The festive season is upon us, and with it comes the exciting opportunity to transform our living spaces into a wonderland of holiday cheer. There’s a unique magic in decking the halls, a joyful process of infusing every corner of your home with warmth, sparkle, and seasonal spirit. This year, we embarked on a delightful journey to “festive-ify” various surfaces around our home, starting with the heart of our living room and radiating outwards. From the cozy mantel to the welcoming console table and even our functional kitchen and stylish built-ins, no surface was safe from a touch of holiday enchantment. We believe that holiday decorating shouldn’t be daunting, but rather a fun and creative expression of personal style, and we’re thrilled to share our simple yet impactful transformations with you. So, get ready to be inspired, because we’re about to dive into a festive home tour filled with easy Christmas decorating ideas and personal touches that make our house feel like home for the holidays.
Our Christmas mantel is always a focal point, the stage where much of our holiday magic unfolds. This year, the mantel makeover was wonderfully straightforward, blending classic elements with personal touches. We carefully hung our family’s beloved stockings by the chimney, a timeless tradition that instantly brings a sense of anticipation and comfort. Adjacent to the stockings, we stacked a charming collection of faux presents that I crafted some time ago. These DIY decorations add a whimsical touch and a pop of color, making the mantel feel abundant and festive. If you’re curious about how I made these delightful fake gifts, you can find the full tutorial here. To complete the look, a magnificent glittered stag ornament sits proudly atop our “Gift Mountain.” This elegant piece, a budget-friendly find from Target, proves that you don’t need to spend a fortune to achieve a high-end look. In fact, I loved its graceful presence so much that I picked up two, ensuring they wouldn’t feel lonely and adding a symmetrical elegance to the display. Decorating your mantel is an excellent opportunity to combine cherished items with new finds, creating a dynamic and inviting display that truly captures the spirit of the season.
One question that often arises with stocking displays is about who gets which one! And for those wondering about our furry family member, Burger, rest assured, he is not left out, even if there are only three stockings visible. My husband and I share a stocking, as we believe the holiday spirit is all about sharing. This means each of our precious kiddos, including our beloved pet Burger, gets their very own proprietary stocking. It’s a small detail, but it reflects our family’s unique traditions and ensures everyone feels included in the holiday festivities. Personalizing your holiday decor, whether through specific items or heartwarming traditions, adds an invaluable layer of meaning to your seasonal setup. After all, the holidays are about celebrating with everyone you love, two-legged or four-legged!
With the mantel radiating festive charm, I shifted my focus to the entryway console table – a crucial spot for setting a welcoming holiday tone right as guests walk through the door. This particular transformation was incredibly quick and immensely satisfying. My first step was to retrieve a few delicate feather trees from our attic storage. These trees, with their elegant, whimsical charm, are perfect for adding height and texture to any surface. Alongside them, I placed a cherished faux evergreen that has been a reliable part of our holiday decor for half a decade. Its timeless appeal and realistic look make it a versatile piece that complements any festive arrangement. Using a mix of heights and textures is key to creating an engaging display, and these elements provided the perfect foundation for our console table’s festive refresh. The entryway is the first impression of your holiday home, so making it warm and inviting is always a priority.
To further elevate the console table’s charm, I embraced a simple yet highly effective decorating trick: incorporating ornaments into unexpected places. I carefully “shoved” a handful of gleaming silver ornaments into the glass base of our table lamp. This instantly transforms an everyday item into a festive display, reflecting light beautifully and adding a subtle sparkle. It’s a fantastic way to utilize your ornament collection beyond the Christmas tree and introduce holiday cheer in unique, eye-catching ways. This technique also adds a layer of depth and interest, showcasing how even the smallest details can make a significant impact on your overall holiday decor. Think outside the box when styling your surfaces – everyday objects can become extraordinary with a touch of seasonal creativity.
Continuing the theme of creative ornament display, I gathered more ornaments and arranged them artfully in a bowl, positioning them atop a stack of elegant silvery-blue books. This arrangement adds another layer of texture and color, while the books provide a subtle height variation and a touch of sophistication. The cool tones of the books beautifully complement the shimmering silver ornaments, creating a cohesive and visually pleasing vignette. When decorating, consider grouping items in odd numbers and varying their heights and textures to create a more dynamic and professional look. These small styling choices make a big difference in achieving a polished and inviting holiday display, transforming ordinary items into extraordinary festive accents.
