Christmas living room decor ideas: 25 tips for festive style
Christmas living room decor ideas take center stage during the holiday season and is one of the most important rooms of the house to give a festive makeover. Typically it is where you keep your tree, host your guests, and snuggle up to watch The Holiday, so it’s only right that you do so surrounded by festive cheer.
As the countdown to Christmas is on, creating the right atmosphere with your Christmas decor ideas can allow you to properly switch off and enjoy this precious time with family and friends.
From traditional Christmas tree ideas to smaller touches and more modern updates, interior designers have shared their favorite festive tips to help you transform your space this year. Let the countdown begin!
25 Christmas living room decor ideas for 2024
(Image credit: Future)
Whether you have a traditional or contemporary home, want to go all-out with decor, or prefer a more subtle approach, our inspiring selection of Christmas living room decor ideas will have something to inspire.
1. Select a unified color scheme
(Image credit: Rowen & Wren)
‘I like to start with a unified color palette that effortlessly flows throughout my home, suggests Lucy Uren, creative director and founder of Rowen & Wren.
A harmonious palette ties together all the decor in different areas of your home, ensuring every room feels part of the same festive story. The key is to pick hues that complement your home’s existing interior design while injecting a sense of holiday cheer.
‘I usually favor more muted tones to compliment the copious amounts of festive greenery that I bring indoors, however rich traditional hues can feel particularly festive and celebratory,’ she advises. ‘Either way, consistency in color helps to create a serene and inviting backdrop that ties the tree, table, and gift wrap together beautifully.’
2. Give your tree pride of place
(Image credit: Studio McGee)
The biggest and most exciting part of decorating the living room for Christmas is putting up the Christmas tree.
A well-positioned tree can anchor your living room, create a festive focal point, and set the tone for the rest of your holiday decorations. Whether you prefer a natural fir tree or a modern pre-lit design, its location should enhance both the aesthetic and functionality of the space.
Of course, you want to give it pride of place where everyone can admire it but you also don’t want to block the television, sofa, or fireplace should you have one. You want the tree to be visible as soon as someone enters the room so consider sightlines. Placing it near a window can also make it visible from outside, adding curb appeal to your holiday decor.
Large Pine Artificial Tree in Basket – Threshold™ designed with Studio McGee
If you’re looking to buy a tree that’s ready to go, this large artificial faux pine designed with Studio McGee for Target comes ready nestled in a woven rattan basket and is available in a few sizes.
3. Bring the outdoors in
(Image credit: Farrow & Ball)
While blooms might be at a minimum this time of year, winter still provides plenty of natural wonders that you can bring into your Christmas decor.
‘Celebrate the season with an abundant display of greenery, real or faux or even a mix,’ says Chrissie Rucker, founder of The White Company. ‘It creates such a welcome and you can style this in advance which is a real timesaver. I love to add in real flowers and greenery just a couple of days before the main event.’
‘Fresh foliage is a must – fir, holly, eucalyptus – it looks, and smells, great,’ adds Esme Amberg, head of design at The Roost. ‘Fix it around doors, across mantel pieces, and on shelves. Layer it with a bounty of velvet ribbons and baubles to tie it in with your Christmas tree. If you can get your handles on some mistletoe or large paper decorations then get these hung up too!’
4. Choose a traditional scheme
(Image credit: Future)
For those who love timeless holiday decor, a traditional Christmas scheme never goes out of style. Rooted in rich reds, lush greens, and shimmering golds, this classic aesthetic evokes nostalgia and warmth, creating a cozy, inviting ambiance perfect for the season.
Hark back to Christmases past by dressing your space with traditional Yuletide moments. Stockings, nutcrackers, and vintage-inspired decorations can all be used to tell a story.
Stick to regal shades of reds and gold with decorations – both on the tree and off, including in your Christmas wall decor ideas. Make sure to layer up with fresh foliage, including trailing ivy, fir, and ruby red berries to have the evocative fragrance of Christmas wafting through the living room.
Red Wired Holiday Boy (Set of 2)
Bows are a huge trend this Christmas. Use this set of two big red bows to top your tree or finish off a foliage wreath.
Santa and Sleigh Tree Skirt
This handmade Christmas tree skirt takes holiday nostalgia one step further adding some vintage Christmas feels to the base of your tree.
100 Pcs Christmas Ball Ornaments Set, Red and Green
Looking for a large set that does it all? These traditional red and green baubles come in various sizes, shapes, and designs in high-quality, shatterproof plastic.
