You may enjoy Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby singing about those elusive White Christmases, but that doesn't mean your decor has to be old fashioned!
As soon as Thanksgiving arrives I ditch the regular radio and tune in to Christmas music. I love driving around looking at lights and singing along to every single Christmas song I hear - even the ones I still don't know all the words to despite listening to them year after year.
For years I decorated with the same decor and even still have a handful of ornaments I made as a child hanging on my daughters' little Christmas tree in their play room. But eventually, I realized my traditional Christmas decor didn't really appeal to my evolving tastes.
But eventually, I realized my traditional Christmas decor didn't really appeal to my evolving tastes.
I know from talking to many of my friends, I'm not alone in feeling the need for a little holiday decor change up so here are 6 ways you can bring a modern aesthetic to your Christmas decor!
1. Bare Wreaths
There's nothing like a classic wreath adorning a front door to welcome both the Christmas season and all of your guests. The easiest way to give a traditional wreath a modern vibe is to embrace it's simple beauty. No ornaments, no glitter, no tinsel or lights - just simple branches woven into a full, gorgeous circle.
The wreaths on my doors are from Lynch Creek Farm, a family-owned business in Washington State that sustainably sources every single branch. No trees are ever cut down to make one of their products. The best part? They can ship to anywhere in the U.S. and their live wreaths keep for 6-8 weeks outside in colder climates.
2. Simple Greenery
All you need to add some Christmas cheer to any room is a little touch of greenery. No need to go crazy, a few pine stems (real or faux) will do the trick. I especially love how the deep green pops off the black grasscloth wallpaper in our powder room! These stems are one branch of faux pine from Hobby Lobby and they add quite a bit of bang for your buck,
I also picked up some real pine and berry branches from the grocery store and put them in a few rooms around the house. The best part about fresh branches is definitely the smell! But there's also something to be said for something you can throw away at the end of the season and not have to pack back up into storage.
3. Modern Village
I recently dedicated a whole post to my modern Christmas village which you can read here. To sum it up, I love the holiday vibes of a traditional Christmas village, but the brown-toned vintage style of Department 56 just doesn't scream modern or contemporary. My solution? A modern mix of metal and ceramic light up houses!
Open shelving is the perfect spot to place your modern village, but you could also spice up a Christmas tablescape or by putting one or two houses on different built-in shelves.
Working in a bit of greenery breaks up the homogeny of the neutrals without distracting from the overall color scheme (or lack of color scheme in this case?).
4. Neutral Color Scheme
If anything screams "Christmas" it's red and green! It is so cemented in all of our minds that whenever anyone sees these two opposites paired together, the first thing that comes to mind is Christmas. Call it tradition, call it branding, but it's part of why removing one of the colors instantly modernizes any holiday decor.
Utilizing neutrals like white, gold, silver or black into your greenery and surrounding decor instantly adds a glowing, streamlined touch. In the photo below I've wrapped faux eucalyptus garland around a flocked garland to add depth to the greenery. Then I used sprigs of gold to add some sparkle.
5. Put Trees in Modern Planters
A lot of attention is given to the ornaments put on the tree, but the same attention should be given to what goes under the tree. Changing up a Christmas stand is an easy way to up the modern factor. Our main Christmas tree is fairly traditional with a faux fur tree skirt and a train set which my kids absolutely love. But my two small King of Christmas 3 ft trees look ultra modern in the two black rattan plant stands I set them in. I especially love that the stands' varying heights adds some extra visual interest.
What else could you use at the base of your tree? A gold tree collar? Multiple layered skirts? The possibilities are endless!
6. Keep it Simple
Utilizing one or two pieces of Christmas decor in a small space or putting up a tree without ornaments can streamline your decor and make everything appear more contemporary. A little tree here or a reindeer there offer just enough holiday goodness to create that cozy Christmas atmosphere without going overboard with the decorations. Bonus points: It's easier!
If you haven't noticed yet, I also like incorporating black into my holiday decor. It's unexpected and helps all of the decor blend into the existing style of my home. Utilizing the same colors as your fixtures around the house will make your seasonal decor look like it was hand picked for your home.
How do you like to give a modern spin to your Christmas decor? Leave me a comment below! Until next time!