Rustic Christmas Decorations Gathered from Instagram

What comes to mind when we think of rustic Christmas decorations is things like pine cones, ornaments carved from wood, and all sorts of greenery. The natural materials and the beautiful fragrance of fresh pine, oranges, and cinnamon bring back beautiful memories and make us feel nostalgic which is why a rustic Christmas is exactly what we need this year.

rustic christmas decorations

It’s a perfect opportunity to get nostalgic and to bring back all those retro Christmas ornaments you’ve been holding onto for so long.

Let’s see what inspiration Instagram can offer in this sense.

DIY Rustic Christmas ornaments

If the idea of making some of your own decorations this Christmas feels exciting, it’s time to gather some ideas. There are a lot of projects you could possibly choose from and some of them are super simple and inexpensive. They’re too good not to give them a try.

Dried orange ornaments

Rustic Christmas Dried orange ornaments 

You’re probably aware that you can use dried orange slices to make beautiful Christmas decorations but did you know you can also use whole oranges this way? Each of these ornaments is made from a whole orange and a piece of twine.

The secret here is to gently slice the peel of the orange with a knife and then stick it in the oven for 24–48 hours. As a bonus, during all this time your whole house will smell amazing.

A tree stump candle holder

Rustic tree stump candle holder

Planning to spread some candles around the house or to display them as centerpieces this Christmas? Why not do so in style? You could pretty easily turn a thick tree branch into a candle holder using simple tools and supplies. You can either leave the bark on for a more rustic and textured look or you can take it off. 

Christmas wreath made of felt balls

Christmas wreath made of felt balls

On top of being really cute, this felt ball wreath is easy to make as well. You can use felt balls in any color or color combination you prefer and you can also mix different sizes too.

It could also be fun to create all sorts of patterns and to add other decorations and ornaments to the wreath if you want to. 

Homemade scented candles in glass bottles

Homemade scented candles in glass bottles

Did you know making candles at home is actually very simple? You can even play with different fragrant oils and make scented candles, perfect for Christmas and other occasions?

Another way to save money and make the candles original is by putting them in votives made of upcycled glass bottles.

Christmas tree wall decor

Christmas tree wall decor 

You don’t need expensive things to make beautiful Christmas decorations. Simple materials like wood from reclaimed pallets and paper are all you need to make this lovely Christmas tree wall piece. Play with patterned paper and different colors to make your tree look interesting and special. 

A wooden Christmas tree

A wooden Christmas tree

What’s nice about this wooden Christmas tree is that you can make it in any size. The mini version looks both cute and very stylish. Something like this can be a gorgeous little addition to your rustic Christmas decor but can also easily fit in modern or minimalist decor. 

Christmas Decorating Styles

While it’s always good to have a big pool of inspirational ideas to choose from, you should decorate with your own style in mind.

Christmas Decorating Styles

First, though, you should discover your style in order to know what to look for in terms of decorations and ornaments. Here’s give equally great styles you could choose from:

Traditional

Everybody knows what traditional Christmas decor looks like. It has a classic look and a nostalgic vibe and it’s truly timeless. A traditional Christmas decor revolves around red and green as the main colors. It’s the type of decor that brings back memories from childhood and that makes us feel comfortable and at home.

Modern

Many of us think we know what modern Christmas decor looks like but do we really? Modern isn’t all about simplicity or minimalism. In fact, simplicity isn’t always a rule. The key here is balance. If a traditional Christmas decor is centered around nostalgia and the ambiance around it, a modern one is all about aesthetics and the way in which the decorations are displayed.

Minimalist

Minimalism is not for everyone but if the thought of having your home filled with all sorts of Christmas decorations and knick-knacks makes you feel claustrophobic, this is the style for you. A minimalist Christmas decor can still look very beautiful. In this case it’s not about how many decorations you add but about making each one fit and giving it meaning. In minimalist design everything is intentional.

Monochromatic

Monochromatic design is trendy this Christmas. The important thing to keep in mind about it is that it’s not limited to only a single color. The idea here is to pick a single base color for your Christmas decor and then add variations, different hues, and different textures and finishes to add diversity to the decor. 

Whimsical

A whimsical Christmas decor is perhaps one of the most festive ones. It’s all about adding all sorts of playful and cheerful elements like little snowmen decorations, reindeer, cute garlands, elves and so on. All of these elements combined create a magical ambiance and make everyone feel young again. 

5 Tips To Make Your Home Feel Festive This Year

The very thought that Christmas is almost here is enough to make everyone feel excited and festive. But how can we translate all this cheer and excitement into something that others can see and enjoy too?

Make Your Home Feel Festive This Year

That’s when Christmas decorating comes into play. Here are 5 tips for making your home feel festive:

Make a wreath for the front door

There’s a reason why wreaths are so popular. They’re really great at making our homes look and feel festive. You can either buy a wreath or you can make your own. If you’re choosing to craft or to decorate your own wreath you could use things like dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, pinecones and berries to give it a rustic look and a gorgeous smell. 

Make your own decorations

If the time allows it, craft your own Christmas decorations from scratch. There’s a ton of cool ideas to choose from and a lot of them are super simple too. Handmade ornaments have a charm of their own and they put everyone in a festive mood.

Bring out the scented candles

It’s not just about making the house look festive but about making it feel festive and what better way to do so than with scented candles. Of course, we’re talking about Christmas-related scents like cinnamon and oranges. Pick a few scented candles and spread them around the house. You’ll feel the cheer in no time and so will everyone else that comes to visit.