5. Add a touch of glamor
(Image credit: Future)
For those who want their holiday decor to sparkle and shine, adding a touch of subtle glamor is the perfect way to elevate your Christmas living room.
Touches of brushed metallics all over the space will add a grown-up twist to the festivities. Paper Christmas garland ideas created in pale gold, and carefully hung can turn this traditionally wonky children’s decoration into something quite special.
Echo this feeling with a minimalist metallic wreath placed gently on the mantlepiece, and various bowls for nuts and candy in similar tones dotted around the room. Perfect for a room decorated in neutral tones, this look will give you all of the Christmas spirit, simply in a more considered way.
6. Try out an expensive-looking palette
(Image credit: Gisela Graham)
According to Gisela Graham, a regal-looking ‘Rococo’ color palette creates a luxurious scheme in your living room.
‘Featuring old gold, duck egg, and pearly white, this look hints at both Baroque and stately homes and is fun to re-create in your own rooms,’ suggests Gisela. ‘Choose your golds carefully. Ideally, they should be dulled, not bright, with every bauble and ornament being in a matt finish rather than shiny. Although not as reflective, a matt finish gives an instant hit of sleek sophistication making any decoration look expensive and luxurious.’
‘And don’t forget to add foliage into table displays, on the tree, or in curated vignettes, keeping to your strict color palette,’ she suggests. Again, opt for matt finishes in gold berries and stems and select other greenery, such as Eucalyptus stems, that have a soft, almost cloudy sheen to them.’
7. Make your mantel a focal point
(Image credit: Anyon Design)
‘For living room Christmas decor, a focal point, like a mantel, is a good place to start,’ suggests Lindsay Anyon Bried of Anyon Design.
‘I like to focus on natural greenery in holiday decor – magnolia garlands and big dramatic wreaths with holly and snowberries. Stylist Lucy Bamman introduced me to red amaranthus for a dramatic addition to a mantel garland.’
Whether your aesthetic is classic, modern, or whimsical, a well-decorated Christmas mantel decorated with everything from garlands and stockings to candles and statement art can create a really beautiful vignette.
72″ Christmas Artificial Norfolk Pine Garland
If you’re looking for a faux garland that really does look real, this artificial Norfolk pine from Amazon is almost as good as the real thing. Add a string of lights and tie on some bows to dress it up.
Offray Ribbon, Red 1 1/2 inch Tartan Woven Ribbon, 9 feet
Whether you use this for hanging a wreath, tying bows onto a garland, or finishing presents, this tartan ribbon is a Christmas classic.
Dried Orange Slice Garland
This handmade orange slice garland is hand-sliced and dehydrated by the seller so you don’t have to lift a finger.
8. Keep things relaxed
(Image credit: Mark Scott)
Christmas is a busy time, so ensuring your living room is a place where you and your guests feel like you can kick back is key.
‘Designing spaces that encourage guests and hosts to be able to relax together and break down formal frontiers is key to delivering successful living environments,’ says Jo Littlefair, co-founder and director of Goddard Littlefair. ‘Finding the right balance of smart-casual design for these areas is also key, a host and their guests want to have an elevated experience but feel relaxed enough to unwind.’
Providing plenty of blankets and cushions around the seating areas will encourage cozy downtime, and they look great here among the farmhouse Christmas decor ideas.
9. Push a maximalist scheme even further
(Image credit: Mind The Gap)
If your mantra is more-is-more and you’re sitting in your on-trend maximalist living room, wondering how to make a Christmas garland, the answer is always going to be that bigger is better.
Maximalist decor allows you to embrace bold colors, over-the-top ornaments, and layered textures to create a space that feels celebratory and unapologetically festive. The holidays are an opportunity to turn the dial up to 11 on a pattern-filled room and add more texture and detail than ever before.
In this example, seen above by Mind The Gap, red and gold Christmas decorations take their cue from the stunning wallpaper and run with the over-the-top theme with glee.
10. Amp up the glow factor
(Image credit: Matilda Goad & Co.)
Lighting plays a starring role in creating a cozy and magical atmosphere in your living room during the holidays. From twinkling tree lights to flickering candles, a well-lit living room sets the tone for memorable gatherings and quiet winter evenings at home.
‘When you think of the festive season, you often dream of cozy, warm spaces in a rustic-looking home with a warm orange hue from the firelight,’ says Michael Meiser, President of lighting brand Lumilum.
‘This feel can be replicated in the home with subtle light-up ornaments that you can dot around the room to set the ambiance in focal areas,’ he adds.
