Content may contain affiliate links. When you shop the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting my small business.
This year, after several seasons of experimenting with softer and more neutral palettes, I found myself craving a return to something a little more traditional for Christmas. Maybe it’s the nostalgia, maybe it’s the new family room layout – but for the first time in years, red felt right again.
Because this room is so much larger than our old living room, the color doesn’t feel overwhelming or claustrophobic the way it used to. Still, I opted for a deeper, more luxurious burgundy rather than a bright true red, and used it sparingly in the ribbon and a handful of flocked ornaments.
To balance the richness, I layered in blue plaid ribbon, deep green tones, and a generous amount of gold. Gold always ends up being the element that ties everything together for me—no matter what direction I take the color scheme, it adds that soft glow and warmth I’m always after.
I debated using a star on top of the tree this year, but in the end, a large bow made from a 4-inch ribbon felt so much more tailored and elegant. It finished the look perfectly. I also bought a new tree for this room. Our ceilings in here are 8’6” (versus the barely 7.5-foot ceilings in the rest of the house), so I needed something taller and fuller. I ended up choosing the viral Home Depot twinkly-light tree and… it’s magical. The lights are subtle and sparkly without being flashy, and it fills the room in all the right ways.
You’ll see that our dining room is already set for Thanksgiving, but once December rolls around, I’ll sprinkle in a few touches of red in there too to keep everything feeling cohesive.
I also had so much fun decorating our new mantel this year. I used my favorite Amazon garland – it’s incredibly drapey and full – and added red berry picks, the prettiest gold metal bow garland, and a strand of fairy lights to bring it to life.
See my exact method for hanging this garland – it’s easier than it looks! Watch the video here.
Then I added some dark red velvet stockings to the corner and trio of jingle bells as the finishing touch.
blue flameless candles // red velvet ribbon // coffee table
A simple coffee table centerpiece and a few festive touches to the built-ins were all it needed to feel complete.
Want to recreate this coffee table arrangement? I did a step-by-step video on Instagram sharing exactly how to do it!
And how fun is this pillow? It comes as a set of 4 and they are incredibly budget friendly and cuuuuute! The quality isn’t great when they arrive, but throw them in the washing machine and it softens them up. The pop of color makes me happy!
Finally, our original living room (now mostly taken over by the kids!) got its own dose of Christmas cheer. I continued the same general color palette for continuity, but limited the pops of red to the tree itself, except for one bow on the mantel.
I usually have the tree next to the fireplace, but I like it in front of the window for the simple reason that I can see the lights when I drive by!
For the mantel in here, I twisted together three different types of garland – two types of cedar and one faux magnolia – and added dried hydrangeas (from my yard), faux eucalyptus, and faux blueberry stems for a slightly wild, organic look. It’s a little unexpected – and I actually love how it turned out.
As always, I finished the look with some stockings and some cute bells.
Overall, this year’s Christmas decor feels like the perfect blend of nostalgic and fresh, and I love how each room flows together without feeling too matchy. It’s cozy, festive, and exactly what our home. I hope it inspires you as you decorate your own home this season!
Beautiful, Jenna…love everything! Thanks for the inspiration! The hard part for me is when it comes time to put it all away. Not as fun as putting it up!