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Wintery Weather Decor
It always amazes me how empty the house looks after all the Christmas decorations have been taken down and packed away for next year. We have so much empty wall space, a clean table, and loads of empty floor space that isn't take up by a tree!
So decorating becomes a fun new challenge and game: How to decorate a blank canvas for the winter?
Just because Christmas is over doesn't mean winter decorations are totally gone - in Maryland, it's easily winter until the middle of March! I wanted the decorations to reflect a cozy, warm, wintery atmosphere without having any kind of holiday influence. Challenge Accepted.
2017 was a transition into a new house, decorating new spaces, and figuring out what kind of home decor style I want to incorporate. Everything so far has been neutrals, so why stray away from that now?! Whites and ivories, grays, and pops of color are perfect for a winter scene - so that's exactly what I did.
When we moved, the living room had big empty walls and I knew I needed to build shelves. I wanted industrial chic, but understated shelves that were mega versatile. So I drew up some plans, bought the wood, stained and finished, and my stepdad helped install the shelving. I have had the most fun decorating the shelves for every season and constantly move things around. The verdict is still on whether I like them full and crowded or empty and minimalist. Right now, they're full. And I love all the textures going on. Neutrals, whites, pops of gold... this is easily my favorite little corner in the house!
Most of this decor is from HomeGoods, Marshalls, and things that have been passed down to me from my great-grandmother. My favorite and most versatile piece on these shelves is the white shadow box I grabbed at HomeGoods. I wanted seasonal signs but didn't want to buy signs that fit my shelf for every holiday and season. This shadow box gives me the perfect creative outlet and blank space to write whatever I want using a Bistro Chalk Pen. So easy!
Also in our living room is the most used piece of furniture: the coffee table. Full disclosure: I hate this table. It has a glass top and shows every fingerprint, crumb, and grime. It gets cleaned constantly and always looks dirty. Eventually we will get a new one, but in the meantime, I'll keep a bottle of Windex on hand! But since it is used so often, the centerpiece decor needs to be practical and simple. I stick to trays because then nothing will get moved around and the little one can't reach any candles (yet!). I got this Hearth & Hand tray for Christmas and it is the perfect fit on this table. Kept the decor super simple - 1 book, topped with a candle, a Hearth & Hand ceramic house vase, and cotton stems. I'm sure this will change a few times over the next month or so, but I am really satisfied with how simple it looks. There's room on the tray for mugs or glasses to keep them off the table, and the feet on the bottom of the tray prevent sliding.
Next to the most common area in the house, is the least used: the dining room. Over the holidays we use it a lot because of the parties and company we host. But after that, it goes back to being pretty unused space. This means I kept the tablescape super simple. Woven placemats and a Hearth & Hand centerpiece candle holder. Voila! Easy peasy. Because we don't use this space a lot, it often gets used a "dumping grounds" for shopping bags, coats, DIY projects... so having a table that is easy to clear off and reset is really important!
The last little spot I redecorated (so far!) is our liquor hutch. This little bar area is usually another area where random things get placed, so to help keep it clutter-free, I used a large galvanized storage bin from the Hearth & Hand collection that the lovely fiancee got me for Christmas. It seemed appropriate since it's holding a lot of his whiskey! The hutch is a really great little spot for when we have parties - it keeps the kitchen available for cooking and food, and keeps ours guests more spread out. Bar in the living room, food in the kitchen. Plus, all the mixers, liqueurs, and random other bottles of spirits we keep on hand all live in the hutch, making it a convenient cocktail station!
Stay warm, friends!
xoxo
-K