If you love decorating for the holidays, you know how empty the house can feel when you pack everything away. It can be downright depressing!
I used to feel that way until I realized how much I love transitioning from holiday to winter décor. We all need a breather after the hectic holiday season and that includes our homes. Shifting to a house swept clean of glitter and tinsel gives us the perfect way to welcome the beauty that is winter.
After storing the Christmas sparkles, give your home a good cleaning. Then proceed to add some winter warmth.
Winter Décor Staples
Pinecones, birch wood, cotton blossoms, candles, eucalyptus, white pine, and boxwood are some of our favorites for winter decorating. The combination of organic elements in shades of brown, white, and green make for a soothing, cozy palette.
Some of our other picks include wispy branches (which look great in a vase), antlers, and burlap.
Baskets, blankets, and pillows covered in nubby fabrics are wonderful, too. Add some candles for much-needed light and warmth during this season of cold, short days.
Living Room
To add some winter flair to your living room, clip some greens and place them in a galvanized pail or a basket.
In the picture above, I kept the pail I used for my Christmas centerpiece and replaced the arrangement with simple white pine branches to add a little green to my neutral living room.
For another winter touch, add a cozy pillow or blanket throw to the sofa. Be sure to mix fabrics and textures for visual interest. Nothing screams “boring” more than a single fabric on everything.
The pillows and throw I added during the fall are perfect for winter (yay!). Shades of gray and taupe with hints of gold in linen, faux fur, and chenille will carry me right into spring.
Over the fireplace, I replaced the Christmas wreath on my mantel mirror with one made from (faux) eucalyptus. The silvery-green color and large cream berries make the perfect winter accent. It’s not Christmas-y and it’s not springtime; it’s right in between.
I also filled a couple of baskets with pinecones and green moss balls to place on the mantel.
Two small black lanterns offer relaxing candlelight, and my vintage books make a nice candle stand. I backed them with inexpensive tobacco baskets from the dollar store.
Dining Room
Similar to the mantel mirror, I added a small wreath to my dining room mirror. It helps soften the room and offers some color and texture to that spot.
On the table, I propped my vintage Royal Doulton bowl on a whitewashed wood stand. Elevating the bowl helps give it more visibility since it can be a bit hidden by the chairs. The cherry blossoms painted on the outside are so pretty, I want to see them!
Also in the dining room, I hung another eucalyptus wreath on the inside of the front door. The color really pops against the white background, but it’s soft enough to keep the feel warm and cozy.
Kitchen
For some winter cheer in the kitchen, try a grouping of lemons or limes. Oranges are also a wonderful choice. A bowl or basket of citrus fruits looks beautiful this time of year.
So do potted herbs like rosemary and thyme. They can tolerate cooler temperatures, which is great if you keep your thermostat set a bit low, like we do.
Herbs and fruit add a hint of color and gorgeous texture without looking like spring and summer.
Entryways
To transition from Christmas to winter in my entryways, all I did was remove the red berry sprigs from my galvanized sap buckets. Easy!
The buckets already contained birch logs, which are perfect for winter. I tied a burlap bow on the other one and left the evergreen branches in place, which I’ll probably replace with fresh white pine.
Exterior Doors
Outside, I removed the Christmas wreaths and replaced them with wreaths made from knit scarves.
The one featured above I usually reserve for March and April. I’m working on a gray version I’ll likely replace it with in the next week or so. What can I say – I’m a wreath junkie!
Making a scarf wreath is a fun and easy DIY project. Just wrap an old scarf around a wreath form and pin it in place. Add a bow and some other decorative elements and your wreath is ready to go!
For more winter wreath inspiration, take a peek at the six featured here. And if you’re looking for ways to organize your holiday decorations, check out our list of proven tips!