I don’t know why I always feel compelled to begin these holiday house tour posts by shouting “SMILING’S MY FAVORITE,” but there it is. ‘Tis the season. Here’s how we decorated the house for Christmas this year. As mentioned on last week’s podcast, we’re continuing our mission to simplify holiday decor: festive but not overwhelming, and quick to set up and take down. So the living room is mainly about the tree and the mantel this year.
sofa / side tables / chairs / round marble table / blinds / ottoman / similar lamps & TV table
The tree is an artificial one we’ve had for over five years. It has very realistic branches, but many of the original lights burned out (we had a good run), so we swapped most strands for warm-toned LED strands from Target after testing a few options to match the original color temperature. We kept a few extra boxes for next year. The ornaments are a mix of sentimental, homemade, and collected pieces. This year the kids had more fun helping decorate—probably because they’re finally old enough that Sherry and I don’t have to yell “BE CAREFUL!” as often.
Christmas tree / similar rug / similar tree skirts / similar stocking / garland / similar mirror
Our usually colorful fireplace display is more subdued this year thanks to Sherry’s greenery focus and a faux magnolia garland she bought a few months ago. She noticed the mantel looked a bit dark, so she added white ceramic houses we’ve had for years and battery-operated fairy lights to brighten the scene. The result is cozy and calm without feeling cluttered.
faux magnolia garland / similar stockings / battery powered lights / similar ceramic houses / similar mirror
We added small seasonal touches to the living room bookcases too, but they’re subtle—easy to miss at first glance. Those little figurines are hand-me-downs from Sherry’s mom; she almost keeps them out all year. The holiday “terrarium” is a DIY project from a few years back, and the pink wooden trees came from a botanical garden gift shop during an office holiday party.
pink trees / gold frame / holiday shadow box / our book 😉
The kitchen is also showing restraint this year. The area under the floating shelves holds a wooden house advent calendar Sherry picked up from the Magnolia collection at Target. We debated the “correct” way to use it—pull a block each day, move a bow, or something else—so we decided simply to hide the numbers by turning the little houses around and reveal them one by one as the month goes on.
advent calendar / paper flowers / green candle / gold frame / shelf brackets
The Target listing didn’t make the calendar’s use obvious, so apparently there are many valid ways to enjoy it. Sherry added ornaments and greenery around the kitchen, and we jumped on the letterboard trend after a gift from a friend. We’ll probably take it to the beach house later, but it’s been fun here first—perfect for holiday quips and movie references like “Home Alone.”
letterboard / similar cutting board / blinds / page-a-day calendar
The K.I.S.S. greenery theme continues in the foyer—keep it simple, not heavy. The white-on-white layered textures in that space already feel wintry, so Sherry added an evergreen branch and a white feather tree. That vignette can easily carry through winter, so you might still see it in March.
similar baskets / similar acrylic table / similar white feather tree / large glass vase / similar mirror
Sherry’s collection of colorful bottle brush trees moved into the office this year, where the busy visuals make them feel right at home. We grouped them together for a cheerful, playful touch.
similar bottle brush trees // round mirror / parsons desk / bookcase
Upstairs, we kept things minimal with a few mini trees. My favorite sits in the bonus room because it glows down the hall and is visible from the driveway. We boxed that tree, ornaments, and extension cord together last year, so setting it up was quick and easy.
similar rug / vintage rocker / similar tree / sofa / globe
We also set up our daughter’s little artificial tree—she got it a few years ago when she could responsibly handle ornament placement. Sherry tucks the tree into a painted woven basket which makes the display extra cheerful.
similar lidded basket / similar tree / quote art / door color: BM Cinco De Mayo
New this year is our son’s tree—he’s finally old enough for his own. He chose a green tinsel tree himself and loved it even more after we added a string of colored LED lights. He put his favorite knitted wreath, which he calls his “Christmas Donut,” and some shatterproof balls on it. It’s perfect for a three-year-old’s enthusiasm.
dragon & gorilla baskets / similar woven baskets / similar rug / tree / lights / bookcase
I feel a bit Scrooge-y talking about scaling back, but like Sherry said on the podcast, we’re focusing on the decorations that bring us joy and cutting out the parts that feel like work. Everyone loved decorating the trees this year, so that’s where we put our energy. Sherry’s favorite pun, “boots with the fir,” earned a spot for fir-stuffed boots on the porch, and she made a giant wreath with the girls at a wreath-making event this season.
similar wreath / red boots / welcome mat / fake trees in black pots / door color: BM Blue Lake
I also decorated my shed with colorful LED strands and roof clips. It’s a safe way to add playful lights to the backyard without climbing onto the real roof, and the kids love the rainbow lights, so it felt right to mix things up from the all-white lights in the front yard.
Next year’s main plan is to buy an artificial tree for the beach house—we didn’t feel like we’d be there enough this season to justify it, but I’ll be looking for a discount on December 26 so it’s ready for next year. Maybe even an extra-tall one for the 9′ ceilings down there.
To finish, Sherry put together a “Get The Look” mood board. It’s not exhaustive since many of our decorations are older, but it includes comparable items and a few exact pieces we love, like the magnolia garland and our advent calendar.
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Happy holidays, everyone!
Psst—want more holiday ideas? Check past holiday & entertaining posts for inspiration.
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