Candle Tree Clips Set of 3
Made to look like they’re nestled into traditional candle holders, complete with a finger holder, these 17th-century-inspired candle lights will certainly add a traditional touch to your tree.
Icon Holiday Taper Candles, Set of 2
It wouldn’t be Christmas without candles. I love the candy cane design of these Anthropologie taper candles, but there’s a Christmas tree iteration too.
Chrome is big news this year and this in-expensive candelabra from H&M Home is a great way to do the trend. I love the intricate knot design in the middle.
11. Color drench your decor
Photography/Adrian Brisoce
(Image credit: Future)
Layer up classic similar shades to adorn your living room this Christmas and create a cohesive, coordinated, color-drenched effect.
Try adorning your Christmas tree with reams of classic baubles in a mixture of bronzes and soft golds, staying within a strict color scheme and decoration shape. A simple string of warm white lights will set off the effect without detracting.
For a complete theme, make sure to drape a garland over the fireplace mantlepiece, dotted with natural touches from the same color family; think dried oranges and seed heads. An inviting pile of gifts wrapped in coordinating paper will be the bow on top of the look.
12. Create festive vignettes
(Image credit: Future)
‘For most of us, the tree usually ends up being the center of attention but don’t forget all the other places, especially in the living room, that could look amazing with a bit of extra Christmas magic,’ suggests Gisela Graham.
‘Shelves, side tables, and mantelpieces are the perfect locations for a cleverly curated ensemble of standing decorations,’ she continues. ‘Even in small vignettes, consider color, height, lighting, and impact. Greenery, either real or faux, comes into its own in small displays, as do strings of battery fairy lights – and be careful using candles too close to greenery.’
‘If you’re incorporating baubles or hanging decorations into your creations, consider rehanging them on narrow velvet ribbon for added luxury and color coordination.’
13. Make folk festive
(Image credit: Future)
A folk-inspired space is typically packed with warm colors and bold patterns can provide the perfect backdrop for Christmas decor. With roots in traditional crafts, natural textures, and vibrant colors, folk-inspired decorations create a warm, welcoming atmosphere that feels authentic and down-to-earth.
Reds, whites, and blues from the fabrics in the room turn from folksy to festive with the addition of seasonal accessories that hark back to Christmas traditions.
Think woven baskets, hand-carved wooden ornaments, and textiles with rich patterns. For a Christmas twist, add festive touches like holly motifs, pinecones, and little felt animals.
Felt Fruit Ornaments (Set of 4) by Sarah Sherman Samuel
We’re predicting felt tree decorations to be a big hitter this Christmas. With a vintage feel, this set of 4 felt fruits will add some zest to your tree.
Peking Handicraft 31JBL31MC Estrella with Tassels Hook Stocking
If you dig a little deeper into Amazon you’ll find loads of hand-crafted stockings that have been beaded, crocheted, and embroidered for a really good price like this.
More for indoors than out, this felt wreath can be hung on your mirror above your mantel or in the window for a folky festive addition to your living room.
14. Style with subtlety
(Image credit: Future)
If you’re a minimalist, or perhaps just not all that into traditional Christmas decorating, why not give a little nod to the season instead?
‘Be creative and have some fun with the color combinations you choose to design and create with; you definitely don’t need to stick to the traditional festive shades,’ says florist Philippa Craddock. ‘Work with your own interiors and think about how you are feeling – create something that you love.
Layer up with warming fabrics in varying shades of whites, creams and beige to suggest snow flurries and memories of mistletoe. On your coffee table, place a pleasingly large bowl with decorative paper baubles, gentler than the classic colorful decorations. For the pièce de résistance, attach a mural to wall, depicting a snowy scene.
14. Reach for the skies
(Image credit: Future)
‘I love to make the Christmas tree the focal point of a room during the holiday season,’ says Anne Hepfer, interior designer and author of Mood. ‘If you have high ceilings and tall windows, get a taller tree to fit the space accordingly and center it with the room.’
If you have a double-height living room, then make the most of it over the festive period. As well as thinking about when you should put your Christmas tree up, think about how tall you can make it too.
Buy the tallest Christmas tree that can fit (and decorate safely with from a stepladder or mezzanine), and cover it with baubles. Make sure to choose oversized decorations, as small or regular-sized ones will simply get lost in the scale.
15. Embrace country-side charm
Photography/Chris Everard
(Image credit: Future)
In a perfectly decorated country home, you may not wish to pile on the decorations beyond your farmhouse Christmas tree ideas, but a rural living room can still benefit from even a few festive touches.
