This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our full Disclosure Policy.
The seasons play a big part in how most of us decorate and style our homes. Decorating for winter can often be overlooked after the holiday season, and some people even find it a difficult time of year to know what to put out in their homes. Many people tend to go straight from Christmas decorations to Spring and skip over one of the best parts of the year…WINTER!
Living in Alberta, Canada, a proper 4 season climate means that WINTER is long! Most people get the winter blues and are ready to move onto Spring décor while we are still covered in a blanket of snow. January should be one of your favorite times of the year to decorate; I know it’s one of mine! Here are 5 easy tips for decorating for winter.
You can also check out these 25 non-Christmas winter decorations for more inspiration.
The Peacefulness of Decorating For Winter
Winter is the season when we should be resting and taking some time to recover from the hustle of the Fall harvest and Christmas! We let these ideas play a large part in transforming our homes this time of year. By skipping straight to Spring, you are missing out on some quality “slow-down” time that your body and home need.
Cozy up with a cup of tea and read these tips on how to enjoy the little things that make a happier home.
Remove Red Accents
Red is the most recognized holiday or Christmas color we have. A few easy ideas to transition from the holiday season to winter decor is to remove any red decor, accents, or holiday decorations you have in your home. This gives you a fresh look with minimal changes.
Check out these ideas for decorating a coffee table during the cold months of winter.
Keep Your Textures Cozy
The easiest and probably most thrown-around word for Winter is COZY, and it truly is a great word to keep in mind when styling your home for winter. Cozy doesn’t need to mean hoards of throw pillows and throw blankets, especially if we are trying to keep minimalism in mind!
Varying textures can create cozy vibes, so putting out a couple of cozy, chunky blankets for your family to enjoy at night paired with some simple natural linen pillows is a great way to mix a minimalist style with cozy vibes. Adding a sheepskin rug is a cozy, easy way to add in a touch of winter décor.
1pc
50’’ x 70’’, $85
Think White And Bright Winter Decor Ideas
WHITE! Yes, the color white is a great color palette to incorporate in winter home decor and the winter months. Even if you don’t live in an area that receives snow, most of us associate winter with snow and WHITE.
Let the outdoors help drive your cozy winter decor elements and how you style your homes this time of year. The prettiest winter whites are the scenes in winter when the white snow blankets the ground, and frosty trees are outside, so try to let that inspire and guide your decor.
Add Natural Elements In The Winter
Natural elements are the perfect winter décor. Place some bare branches in a winter vignette with some natural evergreen garlands or faux greenery. Don’t be afraid to add a basket full of pine cones by the front door or a stack of real firewood or birch logs beside the fireplace (even if it is an electric or gas fireplace like mine is) in your living room. The bonus is that once you get a pile of firewood it’s good forever. Stacks of firewood are also lovely on the front porch as well!
Style With Vintage Pieces
Mixing natural wood elements with touches of white decor is a beautiful style combination that I do in my home all year. This can be achieved using wooden antiques like this French grape picker trug, soft linens for texture, and pretty dishes. I love to display French ironstone this time of year or use vintage clear glass jars as simple winter decorations. Be sure to read more on how to decorate with antiques in your home.
Decorate With Candles
Nothing says cozy like candles! Simple white candles are a great idea and are one of the best ways to decorate in the long winter months. Single candle sticks lined up down your table, or even two candle sticks that are connected by the wick can be hung over hooks. Even try filling a simple bucket or vase with a handful of simple candles that have been burned down to various lengths can also look beautiful displayed for winter decorating.
Nordic Style Candlestick with Handle
1pc, $29.99
Mirrors are great décor items to incorporate as well. Especially during the darker months of winter, mirrors help reflect light throughout the home!
Use Fresh Produce As Decor
Nowadays, you can find so many great items to decorate with at your local grocery stores. Mandarin oranges, pomegranates, or even artichokes are other options for incorporating this time of year! Most are affordable and look pretty displayed in buckets or vintage containers!
Decorate With White Flowers and Bulbs
Adding fresh elements into our homes this time of year is also a beautiful way to brighten up a space. Use fresh white flowers around your home, like Paperwhites, which are pretty bulb flower that grows indoors. White Hyacinth is another great option too.
Shop a few favorite winter bulbs.
Simple Touches of Greenery
Leave out a few spruce and pine trees for winter, just not a full-blown Christmas tree. Just because Christmas is over doesn’t mean that all of the greenery needs to be put away! Evergreen trees are about the only thing that looks good outside this time of year, so why would we limit them to the Christmas season? I continue to bring in the mini spruce trees for that fresh element in our home during January and February.
Simplify Your Home
Scale it back! I wrote an entire post on minimizing, decluttering, and simplifying your home this time of year. It is a great time to make your decor a bit simpler. If we keep in mind that winter is a season of rest, then scaling things seems very natural in this season. As an added bonus we are creating less work for ourselves. Think less dusting, less clutter, and fewer things for the kids to fidget and get dirty.
Do What You Love
When all is said and done, do what makes you happy! After all, it is your home, and you are the one who will be spending time there. Whatever inspires you and makes you smile is what you should have out in your home. When your home brings you joy, you will feel energized and refreshed for the new year! Just remember that there are truly no rules when it comes to decorating for winter and in your own home!
Shop a collection of beautiful winter decor in the B Vintage Style Shop.
I hope these tips have motivated you to enjoy decorating for the winter season and not feel pressured to skip straight to Spring. Embracing the slow-paced, restful season of winter will help you be more prepared for spring! Make sure you also download my free ebook and guide on Simple Living.
Frequently Asked Questions
Winter is different for everyone, depending on where they live. The seasons tend to dictate when we should begin to decorate for winter naturally. Studies show that only a small percentage of people decorate before American Thanksgiving. Most people wait until the last week in November to begin adding touches of winter and holiday decor.
January is the perfect time to put out minimal decor in your home. Use natural elements, along with white, cozy decorations, like throw blankets and pillows. Clean, minimalist decor is perfect this time of the year. You can even try replacing decorations with functional items that you use in your home for a simpler look during the month of January.
I am often asked how to make your home cozier in the winter. Cozy home decorations include items like candles, fairy lights, soft wool blankets, and throw pillows. Try placing sheepskin rugs in your home and adding warm tones and colors. Layer bedding and linens for a cozier look, too.
And looking for a fun, easy DIY project! These faux concrete pots would be cute for winter and to transition into Spring! Check out Satori Design for Living for the tutorial
I love this post! I try to do this every year and can never stick with the winter decor throughout the month of January. My blogpost, today, is along the same subject matter, but my house is showing more sign of Spring already. Lol… Maybe next year I can get all the way through January!
Where do you get the ing spruce trees in the jar? Are they dug since I see the root? Are you planting them after displaying inside in water? More NFL please!! Would.like to give this a try.
PS. How do you decide heightd, the jar, the tree?
Hi there. I dug this one before the ground was frozen. This is the first year I have dug such a large pine tree so I’m hoping to be able to replant it in the spring.
Love these ideas!! Love the small winter painting/print hanging on the front of the hutch! Where did you find it?
Thanks! Lori
Thank you so much. This painting was a lucky thrift store find. I love to hunt for vintage or amateur paintings at antique stores and thrift stores.