Like me shared, this year’s holiday decorating set a new personal record for how early I decorate my home. And I don’t seem to be the only one to decide that 2021 deserves a little more time to feel festive. When I shared an Instagram poll, 49% of you said that you are planning to plant your tree before Thanksgiving this year. Almost half of you! So because one of my favorite things about this season is filling my house in the holiday spirit, I’m excited to capture the magic and share it with everyone who walks through our front door.
This year’s look was inspired by sculptural branches – both lush evergreen and withered branches – that made a major statement against the minimalist backdrop of neutrals. The cozy textiles and twinkling lights are reminiscent of the Scandinavian concept of hygge. So maybe we’ll call this year’s theme “Woodland Scandi,” right? Look for modern and creative Christmas decorating ideas that make the most of simple elements – especially when they’re layered for a look full of warmth and texture. It’s an approach that works for all types of spaces, large and small, and I’m sharing a few of my favorite ideas we’ve put together below…
Minimalist, maximally responsive
My overall strategy is to stick to a minimalist color palette of neutrals and natural greens, but then use them a bit too much. everywhere. Wreaths and garlands around the front door, a sculptural garland statement on the mantle, a garland on the windows in the dining room and even a pretty evergreen antlers in the kitchen. My friend Elle Worsham owns Gratitude wreath, and her team have created the most beautiful pieces that create a sense of wonder in our entire living space. Since the trees are so lush, I kept the rest of the details simple – our socks hung from sweet little wooden hooks over the fireplace, a flimsy snowball and our ornaments. our family on the tree. It’s all about getting some things done and using restraint on the rest.
Create a highlight
The centerpiece of this year’s decor is the bold, sculptural greenery that Gracious Garlands created to surround our fireplace. In the weeks leading up to our photo shoot, Elle and I collaborated on a shared Pinterest board to put together all sorts of unique tree branches and modern Christmas decorating ideas, and she thought Imagine a piece of robe using these sculptural winter branches as the focal point of the room.
Regarding her inspiration, Elle said, “I wanted a raw, free design to shine; a nod to the charming and beautiful mess of nature and life. As we’ve been through nearly two years, I wanted this mantle to capture the beauty within the mess. By incorporating wild bars and lines, lots of texture and movement, my hope was to capture this unorganized and pristine vibe to create space for anyone, in any setting. Every season, feel welcome at the dining table. “
Art Swap
For most of the year, our living room feels like the beach – in fact, our whole house has summer vibes. To warm up the space and feel more seasonal, we swapped out the oversized ocean photograph that usually hangs over the fireplace for a vintage mirror. In the off-season, I wrap it up in brown paper and keep it in the closet, and it’s fun to mix things up with something that just hangs in our living room for two months each year.
But combine your existing decor
I leave the open shelving in our living room styled pretty much as usual – I love how these non-holiday decor pieces fix the room and keep it feeling right with my personal style. I. Not decorating every square inch allows the space to maintain a cool feel instead of looking like Santa’s workshop exploding in our living room.
Put a bow on it
Textured, velvet-like ribbons that we use to tie our gowns, are a simple way to add elegance and sophistication to simple greenery. It also exudes holiday luxury, and I’ll save a little to prune the presents we stack under the tree. My favorite modern Christmas decorating ideas are wrapping presents in kraft paper, then using textured ribbons to decorate them.
Give me all the wreaths
Is there such a thing as too many wreaths on the holidays? In my book, the more the merrier. Gracious Garlands made garlands to hang over the back door, and garlands for the front door and on windows around the dining room… it’s a motif that packs a punch and makes the whole house smell good .
Instead of starting from scratch, Elle used a wreath mold and embellished it with seed pods, eucalyptus, berries, and other natural elements. Here’s how she made this one:
- Start with a basic wreath like Gracious Garlands Tri-Mix Garland. It already has a great texture, as it is made of fraser fir, boxwood and white pine
- Add vines, stems, and other textural elements like berries or eucalyptus to add to your wreath – another opportunity for a nature walk to add elements of the local area to the decor. your.
- Wrap and knit the vines all over the wreath: Start by gluing one end of the vines inside the wreath, tucking at the base and wrapping the vines, knitting from the inside out of the stem, gluing the other end to the wreath. after a few
- Trim rotten stems and add foliage to an existing wreath – if using a Gracious Garlands combination garland as your base, the base should be sturdy enough for you to simply weave new branches into the branches available on garland
Choose a purposeful color palette
In previous years, I always thought I had to hang every ornament we owned on the tree, but this year I stopped and asked myself – what did I actually do? would like on the tree? So I made an edit, and it turned out nothing bad happened when I packed a few brighter colored decorations for later years. I like things in white, canvas, silver and gold – and that small edit made a big impact on pulling this year’s Christmas tree together.
I’ll also stick with this neutral and metallic palette when wrapping my presents this year. I stock up on kraft paper, plus a few rolls of black and white paper with metal details.
Add a festive atmosphere to unexpected locations
The kitchen is often an overlooked place when it comes to decorating for the holidays, so this year we added a touch of sweetness and simplicity around the hood. I love the velvet ribbon it hangs on, and this little piece is all we needed to make this room of the house magical.
Embrace the Scandi
To prepare for the cozy dinner ahead, I covered our table in an oversized white linen tablecloth, then added simple tablecloths made of evergreen seeds and pomegranates. low enough not to interfere with dinner conversation. When it comes to modern Christmas decorating ideas, you can always turn to Scandinavian design guides to lead you towards those minimalist yet cozy vibes. For parties, I’ll add more glittery votive candles, some flowers, and a magenta jar.
Cozy is the key
Especially when working in a neutral palette, texture is everything. Sheepskin, woven pillows, soft blankets… spread on these cozy textiles fill the room with warmth and make us all want to just slip on our shoes and stay awhile.
Green vegetable class
These wreaths are layered together from fir, boxwood and white pine for a fuller view of the dimension than can be achieved with a single assortment. “Different types can add tones and textures that create movement and depth,” says Elle. And remember, this is your chance to make it your own! There are no rules.”
Create a magical light
This year’s holiday decor incorporates various light elements to create a magical glow throughout the room day and night. In addition to the fire that I kept burning most of the day, there were candles strewn across the coffee table and twinkling lights on the Christmas tree and brooches. When I curl up at night with a cup of tea and a good book to read by the fire, I really wish this season could last forever.