Pile your sofa with soft, cozy throws and chunky, knitted cushions. Continue this feeling of welcoming warmth with a sumptuous sheepskin rug on the floor, and even a tartan layer on the ottoman, for a gentle nod to Christmas traditions.
In terms of decorations, think naturals, like a rustic wreath of thin boughs, enticing eucalyptus, and a twinkling of fairy lights. A posy of winter berries and a bowl of clementines will finish off the scene. For extra old-school country points, stud the oranges with fragrance-enhancing cloves.
Antiqued Wood Scalloped Tray
Fill this antiqued wood tray with clementines or Christmas foliage for a natural, outdoorsy feel. Outside of Christmas, it can be filled with candles and trinkets.
Sweater Knit 70″x55″ Garnet Throw Blanket
A Crate & Barrel bestseller, this throw blanket is designed to feel like your favorite sweater. Available in various colors (white, beige, indigo, green, and garnet), it is knitted using durable yarn for a wealth of coziness.
Oversized Woven Plaid Square Throw – Threshold™ designed with Studio McGee
Woven with festive hues, this plaid throw pillow will add a nod to the holidays but can easily be kept out year round too.
16. Embrace a cooler color palette
(Image credit: Future)
Not everyone has a living room scheme that may seem ready-made for Christmas, but you could be wrong. Embracing a cooler color palette with shades of blue and chrome can provide a stunning, refreshing twist on traditional holiday decor.
This palette is perfect for those who want their living room to feel both festive and contemporary, with cool tones that evoke the serenity of winter while still offering a sense of luxury.
A blue room provides the perfect backdrop for a classy and stylish Christmas hub. Keep your Christmas tree theme to a strict color palette of blues, whites, and silvers so as not to introduce clashing. Liberally use foliage throughout, and dot with crisp, white details such as delicate snowberries or pretty mistletoe.
17. Lean into moodiness
(Image credit: Future)
Indulge in ultimate coziness with your living room scheme this Christmas. A moody holiday decor style embraces darker tones like deep jewel hues, charcoal, and rich forest greens paired with luxurious textures and accents that exude warmth and comfort.
If your walls and furniture are in moody shades, like navy blues and charcoal grays, then lean into this for the festivities. Darker, natural materials like pine cones and seed heads tuned into wreaths and garlands will echo this dark, warm feel while adding a seasonal touch.
On the tree, use the baubles to pick up on key shades from around the room. Stick to warm yellow lighting rather than bright white fairy lights which would be too much of a harsh contrast,
SUPREME XMAS 6 Pcs Christmas Tree Ornaments Set, 80mm
These stylish flocked velvet ornaments are in this season’s most on-trend hues, including the burgundy Christmas trend and will add a moody feel.
Willa Cotton Woven Throw Blanket
Anthropologie has a great selection of festive throw blankets to chuck over your sofa this Christmas like this deep purple one adorned with trees.
At just $2.99, whether you add a few to your tree or hung from the rafters, these paper star Christmas ornaments bring a touch of dark green to the scheme.
18. Try out vintage-inspired style
(Image credit: Neptune)
One of the biggest trends for Christmas 2024 is the vintage Christmas decor trend. For a timeless, nostalgic twist on your Christmas decor, a vintage-inspired style can bring warmth, charm, and a sense of history to your living room.
By mixing classic ornaments, retro textiles, and antique finds, you can create a space that feels both festive and deeply personal.
‘Christmas trees are individual to the person who decorates them and there are no rules or regulations to follow,’ says Simon Temprell, interior design manager at Neptune. ‘Hand-blown glass, mercury glass, and mixing antique silver with copper and gold will imbue a lovely, faded vintage feel. Then add some velvet ribbon in copper and forest green, by simply knotting 12-inch lengths to the ends of some branches. And to finish it all off, how about a basket cover for the base of the tree.’
Green Bottle Brush Trees Christmas, 4 Pcs
Create a playful Christmas story scene along your mantel with this set of 4 snow-topped bottle brush trees from Amazon.
12 Days Of Christmas Ornaments – Set of 12
There’s something so nostalgic about mercury glass ornaments and this set depicting the 12 days of Christmas couldn’t feel any more traditional.
LoveShackFancy Ornament Frame
With an antique feel, this bow-topped picture frame ornament was designed to add a fanciful touch to your tree.
19. Include sumptuous velvets in jewel tones
(Image credit: Sofa.com)
‘Part of the magic of the holiday season is transforming your living room into a joyful reprieve for the holidays,’ says Patricia Gibbons, from the Sofa.com design team. ‘With velvets being a popular choice, and red velvets in particular, selling well before Christmas, classic colors such as gold, red, and rich blues really come into their own over the Christmas period.’
