Decorating & Design
November 24, 2016
Find Your Holiday Style: 16 Traditional Christmas Decorating Ideas
Consider going back to the basics this season with some traditional Christmas decorating. From gold accents and tartan to rich colors and fresh greenery, classic Christmas decor is always heartwarming, and will get everyone in the mood for a rousing carol or a quiet night curled up by the fire. So grab a glass of eggnog (or two!) and get in the holiday spirit with our roundup of traditional Christmas decorating ideas.
For more holiday style ideas, browse our gallery of 21 Natural Christmas Decorating Ideas, 20 Scandi Christmas Decorating Ideas, and 14 Candy-Colored Christmas Decorating Ideas.
In the formal living room of blogger Samantha Lawrie’s Georgian Edinburgh house, plenty of candlelight and a wood-burning fireplace add ambience.
Dress up a traditional mantel with a collection of crisply wrapped gifts. The wreath mirrors the swag millwork on the mantel below.
Elsewhere in the room, handmade christmas tree ornaments and a perfectly imperfect-shaped tree adds to the charm of the classic room.
In this Toronto condo, the graceful aesthetic and golden details bring a new warmth to the room come the holiday season. The use of symmetry creates a balanced and nuanced look.
The iconic purple used on the walls of this entryway skew regal and formal but with the addition of a funky and oversized lime green ribbon, the look is playful rather than staid.
The classic gilt frame above the simple polished stone mantelpiece is echoed in the tree ornaments, all done in cohesive metallic tones.
A stately stone mantelpiece in a sweeping rustic French-inspired house is topped with white pillar candles and touches of greenery for a simple yet effective look.
The outside of the house was inspired by a rambling old chateaux in the French countryside. In snow-prone locations, the key to effective outdoor decorating is simple, symmetrical topiaries and wreaths that still look good covered in snow.
A moody palette in the dining room is dressed up with a simple wreath and tall, silver candlesticks. Different heights of the candles break up the traditional vibe and add some visual interest.
For a true preppy look, fashion a boxwood wreath into a monogram and hang it on your door.
The rich, red bricks of this century-old home lend themselves to the red and green holiday palette. A light dusting of snow and Victorian-style carriage lanterns complete the look.
For condo-dwellers or houses not blessed with a red brick exterior, the old-school carriage house look is still acheivable. A bright red door is topped with an electric candle lantern, branches of greenery and matching ribbon.
In Colette van den Thillart’s formal living room, an oversized carriage lantern brings a fresh energy to the room, as does the branches of eucalyptus laid atop the mantel. Plus, the oversized tartan rug is picture-perfect traditional Christmas decor!
A hallway window sill is the perfect place to create a holiday vignette. The ginger jars are an iconic look — especially here, offset by the crisp white walls — while mini balls of greenery and carefully stacked presents bring holiday cheer to an often overlooked spot.
Lavish moldings and a herringbone pattern-backed fireplace are staples of a traditional interior. The look is made more casual thanks to oversized pine cones on the mantel and ornament on the coffee table, as well as a frosted vase of white berries.
Columns of greenery and foliage flank a grand entranceway, complete with stone corbels and dentil moldings, for an unusual yet decadent holiday display. Sprigs of brown leaves and white berries add depth and interest.