To complete the console table arrangement, I introduced a charming ceramic partridge-ish bird into my glass dome. Enclosed within the dome, it creates a miniature festive scene, reminiscent of a winter wonderland. Alongside the bird, I placed a sizable green ornament, strategically chosen to pick up and echo the vibrant green hues found in the feather trees, the surrounding artwork, and even the console table itself. This attention to color coordination helps to tie all the elements together, creating a harmonious and thoughtfully curated display. Glass domes are fantastic for showcasing special holiday items, protecting them while allowing their beauty to shine. They add a touch of elegance and whimsy, transforming simple ornaments into captivating focal points. This console table now stands as a true testament to how combining simple elements can create a powerful and inviting holiday statement.
Feeling truly jolly after the success of the console table, my festive energy propelled me into the kitchen, a space often overlooked in holiday decorating, yet so central to family gatherings and celebrations. My mission was to infuse it with some subtle yet cheerful Christmas tweaks. First up, the fridge! I brought out a collection of hot pink ornaments that I had cleverly transformed into magnets a few years back. These serve a dual purpose: they add a vibrant pop of unexpected color to the kitchen and are perfect for holding up cherished holiday cards. If you’re looking for a fun and functional DIY project, you can learn more about how I made these magnetic ornaments here. It’s a simple idea that brings so much character and personality to a utilitarian space. The kitchen truly comes alive with these small, thoughtful additions, making it feel more festive and inviting during the holiday season.
Next, I turned my attention to the open shelves in our kitchen, a perfect canvas for understated holiday styling. I “ho-ho-hoed” my way over (trying to get that phrase right!) and found a formerly empty cake plate sitting on the top shelf, patiently waiting for its festive moment. I filled it with an abundance of shimmering silver ornaments, creating a beautiful, reflective display that catches the light and adds an instant touch of glamor. Nestled beside the cake plate, another charming, somewhat partridge-ish bird ornament stands guard, echoing the playful nature of our console table decor. Open shelving offers a wonderful opportunity to rotate seasonal decor, keeping your kitchen fresh and engaging without cluttering precious counter space. These small, elegant touches demonstrate that even the most functional rooms can be transformed into festive showcases with a little creativity and a few well-placed holiday accents.
Then it was built-in time, baby! Our built-in shelves are a prominent feature in our home, offering both storage and display opportunities. My goal was to add just a few subtle, holiday-ish nods without completely redoing everything. The trick was to introduce pops of color and festive elements that would complement, rather than overwhelm, the existing decor. On one side, I brought in a few vibrant red accents, which serendipitously look absolutely awesome against the deep teal color of the built-ins’ back wall. This striking contrast was achieved with a few faux poppies, a classic red book, and a sizable round red ornament. The red instantly infuses a bold festive spirit. To ground the display and add a touch of sparkle, I tossed an even bigger green ornament into a hurricane vase at the bottom, alongside a handful of silver balls. This combination of red and green, coupled with the reflective qualities of the silver, truly rounded things out nicely, creating a balanced and inviting holiday vignette. Styling built-ins for the holidays doesn’t require a complete overhaul; sometimes, just a few strategic additions can make all the difference, enhancing the seasonal ambiance while maintaining your everyday aesthetic.
Moving to the other side of the built-ins, I continued the theme of understated holiday elegance with a mix of intriguing textures and personal touches. This section received a splash of striking red coral, which adds an organic, unique element, alongside a small, charming knitted red cactus, injecting a quirky, handcrafted feel. More gleaming silver balls found their home in another hurricane vase on the bottom shelf, continuing the reflective motif and ensuring visual consistency across both sides of the built-ins. Up top, a beautiful faux clam shell was filled with an assortment of smaller ornaments, creating a delightful miniature display within a display. And, of course, no built-in styling would be complete without a nod to our furry family member, Burger. A tiny little ornament was placed in his honor, adding a personal and heartwarming touch that always brings a smile to our faces. These thoughtful details make our built-ins feel curated and special, perfectly balancing festive cheer with our unique home style. It’s all about creating layers of interest and showcasing items that truly resonate with you and your family during the holiday season.
