a lovely kind of moss took hold in our garden – guess where it is now? In all of my Christmas vignettes haha! Happy Christmas!
Cindy@CountyRoad407 says
I love how you’ve combined elegant and rustic together for the most gorgeous Christmas decorating! It’s stunning. The texture and colors are so inviting and what a fun idea to use suitcases for the base of your tree! I seriously love it all. Glad I got to see it!
Patti says
Mariann, your temporary living quarters sure looks great for this year’s holiday celebration. I love your great suggestions about using things you already have. All of your collections and DIY projects look great together which shows that you know what you like and you’re good at putting it all together. Best wishes on the new home. I am excited to see what you do. I guess youtube will be my next destination. Merry Christmas.
Kate @ Southern Home and Hospitality says
Marianne, you’ve done an amazing job of filling your temporary home with so much Christmas charm! The neutral color scheme is absolutely beautiful. I cannot wait to see your new place – I’ll have to follow along on YouTube for sure!
Leslie Watkins says
I’m in love with so much! The natural and white…the tree stand…the wreaths on the wall and all of the vignettes are perfect. I can’t wait to follow along on your you tube channel. How exciting! Loved sharing your inspiration on the tour this week.
Kim | Shiplap and Shells says
I absolutely love your decor style, Marianne. Your tree and ornaments are so beautiful and I love how you used the suitcases as a base for the Christmas tree. I can’t wait to see your new home when it’s finished. What an exciting time for you! Happy Holidays!
Michelle | Thistle Key Lane says
Marianne, you are amazing! With so much going on right now, you have created such a warm and beautiful space. The tree stand is such a cute idea and I love all your ornaments. The wreaths on the wall is a wonderful display too! Happy Christmas!
Kristine says
I joined this tour through Lynne at My Family Thyme, and your post was an unexpected treat. Your whole outlook and attitude about keeping Christmas warm and familiar really struck a chord with me, because I feel the same way, and I am not even in new country living in a half-finished home. ( I AM, however, living in a new state!) Your Christmas home is real and genuine and it’s an unexpected and VERY refreshing change.
Tammy says
Your spaces look beautiful! So warm and inviting! Love the use of suitcases under the tree. Such a unique and beautiful touch.
Kim says
I’m like you, I like to see my old sentimental favorites every year…and yours are just beautiful!
maria says
I love the painted suitcase what a cute idea. Everything is beautifully styled for holidays.You have such a pretty home. Happy thanksgiving.
Wendy says
I love that you focus on not having everything perfect and using found items or those with sentimental value. I feel the same way. I cannot even fathom renovating a home that old but it’s got to be so much fun! Thank you for sharing it with us!
Liberty says
I love the nook you put your tree in…. is it a closet? It doesn’t quite look like a doorway…. It all looks great! And I feel the same way– 1st Christmas in a new home– old farmhouse fixer upper that isn’t finished yet– and not sure where my old decorations should go just yet. Hurray to you for getting the decorations AND a post out in the middle of renovating!!!
Liberty
Marianne@Songbird says
Hi Liberty,
No that nook is the place where in the old days the wood stove was standing, it is part of the chimney. We will probably have a wood stove there again one day too.
Decorating amidst the unfinished chaos is something else he?! Good luck with your fixer upper.
Happy holidays to you!
Rebecca says
Hum,
Your e-book is not free if you are charging $10.00 for it. Just sayin’ A mix up. Love your ideas, though.
Karen says
I moved house about 7 months ago and now don’t have a fireplace or mantle. I initially panicked about having no where to hang my Christmas decorations but once I’d taken a breath I found different ways to use my decorations etc.
My Garland now hangs from my large willow white heart and I think it shows off my hand knitted (by moi) baubles way better than it ever did hanging on the mantle 😊
Christmas blessings x
Marianne@Songbird says
Oh, that is a good idea to hang your garland over the window. I haven’t had a mantel in years. I have set my heart on making sure I create one in this house (there isn’t one yet). Thanks for stopping by and wishing you a wonderful Christmas season.