Our Home Tour: Christmas Decor Room by Room

I'm back; refreshed, relaxed, and ready to finish a few projects that have been in the works for longer than I'd like to admit. Given that I'll be working on those for the next few weeks, and since by the number of people logging on to view these "LOVE" posts each day, you clearly LOVE them too ... I'll give you some eye candy while I whistle and work. (Figuratively of course, since I can't whistle.)

Alright - let's get to it, shall we. You'll remember that the outside of CDLV this Christmas is decked in it's usual natural finery. Christmas greens, fern, hydrangea, pinecones, red dogwood branches.

This urn has a match, on the other side of the door ...

And the same idea extends off the porch, and into the 4' tall planter at the base of the porch column:

Today, actually, was the first day that I caught the mailman (on purpose to give him his gift) and he said: "Every year you add something new - what's in the works for next year?" I smiled and said, ask me in November. After I shut the door, I thought about how the work I did outside hadn't gone unnoticed, and how something I took pride in for me and me alone, caught enough interest to ask what would be in the planter next year. I don't think he knows it, but the mailman made my day.

Going inside, I had decided that I would sparsely (as sparsely as I can manage) decorate CDLV for Christmas this year. So, instead of the usual 3 trees, I decided I'd only decorate one.

Tucked in the corner of the foyer, slightly visible from the living room, my artificial narrow 7' pre-lit tree sports a mix of bronze, opal, and varied shades of green ornaments, along with a few metallic "special" ornaments in a woven mess of branches, feathers, and pinecones. It's a wonderful welcome to CDLV, but an awkward arrangement for photographing. Doing my best ...

Each year, I try to incorporate a little something unexpected in my trees, and this year, I brought in the lanterns from the pergola and zip tied them to the center pole of the tree.

Filled with fake snow, cinnamon wrapped candles, and miniature pinecones, I thought they were the going to be the only touch of Christmas in the house. That was until, I received the flocked Christmas tree I've always wanted from http://www.treetopia.com/. Since colored Christmas trees have become so en vogue, and flocked Christmas trees are more and more prevalent in Christmas decor, I couldn't resist creating space for the flocked tree in the dining room.

Before I even had ornaments on the thing it had me drooling. The tree was beautifully full, bright with its over 600 lights, and for a flocked tree, surprisingly mess free. Keeping with the idea of simplicity, I chose to use icicles, and cream and gold ornaments, and voila:

The "unusual" moment in this tree is of course the branches, and where they are placed. I decided not to fan out the crown of the tree in the usual fashion, but rather to perch a few of the branches out of the side of the tree, the perfect spot for two love birds.

Don't they look cozy? The goal here was really to let the tree do the shining. Rather than packing the tree full of fine ornaments, I went for simple glass balls in shades of champagne, and Lucite icicles. 

Of course, branches and ribbon give it that asymmetric attitude that I love in my Christmas trees, but for the most part, it's a simple collection easily accomplished at home on a budget. I did skip the Christmas Wreaths this year, but I hope you find these trees and outside decorations inspiring for your next Christmas decorating adventure!