How to Decorate for Winter After Christmas

 

     Well, 2020 is finally over and we have started a brand new year. I’m so hopeful that 2021 will be a much better year for all of us! We had a super low-key Christmas with just our immediate family members. It wasn’t quite the same, but I’m so thankful that my family is healthy. Oh, and it was the first White Christmas we’ve had in a very long time, so that made it extra special! ❄️ 

     Like most of us, I always dread taking down my Christmas decorations. They make the house feel so cozy and warm! The space just feels bare when I take them down, so this year I decided to phase them out a little at a time and leave things up that could be considered “winter decor”. After all, it is still winter until March 20th (not that I’m counting down the days ?). 

My first winter decor tip is to start by removing all the things with red or Christmas-y colors and get back to a neutral color palette. I typically go with a neutral palette for all seasons, but I did incorporate a lot of the traditional red in my house for Christmas this year. Once I took away just the red items, I realized that a lot of things could be used for winter decor. 

 

Tip number two is to leave out your winter greenery! Of course I took down my Christmas tree, which was in this spot by the window. Other than that, I left all of my evergreen type greenery out. I love the simplicity of this pine wreath and juniper branches. Cozy blankets are also a must for winter decor!

Tip number three: use picks from your tree to create a centerpiece for a table! I love decorating this antique dresser under our TV. I found it at a Re-Store a few years ago for $40 and painted it with white chalk paint. I filled this large dough bowl with greenery stems, pine cones, and antlers that I had used in my Christmas tree along with some twinkle lights for a cozy glow at night. Are you seeing a pattern here? I’m all about making my house feel cozy, especially in the winter months!

     Here is an overview of the living room. Our dog, Nellie, must have been feeling photogenic on this day so she decided to pose for a photo. ?   To finish off my decor in the living room I added some fur pillows to the couch and chair and added this gorgeous mirror behind the couch! It was a Christmas present from my husband and I love how it looks on this wall! It brings a lot of light to this side of the room since it is across from a large window. And of course, the garland on the sofa table had to stay. For now. ?

     Now, on to the kitchen! One of my Christmas presents was my new coffee bar and I. AM. OBSESSED! I have already had so much fun decorating it and I can’t wait to update it every season. I couldn’t find shelves that were the exact size I wanted, so my husband and I made these shelves together and they were super easy and inexpensive. I slid a cheap curtain rod through the loops on the brackets to hang some mugs on and I love the way it turned out! 

 

     Another spot I like to change out with the seasons is our kitchen table. I created a little winter scene with my tiered tray and added the copper items in for some warmth and texture. 

     After Christmas I was so ready to simplify my countertops. I had A LOT of Christmas items out and it was just getting too cluttered. I added this ladder I found on Etsy in the corner and hung a dish towel on it. I love how it added some height and dimension without taking up much counter space. On the tray I placed my Rae Dunn cookie jar with some greenery and a tree. I find that grounding items on a tray makes things look more cohesive and less like clutter. I use trays everywhere!

 

    The “Homemade” sign is also a recent Etsy find and it was perfect for this spot above the stove!  I recently brought out my antique utensil crock to display some wooden spoons and a rolling pin. In the kitchen I  like to have items out that are pretty, but also functional.  The tray with the glass cloche is perfect to display any baked goods.