Not Sure How to Decorate for Christmas? Me Either. Here Are 6 Easy Looks to Copy
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Not sure how to decorate your house for Christmas?
Me either.
I scroll Pinterest, I see these rooms that look like a designer walked through them, and then I look at my own living room and have no idea where to start.
So I pulled together six looks I love and broke each one down into the pieces. Click any picture and you go straight to the main piece. Every other piece is linked right under it.
No designer. No big budget. Just a few tricks that make a regular house look put together.
Real life note: These are idea pictures I made to show the look, not photos of my house. I picked the pieces by ratings and reviews, and I haven't tried every one myself. Check each listing for the exact size and color before you buy.
How to get the curated look (for us regular moms)
Before you buy anything, read these. They matter more than any single product.
Pick two colors and one metal. Burgundy and green with silver. Red and white with gold. Anything that doesn't match goes in another room this year.
Repeat one thing three times. A velvet bow on the tree, on the wreath and on the garland. Repeating is what makes it look planned.
Go big on one piece. One oversized bow or one full wreath does more than ten little things scattered around.
Layer your light. String lights plus flameless candles on a timer. Set it once, and the house glows every evening without you thinking about it.
Add texture, not more stuff. Velvet, wood, burlap, plaid and glass. Mixing textures makes a room feel cozy without adding clutter.
Group in threes, at different heights. Tall, medium, short. It works on a mantel, a table and a shelf.
Ribbon is your cheat code. One spool can do the tree, the napkins, the stair rail and the gifts. It's the cheapest way to make everything match.
When you think you're done, take one thing away. Seriously. Clean space is what makes it look styled instead of busy.
Now here are the six looks. Start with whichever room people see first.
1. The Velvet Bow Christmas Tree
This is the look that makes people ask, "Who did your tree?" The secret is that it's mostly ribbon and bows. No new tree needed.
How to copy it:
Put your lights on first. Push some deep into the branches, not just on the tips. That's what makes it glow from the inside.
Run velvet ribbon from the top down in loose waves. Tuck it into the branches every foot or so.
Clip velvet bows all over, then fill the gaps with silver and velvet ornaments.
Finish with one big bow on top instead of a star.
The trick: Stick to two colors: burgundy and silver. That's it. That's why it looks planned.
Shop the look:
2. The Christmas Dinner Table
Hosting Christmas dinner and the table looks bare? This one takes about ten minutes, and you can set it the night before.
How to copy it:
Put one lighted centerpiece in the middle of the table. That's your centerpiece.
Add a few glass flameless candles around it at different heights.
Tie each napkin with a strip of green velvet ribbon. Done.
The trick: Flameless candles mean the kids can sit right next to them, and you're not blowing anything out while you clear plates.
Shop the look:
3. The Christmas Morning Living Room
Coffee in hand, kids tearing into gifts, and the room feels cozy instead of cluttered. This look is mostly small swaps.
How to copy it:
Throw a plaid blanket over the couch. It does more for a room than you'd think.
Fill a bowl or a tray with ornaments in your two colors. Instant coffee table decor.
Tie velvet ribbon on anything that holds still: lamps, baskets, the stair rail.
Set flameless candles on a timer so the room is already glowing when you come down.
The trick: An ornament bowl uses the extras that didn't fit on the tree. No new decor budget needed.
Shop the look:
4. The Cozy Farmhouse Mantel
Not sure where to start on the mantel? Start in the middle and work out.
How to copy it:
Hang one wreath in the center.
Lay cedar garland across the top and let it hang over the ends a little. Tuck mini battery lights into it.
Add a few red velvet bows along the garland and some pine branches to fill it out.
Hang the stockings, then put candles and a small village at different heights on the ends.
The trick: Let the garland drape past the ends of the mantel. Short garland is what makes a mantel look unfinished.
Shop the look:
5. The Christmas Front Porch
This is the first thing people see when they pull in. You don't need a lot out here. You need a few big things.
How to copy it:
Put one oversized velvet bow on the door. Big. Bigger than you think.
Run cedar garland around the door frame and wrap string lights through it.
Set a lantern by the step.
The trick: Outside, size wins. Small decor disappears from the driveway. One huge bow reads from the street.
Shop the look:
6. The Christmas Village Shelf
Got one empty shelf? This is the easiest win in the whole post.
How to copy it:
Line up little wooden village houses across the shelf. The ones linked come unpainted, so paint them with the kids first.
Weave fairy lights behind them.
Add a few velvet bows. That's the whole thing.
The trick: This one is kid-friendly. Let them rearrange the village every day. It glows at night and it keeps them busy.
Shop the look:
Start with one spot
You don't have to do all six this weekend. Pick the one spot people see first. The porch, the mantel or the table. Get that one done and the whole house feels more like Christmas.
Then come back for the next one.
Want more ideas like these? Save them from my Pinterest, follow along on Instagram, or shop my Amazon storefront and my Walmart storefront.
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