Simple Holiday Decorating Ideas & Farmhouse Tour

December came like a flash this year! Once upon a time, I used to stress over everything from organizing my holiday decor to making sure I had decorations up the day after Thanksgiving.  I also made sure that we were signed up for all the holiday events and of course, I would have the seasonal crafts to do with the littles. Over time, I realized that I needed to just take a breather and take a step back.  I needed to focus on what really mattered most.  It wasn’t all about the decorations and the countless crafts, outings, shopping, or traditions we took part in.  It was more about family, fellowship, love, and the hope that we have as believers. So, I ditched a whole lot of our old holiday decor and much of the “To Do” lists and simplified how our family spends our winters in the hollow. I have to say, the whole family enjoys the more relaxed tone these days, over the hustle and bustle of what we had grown accustomed to years ago.

 

HELPFUL STRATEGIES TO HELP BRING SIMPLICITY BACK INTO YOUR HOLIDAY DECORATING

HAVE A SCAVENGER HUNT OUTDOORS AND BRING NATURE IN

During the winter months, the hollow can seem a bit lifeless, but each year, we can count on having a variety of beautiful evergreen clippings, pinecones, antlers, and turkey feathers to choose from.  These make for a simple and rustic look without spending a dime.  That is my kind of budget-friendly decorating! Plus it is a wonderful way to make memories with the family as we enjoy the hunt together.  Another advantage to bringing in nature is that your storage closets won’t be overflowing with bins of decorations from previous years, just the most special ones.

SHOP YOUR HOME

One of my all-time favorite areas to decorate in our farmhouse, is our beautiful and rustic mantle in our family room.  I simply shopped our farmhouse like I usually do.  I start by gathering like items and that typically sparks a theme or color palette to build on.  The evergreens paired with the simple found pine cones and bird feathers make such a beautiful statement that money just can’t buy.  God’s creation outshines any store bought decoration, in my opinion! (smile)

SHOP END OF SEASON SALES OR LAST YEAR COLLECTIONS FOR THE BEST DEALS

This Hearth and Hand Magnolia berry wreath was only $10 at a local Bargain Hunt.  I believe that it was part of last years’ collection.  I wasn’t really looking for any new wreaths, but the price was hard to pass up and I love the pop of red that it adds to our newly painted dining room area.

COMBINE OLD AND NEW TO MAKE A SIMPLE AND INVITING SPACE

I already had the vintage folding chairs, turned art work and the newly sanded church pew was a great find at an auction a couple years ago for only $60. dI love the way that the white walls and wood tones complement each other! The plaid throw is a blanket scarf that I found at a local Goodwill store last year. It can double as a table runner, or in this case, a blanket throw.

SHOP THRIFT, VINTAGE, OR CONSIGNMENT SHOPS

This white berry Hearth and Hand Magnolia wreath is another great find at Bargain Hunt for only $20 dollars. These normally retail at $34.99 at Target.  I love the gold vintage looking bells.  The plaid pillow cover is from a wool blanket that the old owner’s of our property left at our 1840’s log cabin.  You can take our 1840’s log cabin simple winter decorating tour from last year, here. The deep dark colors of the plaid blanket really pop with the white pillow shams I purchased on clearance a couple years ago at Plow and Hearth online.

Our white ironstone pitcher collection adds simple vintage beauty to any shelf, during any season of the year.  I am always on the look out for any new ironstone pitchers that I might like to add to my small collection, when I am at the local vintage market or pop up sales. I added a found antler and some vintage children’s wooden shoe forms to complete the display.

DIY A POP OF COLOR

DiY or crafting handmade pieces for the home is a great way to add personality and charm without having to buy all new items each year.  It is what takes a builder grade home and turns it into something unique and special. I painted this gorgeous Nordic Star Barn Quilt a few weeks ago.  My friend, Katie at Baker-Nest.com was so kind and sent me some of her simple-to-follow DiY barn quilt patterns.  This one was a little more challenging than the beginner level patterns I had previously completed, but it was so much fun to make! I love the way that it turned out! I used some scrap wood from our workshop to build the frame and give it an even more polished and custom look. More details on the process, coming soon on a future post.

You may also find my post on Stress-Free Holiday Hosting helpful.  You can read about it here.

 

I am loving all the pops of color throughout our farmhouse this year! Next time you find yourself stressed out about decorating during the holidays, I hope you’ll try some of these strategies to help simplify your list of “to-do’s”, stop and reset, and then relax more and enjoy the little things that matter most.

Hope you enjoyed the tour.  I have teamed up with some of my talented blogging friends to bring you more holiday home inspiration.  Head over and check them out!

 

Gracefully Home Pine and Prospect Home Postcards from the Ridge

The Homemaking Momma The Tattered Pew