Decorating & Design
60 Holiday Decorating Ideas From The House & Home Archives
Updated on November 26, 2018
‘Tis the season to decorate! Whether you prefer to spruce up your home with clever crafts or go all-out with greenery, it’s all about creating a festive space that’s ideal for entertaining. Click through for 60 holiday decorating ideas from the H&H archives to help you transform your home into a holiday haven.
These French doors bring in an abundance of light, but it’s the four stylish wreaths and lush greenery that brighten this room with holiday cheer.
Create tasty kitchen vignettes with gingerbread cookies. Placed inside glass jars and filled with sugar and twinkle lights, these childhood treats look all grown up.
Homeowner Andraya Frith makes it a holiday tradition to decorate her tree with DIY dried oranges, adding warmth and a lovely citrus smell to her living room.
Learn how to make these DIY: Orange Ornaments.
Showcase your vintage ornaments in their protective box on a decorative tray. Use pinecones or bells to fill in any missing compartments.
These rosehip branches create a striking silhouette when bundled en masse. The red of the berries stands out against the marble vase and creates a cozy Christmas palette without being overly jolly.
Elevate your mantelscape without all the glitz and glamor. This simple garland takes center stage on this fireplace with lush evergreen branches and soft pastel berries.
Canvas bins make delivering a bundle of gifts, wrapping up something special or stowing that new cashmere blanket both simple and stylish.
Dress a window with a simple green garland to bring your space into the holiday spirit.
This Hanukkah, elevate your tablescape with eight elegant candles that make up a menorah. This fresh take blends a monochromatic color scheme and vintage candlesticks to create a warm feeling around the table.
This hanging piece of eucalyptus and berries makes an eye-catching statement in front of a window. Suspended on a wintry birch branch, this leafy piece is a minimalistic take on the usual Christmas tree.
A long branch adorned with ornaments is a bold yet earthy addition in designer Ingrid Oomen’s kitchen. Simple blue, white and silver ornaments make the piece feel connected to the rest of the kitchen.
A vintage armoire filled with favorite antiques and knickknacks offers a unique display alternative to the traditional fireplace mantel.
Snowflakes strung up on the wall bring festive cheer to this home’s eating area and break up the moodier palette.
Corral branches in a vase, then adorn them with chocolate-stuffed paper envelopes hung from ribbon so little ones can count down the days until Christmas.
Learn how to make this DIY Holiday Gift Tree.
Swap out a side table for a compact bar cart that will encourage guests to help themselves to a refill.
If you have a towering tree in your front yard, take a cue from homeowner Luce Gayrard and wrap it with lights to create a truly memorable vista.
For a fresh take on the dining table centerpiece, eschew florals in favor of birchbark-wrapped candles and a resin antler for added dimension.
Weave a string of lights through festive focal points, like this fireplace garland, for an extra bit of holiday sparkle.
A pint-sized Christmas tree tucked beside food bowls gives pets something to be merry about, especially if there are a few extra treats thrown into the mix.
Whether you spin the dreidel or not, keeping small kraft bags nearby ensures that guests can neatly scoop up their chocolate coins.
For those who favor minimalism, take a cue from designer Suzanne Dimma and decorate your mantel using a sparse string of greenery with a few small ornaments mixed in.
Cobalt-colored ornaments are an agreeable addition to this twig candelabra found in Lindsay Mens Craig’s abode.
Jewel-toned ornaments stand out brilliantly against this feathery faux tree.
A handmade gingerbread house is a nostalgic way to introduce a bit of holiday whimsy. When coupled with candy canes and a small-scale tree, it makes for a sweet display.
Learn how to make our Easy Gingerbread House.
While reception rooms are understandably the most bedecked for the holidays, a simple addition like a wreath above the bed carries the festive spirit into private spaces.
A small white tree with a mix of colored and animal ornaments is the perfect place to tuck a few small gifts under.
A trio of ruby-red berry wreaths pop against a jet-black front door. A jute runner adds natural texture underfoot.
Ornaments and presents embellished with blue ribbon pop against this living room’s neutral palette.
A collection of bottlebrush trees take on a snow globe-like quality when displayed under bell jars.
Felted animals and elves strung across the fireplace mantel are a sweet addition that’s sure to appeal to the kid in us all.
Rather than take down a leafy garland as soon as Christmas is over, opt for a paper one from the get-go. Globular shapes in silver, white and gold are well-suited to New Year celebrations and still feel festive enough for the holidays.
In this great room, an oversized wreath directs the eye toward a wall of windows.
This abundant garland arrangement, complete with pine cones and faux boxwood balls, brings a sense of grandeur to this foyer.
Ice lanterns are simple to make and cast a soft, romantic glow. To create the candles, place a small plastic container inside a larger one and fill around it with water; allow it to freeze. Once frozen, flip large container over and pour warm water over it until it melts free.
Swap out decanter tops with a few colorful baubles to add an extra-special touch to a bar cart.
Set out thick throws for an added source of warmth, or curl up under them while watching a crackling fire.
Modest burlap stockings are well-suited to decorator Grace Castaneda’s natural, rustic decor.
A wicker basket overflowing with pine cones and faux greens brings holiday cheer to this living room by designer Barbara Purdy.
Frosted branches, like the one shown here, add an extra hit of winter cool to a space and are a great way to decorate for Hanukkah.
Large, glass-paned cabinets are perfect for showcasing Christmas-inspired collections. Clustering festive pieces together, like the family of snowmen shown here, gives them greater impact.
Candles and ornaments tucked among cedar boughs add a festive touch to this understated dining room.
This flocked Christmas tree has the feel of a much larger version thanks to its spot atop an ornate table.
A bouquet of winter-white flowers adds a seasonal touch to the bar area in designer Julie Charbonneau’s home.
Get 3 Fresh Holiday Bouquet Ideas.
Delight overnight guests with a winter-inspired bedside arrangement. Take a few branches from your Christmas tree and corral them in a vase for a festive feel. For an extra-special touch, embellish them with ornaments, like these little birds.
Run ribbon across the steps of a ladder, then clip cards to it for a sweet and sentimental arrangement.
A hot chocolate bar complete with indulgent winter treats is sure to impress friends and family alike.
Cheery pops of pink, green and yellow give designer Jennifer Worts’ otherwise black and white palette an added bit of holiday sparkle.
Designer Margot Austin repurposed old Christmas cards to create this unique garland.
To learn how to make this DIY, click here.
A cluster of ornaments on the newel post complete the look of the garland and offer a glimpse of the home’s holiday palette.
Hanging a wreath on both sides of a windowless front door creates a warm welcome.
Bring a personal touch to the dinner table by writing guests’ names on simple unpainted wood ornaments.
Create a merry atmosphere with a garland draped over ordinary items, like this shoe storage unit.
Designer Sophie Burke shaped the outline of a tree on the wall to give this upstairs landing Christmas cheer. Felt ornaments hang from the branches of a tabletop tree.
Homeowners Brett Sherlock and James Booty embraced their home’s garden room as the ideal spot to flaunt their tree.
Winter florals, festive cover art and a collection of candles set the mood around this vintage vinyl player.
Swap to do lists for Christmas cards this time of year, and keep seasonal greetings on display where everyone can see them.
Stacked near the fireplace, firewood brings a rustic yet cozy feel to a room.
Wrapped in energetic tones of fuchsia and lime green, these gifts animate a simple side table.
Chef Melanie Dunkelman uses a mix of ceramics made by her mom to serve Hanukkah dinner.
Glasses of Prosecco and bowls of glazed sweet-and-salty nuts seem even more appetizing displayed between a small string of sparkling light.