Good morning, friends! The most wonderful time of the year has arrived! I'm sure now that Thanksgiving has come and gone your thoughts have turned to the next big holiday & how you want to dress your home.
There is something magical about a simple Christmas. The kind that feels warm and familiar, with rooms that glow softly by lamplight and the scent of evergreen drifting through the air. An English cottage Christmas is not about abundance or grandeur, but about heart.
Image source: mcgeeandco.com
One of the simplest, most natural element to decorate with is greenery. Whether you use real greenery of faux, the impact is immediate, stunning, and can take on a timeless look that retains it beauty year by year. Greenery is especially versatile and looks great as garlands over mantels, up staircases, etc. In smaller doses, greenery can appear as swags on entry doors, over windows, or around centerpieces on the table.
Image Source: sincerelymariedesigns.com
Fresh greenery is a lovely place to begin & it doesn't have to be expensive. A few clipped branches from the yard draped over a mantel or tucked into a vase can bring life to any room. A natural combination with greenery is candles & ribbon. Candles and lamplight create that gentle glow that makes evenings feel cozy & warm. Flickering candles, ribbons, and vintage ornaments tell stories of Christmases past.
In our cottage kitchen of our previous home I created a delicate swag from frosted Hobby Lobby picks to drape over the kitchen window. In the center of the swag was a thrifted vintage brass horn, and a simple blue velvet bow. The goal is not perfection, but simplicity.
With more of the same frosted pine picks I arranged a spray in the antique blue transferware tea pot. The cost was low, the time it took was minimal, and the effect is instantly festive!
“Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication.” — Leonardo da Vinci
Here is another simple swag hung over an antique mirror. Mistletoe is mixed in along with a thrifted vintage brass bell.
And, lastly, these centerpiece arrangements by Marion Parsons from her blog Miss Mustard Seed are equally inspiring to me every year. I want to try something like this for our new kitchen ~ stay posted!
Until next time, take care,
Rachel
