*UPDATE – see my 2016 tree here and get my 3 tips to make a Christmas tree look magical!
**UPDATE – see my 2017 tree here and get my 10 Christmas tree decorating tips!
***UPDATE – see my 2018 tree here and get my 10 Christmas tree decorating tips!
Hi there! What do you say we get festive around here? I can’t wait one more second! I’ve been busy over here getting my tree up and the house decorated. Haha, I know! Just today, I told a friend of mine today that Jay thinks I’m insane, but after 20 years, he just lets me. He accepts all of my craziness. And that’s why I love him.
In previous years, I’ve had bright christmas colors in my house, including my tree which was almost always decorated in red and white. When we moved into this house in February, I decided it was time for a change and I wanted a softer feel.
And just so you understand how drastic of a change I’m talking about (and so you can see how far my photography has come over the past 5 years, no laughing, haha), here’s our red and white tree, circa 2010.
And here is what I’ve accomplished so far this year:
A few easy ways to add farmhouse holiday charm:
- Soft neutral colors and lots of white. Think earth tones with a splash of color.
- Pinecones. Put them anywhere and everywhere, on the tree, in a basket, in a jar, on a wreath, in a centerpiece, inside a lantern; the possibilities are endless.
- Natural decor items and wreaths. I look for twigs, leaves, branches, or anything made of wood. The gingerbread man ornaments on my tree are little wooden cutouts. Super simple, but I love them.
- Antiques (or antique looking things), such as buckets, cups, pitchers, and glass jars. They all have that farmhouse feel. With a holly branch stuck inside, even a mason jar looks festive and farmhouse fabulous!
- Plaid/gingham blankets and pillows. Mix them, match them, layer them.
- Burlap ribbon. Or burlap in general, tree skirts, table runners, wreaths, placemats, pillows, etc. Go crazy.
- Trays. Load them up with candles, branches, pinecones, books, balls, ornaments, or some of all of the above!
Looking for more neutral Christmas decor or tree decorating tips? Check out these posts, 3 tips to make a Christmas tree look magical, Christmas tree decorating tips, and how to recycle your ornaments year after year for a totally new look!
Christmas 2016
Christmas 2017
Christmas 2018
Love the transition! I made this same one a coupe years back. I feel like I went all “Pier 1 – ish” to neutral farmhouse! I even had those large candy canes you have! You have great style. Your tree looks stunning!
Hi Sara! Oh my gosh, you’re so kind! Thank you so much! I actually follow you on Facebook (and now instagram too) and YOU too have great style!! Thank you so much for stopping by. 🙂
Hi Kristine, I LOVE your neutral decor so much! Your tree is absolutely breathtaking! Can you please tell me how you made the wooden gingerbread ornaments and round ornaments (they look like they were wrapped in twine), or where you got them? Also, do the pinecones on the tree have white flecks on them? Thank you so much!
Hi Rosemary! Thank you so much! I actually found the gingerbread men at a little boutique store locally; I had never seen anything like them before. All of the rest of them are from Hobby Lobby and a few balls are shatterproof from Target or Walmart! Yes really! I did my tree similar this year, but left off the gingerbread men and added brown angles instead (same look). I’ll attach some pictures for you! The trick really is to just add several neutral colors, some texture, and some really big ornaments (like the pinecones, which are from Hobby Lobby).
Thank you for responding so quickly, Kristine! I do love the textures so much! I’m glad that you found most of the ornaments from familiar stores–I thought I had to make the twine ornaments this weekend! I can’t wait to see what Hobby Lobby has. Is that gold ribbon you used? From far away I thought it was burlap. Those gingerbread men were just too cute! I have two children but have always loved a neutral tree and the gingerbread and angel ornaments make it softer and child-friendly! Thank you again!
Of course, Rosemary! Oh goodness no, you don’t have to make them, though you could if you had tons of time! Haha! I did get a little crafty and glue the ornament hooks on the giant pinecones from Hobby Lobby with a glue gun, but that’s about it! Yes, last year I used 6″ burlap ribbon (also from Hobby Lobby), but this year I used a brown and gold glitter ribbon that I stumbled upon at Walmart (totally a spontaneous decision), but I really like the way it came out! I debated even using wide lace, maybe next year! The angles are also from Walmart. 😉
Your tree is beautiful! Thank you so much for posting this year’s pictures! Also, where did you get the bucket for the tree? Thank you!
Aw thank you! The bucket is a galvanized tub that I picked up at Pet Club (like a feed and tack store), but I have since seen them at Home Depot and hardware stores. They’re becoming more popular! I did distress mine a little bit by beating it with a hammer and then lightly painting it with white paint, but that’s not something you have to do. I’ll attach a closeup of the bucket for you. I just put the tree stand inside the bucket and wrap a white sheet around it to make it look pretty, easy peasy! And I don’t know if you follow me on Facebook, but I did a live video about my tree and how I decorate it yesterday!
Thank you for the 3 tips! I have a 7 foot tree and although I have more than enough ornaments, I felt it was still missing the “wow” impact! Now I know what to shop for after Christmas to make it look magical for next year.
Love your tree this year. You definitely nailed the rustic look but I love the pops of red check. It’s gorgeous!