15 Christmas Decorating Ideas ~ It’s All in the Details!

Christmas has always been a magical time for me, and today I’m so happy to share Christmas decorating ideas that put the sparkle and magic into your home. I’m joining 15 other bloggers to bring you a Christmas Extravaganza that runs December 9th-12th. You can see the full schedule at the bottom of this post to see what each lady has in store for you. And now … onto 15 Christmas decorating ideas that are affordable and easy to do!

In my home, I believe in a simple and economical approach to decorating and it’s no different at Christmas time. So here are some easy Christmas decorating ideas you can easily add to your holiday home!

1. Group Christmas ornaments by color. I chose red and white ornaments to display in a white ironstone bowl. By grouping items together by color, you create a stronger visual impact.

2. Add a bit of bling to Christmas vignettes. A simple, glittery floral spray gets tucked in an ironstone shaving cup. You can find floral and beaded sprays at a craft store for just a few dollars.

3. Create a simple color scheme. I used red and white throughout my dining room this year.

By choosing a color scheme, it’s easier to decorate and the room looks more cohesive.

You can see more of my red and white Christmas dining room at my Christmas Home Tour.

4. Use every day items in your Christmas decor. A simple gravy boat is filled with vintage ornaments.

5. Pair rustic with glam. Opposites attract and they look great when used together, like this bowl of rustic pine cones and glamorous, shiny beads. Don’t be afraid to mix and match. The effect can be lovely!

6. Hang a wreath in an unexpected location. A boxwood wreath is hung with peppermint stripe ribbon on the inside of a hutch door, instead of the front of the door. The cabinet doors are left open for greater impact.

7. Create height for displays with books in Christmas colors. This pitcher wasn’t quite tall enough for its location, so I propped it up with red and white books.

8. Recycle unused branches from your Christmas tree. After cutting the bottom branches from your Christmas tree, find a place to use them. They look great tucked in a basket, pitchers, or even a galvanized tub. Add berries for color.

9. Hide plastic Christmas tree bases. You can find faux mini trees for a good price, but they often have a cheap looking base. Tuck the tree in a simple white bowl to hide its ugly stand and create instant charm. Top with a silvery star.

10. Use mirrors to double your decorating impact. Place a bowl of simple ornaments in front of a mirror. The reflection will look like you have double the number of ornaments in the bowl.

11. Dress up every day items with greens. Leave your existing decor in place and simply add a few greens. Here, the open shelving in my kitchen receives a light and feminine garland, while a basket by the stove gets decked out with a few sprigs and a glittery star.

12. Group like items together. On our breakfast table, the simple Christmas tree centerpiece trio echoes the Christmas trees on the Waechtersbach holiday plates.

13. Use unexpected colors in your Christmas decor. It’s okay to use non-traditional colors at Christmas. Pink and blue ornaments on a collection of bottle brush trees are echoed with similarly colored vintage ornaments in a large mixing bowl. Look for vintage ornaments at your local flea market or on Ebay.

14. Dress up your windows with something other than a wreath. A windowsill receives a treatment of a simple, blue mason jar stuffed with shiny tulle and topped off with shiny red berries.

15. Create a festive line-up. Grab a favorite collection (for me, it’s my vintage bottles), dress them up for the holidays, and line them up on a shelf, ledge, or mantel. Use ribbons, Christmas tags, pine cones, or small ornaments for embellishments.