With rustic farmhouse being one of the leading home styling trends for the last couple of years, when it comes to decorating your home for the holidays we can continue this trend with our Christmas decor. Thinking of Christmas evokes emotions of warm relaxed happiness where we spend magical quality time with loved ones. A well needed detox from the frantic pace of life that consumes us for the rest of the year! Farmhouse styling also creates the same emotions. The use of natural imperfect materials, warm color palettes, handmade and rustic finishing touches that make you feel nostalgic and warm inside, when combined in Christmas décor makes for a beautiful and welcoming home.
Colors & Materials
Farmhouse style décor usually has a pale natural color palette. Lots of creams, caramels, and muted greens with the occasional brighter earthy tone piece for contrast. The traditional Christmas palette is red and green, with golds, silvers and whites often used in combination also. Therefore, the two styles blend well so that Christmas touches can be added without compromising on your underlying styling. For 2020 muted green is an on-trend color which again fits perfectly with the farmhouse rustic style.
A key features of farmhouse décor is the textures of the materials used. Raw, unfinished and imperfect are the way to go! Raw wood with exposed bark adds a richness of color and textures. Brushed metals, exposed stone and traditional farmyard features with Christmas touches are perfect for this look. Textiles can include wool, burlap, plaid, faux fur, and chunky knits – all of which create that sensation of warmth and informality.
Our Top 7 Farmhouse Christmas Decorating Tips
So to give you some inspiration, we have collected together our top 7 farmhouse Christmas Décor ideas to help you add that farmhouse feel to your decorations this holiday season.
The Christmas Wreath
As this is likely to be one of the first pieces of Christmas décor that visitors see, it sets the tone to callers before they come into your home. A rustic farmhouse Christmas wreath emphasizes muted colors and natural textures and often has a primitive look. As green is a trending color this year a simple ring of fir or frosted eucalyptus leaves are perfect for an understated natural look. Adding a few pine cones or leaving some of the grapevine wreath exposed adds variety of texture. Similarly, a ring of white or green berries can have a striking impact, more so if the outside branches are left loose in a Catherine wheel effect. If you like bows, then using burlap or buffalo plaid maintains the nod to farmhouse decor.
A Rustic Styled Christmas Tree
For most people, the Christmas tree is the epitome of festive décor. Often the center piece in the living room or entryway it is often the focal point for opening presents on that special morning. To create a farmhouse style Christmas tree we need to use decorations that are strong features in that style. Hanging ornaments made from wood, baubles that are brushed rather than shiny and bows made from buffalo plaid or burlap all work well. Berries and pine cones also look great as does a dusting of faux snow. Think about pieces that will enhance the green of the tree as opposed to hiding it. Red, white and green decorations work well as do traditional styled metal pieces that add a pop of color. A simple but extremely effective farmhouse Christmas tree is simply to add snow and white lights which add a magical twinkle to the room.
Add A Christmas Tree Skirt
Tree skirts are usually functional as well as being part of your decorations. At their very least they help to catch any falling pine needles or act as a reservoir of water to feed the tree, but at their best they also compliment the other decorations in the room. Using galvanized metal buckets or wicker baskets is a great idea for a farmhouse style Christmas tree as they can be customized with the materials and textures that have been used on the tree, yet evoke the feel of the traditional farmhouse. Alternatively, fabric can be used to cover the floor underneath the tree which can be customized with personalization or Christmas images of snowflakes or candy sticks.
A Traditional Christmas Mantel & Fireplace
Often the focal point of a living room, after the Christmas tree, the fireplace is a main area for Christmas Décor. A roaring fire surrounded by gently lit garlands and pine cones creates a great warm and cozy atmosphere to snuggle up in front of during the festive countdown. A farmhouse style garland usually has real or faux greenery (often holly, fir, or pine leaves, or simply the trimmings from your tree) with berries or pine cones adding that extra layer of color and texture. Entwining a string of fairy lights along the length of the garland adds that extra twinkle on cold dark evenings. If you have used burlap or buffalo check in your wreath or Christmas tree décor then this can subtly be carried through fireplace garlands to bring cohesivity to your look, as can adding wooden candle sticks or statues of stags. Your mantel is also a great place to drape your gorgeous Christmas banner and hang your Christmas stockings which adds textiles to this area of the room.
The hearth is a great place to add subtle Christmas touches, such as a basket of logs with pine springs in or an urn with winter berries and leaves. Sprinkling the foliage with a dusting of faux snow brings that extra bit of magic to your display.
Chunky Christmas Stockings
Whether you have young children or not, one of the staple traditions that people carry out every year is hanging up their Christmas stockings. The stockings themselves can be made to fit in with your overall Christmas farmhouse décor theme. Good textiles to use are grain sack fabric, faux fur, burlap or chunky knitwear. Added decoration with sprigs of fir tree, flashes of buffalo plaid or name customization complete the look.
Seasonal Soft Furnishings
A great way to make you existing farmhouse furniture a little more festive is to add a few seasonal soft furnishings. Changing your couch or bed pillow covers to ones that feature a classic Christmas image (fir trees, reindeer or sleighs) or simply ones that feature more red and green can transform a room in seconds creating a instant ‘Christmassy’ feel whilst giving layers of texture which is so key to the farmhouse style. There are many great pillow covers available with Christmas themed quotes on which also look great if printed on farmhouse style fabrics.
Don’t Forget The Kitchen!
The kitchen is another key room where people congregate over the Christmas period. Whether it be the functional use of preparing meals or for eating your Christmas banquet, it is a space that is often overlooked when it comes to Christmas decorations. However, with a few subtle changes it is easy to bring the Christmas spirit to this room. Add Christmas wreaths to your kitchen cabinets for an instant pop of color and festive feel. Add bows of twine and pine cones to storage jars or a pop of buffalo plaid to your decorative farmhouse kitchen chalkboard – simple touches bring a lot of cheer!