Let’s take a closer look at that special Burger ornament, shall we? Nestled within a vibrant green bowl, you’ll spot a tiny, undeniably crazy chihuahua ornament. Is he amazingly hilarious, or what? His quirky expression and exaggerated features never fail to crack us up every single time we see him. This little guy is more than just an ornament; he’s a tiny burst of joy and a constant reminder of our beloved pet’s playful personality. Incorporating personal touches, especially those that represent family members – pets included! – adds an irreplaceable layer of warmth and authenticity to your holiday decor. It’s these unique, sentimental pieces that truly make a house feel like a home during the most wonderful time of the year. Finding joy in the small, humorous details is what makes holiday decorating so much fun and memorable.
Interestingly, this side of our built-ins has also seen its share of the spotlight before. We actually styled it in a similar fashion for a professional photoshoot back in October for R Home magazine. Since it was designated as their holiday issue, the magazine team asked us to integrate some festive holiday elements into the background of the shot. The resulting photo, which you can see here, turned out wonderfully festive and is quite close, though not entirely identical, to the holiday styling we have going on now. This experience really highlighted how versatile and adaptable holiday decor can be, seamlessly transitioning from a everyday look to a festive backdrop with just a few well-chosen additions. It also reinforces the idea that your personal style can shine through, even when adapting for professional purposes. The key is to select pieces that truly reflect your taste while embodying the spirit of the season.
And as you can probably tell from that very photo, our little Burger ornament isn’t just entertaining to us; he’s quite the charmer! In fact, he proved to be an invaluable assistant during the photoshoot, helping us keep our daughter Clara’s attention just long enough to capture that perfect shot. It’s moments like these, where our decor intertwines with our family life, that truly make the holidays special. From the grand gestures to the smallest, most personal ornaments, every piece tells a story and contributes to the joyous atmosphere. Knowing that our festive transformations bring both beauty and a little bit of unexpected humor makes all the effort worthwhile. It’s all part of the charming chaos and heartwarming fun of preparing for the most wonderful time of the year, creating memories that last a lifetime.
So, now that I’ve successfully moved around the house, adorning various surfaces with festive cheer, my extensive holiday to-do list is thankfully looking a little shorter. Woop woop! It’s always a great feeling to check off those seasonal tasks. Here’s an updated peek at where we stand:
set up the big tree (gradient, baby!)- get a live tabletop tree again (like we did last year, but with a new ornament idea this year)
decorate the mantel, the built-ins, and the entryway console- hang our outside lights & decorate the front porch
shoot a Christmas picture of Clara & Burger for our annual holiday card- make an advent calendar for Clara? Ahh I’m behind already!
- shop for slash make all the gifts on our Christmas list (about 80% done already, can’t wait to cross this sucker off!)
Oh, and you might have noticed that we also happily crossed off our annual Clara & Burger picture! That precious shot is officially “in the can,” and we couldn’t be more thrilled with it. We’re eagerly anticipating sharing it with all of you, but only after we’ve mailed out our holiday cards and ensured all our friends and relatives have received them. We certainly don’t want to spoil the surprise, haha! And for those keeping tabs – no, it’s not a pregnancy announcement, Mom! Just a joyful family update. It’s all part of the magic of creating and sharing holiday traditions, one festive task at a time.
We’ve certainly been busy decking the halls and transforming our spaces into a festive haven. Now, we’d love to hear from you! Who else is deep into their holiday decorating efforts? Are there any boughs of holly making an appearance in your home this year? Or perhaps some creative and unique festive touches you’ve added? Spill your decorating secrets and share your holiday inspirations with us in the comments below! We’re always on the lookout for fresh ideas and love hearing about how others bring the holiday spirit into their homes. Happy decorating, everyone!
Psst- If you’re looking for even more holiday inspiration, you can check out a ton of our holiday crafts and decorating ideas from the last five years here. There’s a treasure trove of DIY projects, festive styling tips, and creative solutions waiting to spark your imagination!
Update: For those on the hunt for amazing holiday finds, you can check out all of our favorite holiday decor finds here – many of which are stylish, impactful, and surprisingly under $15! Discover how to achieve a beautiful, festive home without breaking the bank with our curated selection of budget-friendly treasures.