3 Steps to a Rustic Christmas

Oct 27th 2018

When you think of the usual examples of Christmas decor, you probably think of colorful lights, lots of green and red, metallic tinsel, and the usual cast of Christmas characters like reindeer, snowmen, elves, and good old Santa Claus. But what if you’re tired of the classics and want to try something new? If so, give your Christmas a rustic makeover this year. It’s the modern-yet-vintage twist you didn’t know you needed.

Christmas Moose Decoration

Rich Textures

Texture is an often-overlooked aspect of decorating, especially when it comes to the holidays. When decorating for Christmas in a rustic style, try to keep textures in mind as you pick out your decor. Incorporate tempting textures you’ll want to reach out and touch when you look at them. Consider Christmas garland made of burlap or pine cones, cheerful holiday quotes painted on distressed wood, cookies served on an ornate vintage silver tray, a super fluffy throw for the couch, and presents topped with a beautiful textured bow.

Santa Claus Figure Next to Rustic Themed Christmas Tree

Neutral colors

Although it sounds counterintuitive to the traditional style of Christmas decorating, keeping most of the elements in your rustic decor down to a neutral shade allows the bits of color you do bring in pop. Beiges, creams, tans, browns, grays, and whites all create a calming feel and definitely look great on their own, but when you add a dash of red, a sprig of green, or a glimmer of gold, you bring the style to a whole new level.

Clear & Transparent Christmas Pine Cone Ornament

Be Inspired by Nature

Still not sure where to begin? Start with nature. Think of the colors, textures, and shapes you would find out in a forest. Imagine the knobby layers created by a pine cone, the rough and raised texture of a large tree trunk, the veins and creases in a fallen leaf, maybe even the soft, fluffy appearance of the snow. Play with a natural color palette of deep greens, soft grays, sky blues, sunset reds, and earthly browns. Even better, take a walk in a wooded area and gather bits of nature to use in your decor. Fill clear ornaments with pine needles, paint the tips of a few pine cones and put them in a large decorative bowl or hang them from the tree, gather twigs and glue onto a wreath base for a custom DIY wood wreath. The possibilities are endless!