‘The enchantment of this season is often found in the details we embellish our houses with. A unique alternative to the classic tree is a huge wreath hung up instead, this detail will free up your space and complement the room in the spirit of the season.’
Whether used in accents like cushions and throws or as a centerpiece such as your sofa, tree, or mantel, velvet brings a sense of grandeur and timeless elegance to your holiday celebrations.
20. Go for green
Photography/Chris Everard
(Image credit: Future)
Green – the color of life, of Christmas trees and your new Christmas room living room decor ideas.
Whether or not you already have green accents in your room, you can still allow this rejuvenating shade to take center stage. Be inspired by your outdoor Christmas decor ideas, and adorn your tree with fairly neutral decorations – and we’re including muted metallics in this – to allow the fresh pine color to shine through.
Pick up on this natural note by adding fir garland across mantlepieces and window frames. Jugs and vases should be packed with eucalyptus, holly and ivy.
21. Add a Midas touch
(Image credit: Future)
Go for gold this Christmas – and when we say go for it, we mean it. Where is the holiday season without hints of gold. A flocked tree is a great idea if you want to step out of the classic fir pine look and it works well with this color scheme. Keep your gold decorations subtle, this is not a brassy look, but instead, a softer, warmer gold that’s more sophisticated.
While we may not all have an already golden room, if you want one for the holidays, consider removable wall decals for an all-over metallic sparkle. Just make sure that these won’t damage whatever type of paint or wallpaper you already have.
Golden baubles, ribbons, and decorations should be strewn about the room; attach baubles to walls inside empty picture frames, fill a wicker basket, or simply decorate the tray you leave on your ottoman.
Creative Co-Op Unscented Tree Shaped Taper Candles, Gold, Boxed Set of 2
Made from high-quality 100% un-scented paraffin wax, these tree-shaped tape candles make a jolly addition to your decor.
McGee & Co.’s holiday collection is filled with elegant pieces like this gold leaf Menorah featuring delicate metal leaves, this will add a glow to your window sill.
A chic take on a juniper sprig, these large leafy ornaments always make your Christmas tree look more expensive as they shimmer in the light.
22. Include decor in unexpected places
(Image credit: Oho Interiors)
Get rid of all preconceived notions of where certain Christmas decorations do and do not belong and embrace something more unexpected and special.
Get creative with where you place your holiday decor. The classic wreath, for example, is long past being relegated to the front door. Try hanging them in the windows of your living room or above the mantel, or take a leaf out of Oho Interiors’ book and decorate candle wall scones with foliage and bows.
Think about decorating areas that aren’t immediately obvious like bookshelves, window sills, or even the back of a chair. Adding small touches in these places can make your entire living room feel extra festive.
23. Stick to a clean palette of white and glass
(Image credit: The White Company)
For a crisp, serene, and sophisticated Christmas living room, a clean palette of white and glass offers a minimalist approach to holiday decor. ‘When it comes to our main tree, I like to keep it quite simple,’ says Mark Winstanley, chief creative officer at The White Company.
‘White fairy lights go on first and then a mixture of glass and white baubles are always a favorite for me. I’ve collected them over the years, including a few vintage ones and we always do the tree all together with the children. Switch up textiles to cozy, tactile throws in knits and faux fur and the warmest sheepskin rugs on the floor.’
This exudes calm and sophistication, creating a serene, wintery atmosphere that still feels festive.
24. Take a creative approach
(Image credit: Morris & Co.)
One of the most rewarding ways to personalize your Christmas living room is by taking a creative, hands-on approach to your holiday decor.
Instead of relying solely on store-bought items, try incorporating handmade elements like paper chain garlands, felt ornaments, or even a wreath made from fresh greenery.
Additionally, you can try and create your own layered garland with foraged foliage, a dried oranges garland, and fairy lights. To make the process even more creative, consider crafting ornaments with your family or friends for a beloved tradition that you look forward to each year.
25. Add finishing touches to your coffee table
(Image credit: Neptune)
Finally, look at the centerpiece of your shapes (minus the tree) and give it a little Christmas makeover for December.
Stack a few holiday-themed books or magazines with a festive ornament or a decorative bowl on top and try using a tray to organize smaller holiday elements like candles, pinecones, ornaments, or a small vase of greenery.
This doesn’t have to be a big change, a bowl of clementines and a festive-scented candle, like the team at Neptune has created above, will add all the holiday cheer you need. Candles always add a cozy, intimate feel at Christmas.
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