Holiday Decorating Ideas for Christmas 2020

December is a kind of trifecta for me, because it marries together my love of three different things - Christmas, home decorating and style. 

Though I still love rustic design, I remember going through a phase where I could not get enough country home inspiration. I watched one or two decorating shows on country style decorating, subscribed to two country decorating magazines, including Country Living, and fantasized about living in a log cabin someday, surrounded by everything I loved about this rustic, country style. 

One year, when the Christmas season began, I watched one of my decorating show favorites and they decorated a home for the holidays in what they called an old-fashioned country style. I FELL IN LOVE, and was determined to recreate as much of that look in my own home as possible.

I began my quest, and it certainly was not a hardship to walk around store after store, decked out in all their holiday finery. I was looking for barn red and a warmer, lighter green instead of the traditional Christmas colors, and that year, they must have been "in," because I was lucky enough to find them almost everywhere.

The only problem was that my budget was limited, and I knew there would be no way I could do everything I wanted. But I already had a few pieces that would suit the look I was after, and I hoped that at least this year, less would be more.

I found a lovely table runner that had both colors, a wreath for the door, barn red candles for my lantern and pillar holders, and two small Christmas tree print pillows with those same colors. And believe it or not, just adding those items to the ivory-ness I already had was more than enough to transform my family room/living room area. I used an ivory duvet I already had, and a smaller wreath in my bedroom and my Christmas decorating was done!

It was so nice to come to, as the song says, and I loved that I had managed to create the look I wanted in a simple way.

What I did...

(1) Decide on the theme I wanted for my holiday decorating - country. What theme do you want?

(2) Choose a simple color scheme - for me, it was barn red and a lighter green. Which colors will you use?

(3) Choose a few, simple pieces in those colors and the style I want, so that every room was touched by Christmas, without breaking the budget.

Candles and throws, in the colors and style you prefer, can be an inexpensive items to decorate with when your budget is low.

Ever since that country Christmas, my decorating has been simpler. Though I don't always have country style in mind these days, I am grateful that I learned how powerful a more simple look, and less expensive buying experience, can be.

How do you decorate for Christmas? Have you started yet?

​Stay tuned for a post next week with more simple holiday decorating tips ideas.

​See you tomorrow!

Love, Jeanine
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