Prepare your Christmas stockings

The origin of the Christmas stockings is in the tale of St Nicholas who left coins in them for three sisters in need of help. Today though the stockings are cute decorations that we hang above the fireplace. It’s amazing how a single decoration can instantly change the mood in the whole house.

Decorate the staircase

If you have an interior staircase you should definitely decorate it for Christmas. It will make the whole house feel festive. You can use things like green garlands, tinsel, baubles, ribbon, string lights, candles and anything else you can think of to give the staircase a cheerful and Christmassy look.

Rustic Christmas Decor Ideas

A wooden box as a tree stand

A wooden box as a tree stand 

One of the quickest and most effective ways to give your Christmas tree a rustic look is by using a wooden box as a stand. Take any old box and repurpose it. If it looks worn or if it has a distressed finish that will only help the cause. Check out @mymountainretreat for more details about this beautiful Christmas tree. 

More than one tree

More than one tree

There’s nothing stopping you from having more than one singular Christmas tree. If you have the space and resources to include more than one in your decor that could actually look really cool. Here you can see two rustic Christmas trees with matching designs and similar dimensions. They frame the dining room perfectly. The inspiration comes from @katierae.thomas.

Spread the greenery around

Spread the greenery around

A rustic Christmas decor needs more greenery than just the tree. You can also decorate the place with green garlands, wreaths, mini trees and centerpieces. The mantel is a perfect spot where you can display a lot of these. Check out the post from @ourlittlebluefarmhouse to see how these were decorated with pinecones and dried orange slices.

Decorate the front door

Decorate the front door

Set a festive mood for your guests with a beautiful-looking front door. A big green wreath decorated with things like pine cones, jingle bells and berries is perfect if you’re going for a rustic Christmas vibe. This cute and simple design shared by @thosehomeideas is on point.

An upside-down basket skirt

An upside down basket skirt

If you want to hide the stand that holds the Christmas tree upright you should cover the base of the tree with a skirt. This can be made from a variety of different materials. A cool idea if you’re going for a rustic Christmas tree design is to repurpose a woven basket. Check out the post from @thosefarmhouseideas to see what this looks like.

Stick with simple colors

Stick with simple colors

A rustic Christmas decor is not meant to be brightly-colors or to include very vivid tones. A simple palette of greens, reds and natural earthy tones would be just right for this style. This cute little tree in a woven basket demonstrates that. Check out the post from @whitefarmhousehaven for more details. 

Spread the cozy Christmas vibes outside the living room

Spread the cozy Christmas vibes outside the living room

It’s not just the living room that deserves your attention when getting all the Christmas decorations in place. Show some love to some other areas as well like the dining room, kitchen, hallways and so on. This is a really cute coffee bar idea shared by @homesweetlakehouse. It’s decorated with a plaid table runner, rustic mini trees, jingle bells and all sorts of festive things.

Deck the shelves

Deck the shelves

Another cute decor idea for a rustic Christmas is to decorate some of the shelves and to hang green garlands and branches in all sorts of places like from the cabinets in the kitchen or the shelves in the bathroom. Here’s a lovely decor idea shared by @shady_pines3interiors to inspire you.

Make the most of a fireplace

Make the most of a fireplace

A wood-burning fireplace is an absolutely wonderful feature in any home, especially a rustic one. It’s also what you should focus a lot of your attention on when decorating the place for Christmas. This is an opportunity to put even more focus on the fireplace with things like garlands, candles, wreaths and even a cute Christmas tree. You can get a lot of decor ideas from this post from @fitzgeraldlane.

Use earthy colors and simple finishes

Spread the greenery around

The thing about rustic decor, in general, is that it looks natural and authentic. It embraces the natural materials like wood and all the little things that you can find in the forest like pine cones, acorns, berries and such. Put these things together and you can have a magical Christmas this year. Check out this beautiful setup shared by @jenna_design for some ideas.

Hang knitted stockings

Hang knitted stockings

You can’t really have a rustic Christmas without hanging stockings from the fireplace mantel. There might still be enough time for you to knit a couple of stockings in time for Christmas or perhaps you can make some out of old knitted sweaters. Either way, they’d look really cute, just like the ones shared here by.

Let the greenery shine

Let the greenery shine

It would be a shame to hide a beautiful and full Christmas tree underneath a ton of ornaments and decorations. It also wouldn’t really fit in a cozy rustic decor like the one featured by @thosedecorideas. Let the greenery shine and keep the tree ornaments small and simple. You can add a few more things around the tree if you want to create a scene.

Put a frame around the wreath

Spread the greenery around

There’s plenty of small details that you can add to make your Christmas decor look more authentic or to give it some character. For example, something simple like adding a frame around a wreath can change the look and vibe of the space around it. Check out this post from @vintagebylhof for some more inspiration.

Make the entryway festive

Make the entryway festive

Create a cozy and welcoming vibe for everyone visiting this Christmas by decorating the entryway. How about creating a rustic Christmas setting centered around the console table? You could display a few things on top and also use the area underneath as well. For more inspiration check out this design shared by @rustic_farmcharm.

Don’t forget the dining table

Spread the greenery around

If you’re planning some sort of family gathering at your place this Christmas, be sure to make the dining table look nice and festive. Perhaps you could bring the Christmas tree in here. You can also use greenery for the centerpiece and place it on a red runner for contrast. Check out the post from @countrylifemystyle for more details and inspiration.