Classic & Cozy Christmas Living Room Decor Ideas
Take a tour of our Christmas living room and see five timeless holiday
decorating ideas to add cozy comfort to your traditional home.
When it comes to decorating for the holiday season, I decided to take things
easy this year. Don't get me wrong - I always enjoy putting up the Christmas
decorations and making my traditional home a cozy haven. But to be honest,
2024 felt a little heavy and I didn't quite have the heart to decorate the
whole house like I've done in previous years.
So I focused on just one. I'll think you'll agree that creating a classic and
cozy living room was enough to get us in the holiday spirit.
Traditional Christmas Living Room Decorations
My holiday decor always tends to focus on timeless, classic accents that bring
a sense of comfort and nostalgia. Whether you have a small living room or a
grand space, you can create a beautiful gathering space for family and friends
the easy way with a few simple elements.
These five elements are the ones I repeat year after year and are my favourite
ways to bring festive cheer to our main living area.
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1. Fireplace Mantel Garland
Let's start with the focal point of the room, the fireplace mantel. In our own
home, standing at the front door, the fireplace beckons you in. Even if you
have a large tree in your living room, I'd argue that the fireplace will still
be the center of attention. There is nothing like a roaring fire and a
garland of faux or fresh greenery
to make you feel instantly cozy at this time of year.
The past couple of years I've relied on this trick: layering two different
garlands and scalloping them along the front of the mantel. You can see this
post for tips on
how to hang a garland on a mantel. Using a combination of garlands allows you to combine textures and give
your garland fullness.
SHOP THE LIVING ROOM:
In the past, I've used Norfolk pine, cedar garlands and magnolia garlands for
my mantel. You can combine your garlands with natural greenery, accent sprays,
beads, and branches for a look that is organic and elegant.
The garland is also the perfect place to showcase your color scheme. This
year, I've gone with a mix of natural materials like pine cones and wood
beads, the prettiest French blue satin ribbons, and white and gold ornaments
and accents. Chat GPT calls this look "French Alpine Noel" which I think is
just lovely and apropos! Of course, furry mukluks and twinkling lights are a
must and the cable knit stockings make an appearance every year.
2. Cozy Seating Area
One of my favourite ways to create coziness in large spaces is to make sure
there's a corner or seating area that is so inviting, you can't help but plop
yourself down. The window seat in our living room does just that, but you can
create a cozy corner with an armchair, a sofa, or even ottomans.
The key is to combine warmth, comfort, and convenience in one spot:
- Provide a throw blanket that can be tossed on your legs, wrapped around you, or cover you up for those chilly nights.
- Have a place nearby to put down your book or hot cocoa. This can be an accent or side table or the coffee table.
- Ensure comfort and encourage lounging by having plump cushions to sit or lean back on. I've been using these pillow inserts for the last decade and just change the pillow covers to match my seasonal decor.
- Provide ample light, either natural light or with lamps, sconces, and other light sources. Our living room windows allow our window seat to bask in the crisp December light. At night, the bookcase sconces and tea lights provide ambient glow.
If you can, decorate the seating area to add that extra special feeling. Here,
I've framed the window with antique sleigh bells, one of my best thrift store
finds, a garland, and simple ribbon.
3. The Christmas Tree
Do you use a real tree or an
artificial tree? I love
the convenience and no-mess nature of an artificial tree. Even if yours is a
small tree and you don't have high ceilings, you can still create a classic
Christmas tree. I do love a flocked white Christmas tree but Over the
years, I've discovered a bit of a "recipe" to doing so.
- First, start with a high quality tree. Chances are you'll have your tree for a decade or more so buy the best one money can buy.
- Then wrap it with your Christmas lights. White lights are a classic and will go with any decorating scheme, from traditional Christmas colors to trendy baubles and ornaments.
- Add something white. White is a perfect way to bring snowy magic to a green tree. I've added a white berry garland I've had for years (and can't even remember where I bought it!) and white ornaments - ceramic pinecones, faux fur balls large and small, and snowflakes
- Sprinkle the tree with ornaments. Add ornaments large and small, old and new ornaments, store-bought or handmade. Enhance your Christmas theme with decorations that match your colour scheme.
- Bring in the accessories. These smaller accents like beautiful ribbon or clip-on candles add a final finishing touch that can really elevate your tree. Tie satin or velvet ribbon bows on the top or branches for a current, trending look.
- Coordinate your gift wrap. One of my favorite ways to enhance the tree is to use gift wrap that matches your holiday decor. A pile of coordinated gifts against the tree collar is a lovely sight to see on Christmas morning!
SHOP CLASSIC HOLIDAY DECOR:
4. Accent Lights
One of the holiday decorating ideas that has a great impact is incorporating
different sources of lighting. While typical everyday lighting in your living
room or family room consists of overhead lighting or table lamps, you can
bring in a few new things to create ambiance and set a festive mood.
Consider different lighting options scattered throughout the room. These
lights help set the mood and provide light for those early dark winter
afternoons:
- real or faux
battery operated candlesticks. These look great clustered on a mantel
-
rechargeable tea lights. I bought this set of tea lights with remote control and they are a game
changer! I no longer have to walk around the room each night and switch them
off as I used to with battery operated lights. Pair them with clear or mercury
glass trees for an elegant and wintry look
- battery operated lanterns. I love that there are so many lanterns out on the
market now - you can easily find lanterns to suit your holiday style. Large
and shiny chrome lanterns look great on the fireplace hearth. Smaller lanterns
can be placed on a console table or on a bookcase
5. Cozy Textiles
Don't have a fireplace in your living room? You can still create a cozy mood
with soft, textured textiles. Throw pillows and cozy blankets can be placed on
every sofa or chair to make it more welcoming for guests. You can also
consider wrapping the seat of your chair or sofa with a blanket. This not only
changes up your every day look, but makes the seating more comfortable (and
stain resistant!).
I also like this fun idea: wrap a soft scarf around any of your figurines for
a whimsical touch.
Lastly, another easy way to use blankets to add to that Christmas spirit is to
place folded blankets or throws on a bookcase or shelf. They not only look
great, but are within arm's reach for those chilly nights.
Traditional Living Room Decor
I added a few holiday touches in our formal dining room. Here's a peek!
You can see that the
blue satin ribbon, gold accents, and blue and white jars that I used in the living room make
an appearance here too. These simple accessories work well with the vintage
mirror and white sideboard we already had in the space.
Festive and elegant, the gold trees and paper house create a delightful
vignette against the floral wallpaper. The faux greenery brings a touch of
nature to this formal space.
I hope you've enjoyed my Christmas living room tour. As you can see, it
takes just a few key pieces to create a classic and cozy living room at
Christmas time. Make use of your favorite things and these timeless elements
to create a winter wonderland each holiday season.
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