Rustic Christmas

 

Every year I pick a Christmas decorating theme drawing inspiration from everyday items or materials from the garden. For instance, in 2010 I went all orange and chartreuse using tons of clementines and this year old fashioned tin ornaments will be my guide. One of my favorite muses was a magnolia leaf. The glossy green top and velvety brown underside sparked the idea to decorate in chocolate browns, white and silver.

Every year I insist on cutting my own fresh tree. The prerequisites are it has to be really large and evergreen. Sometimes getting it from the driveway to inside my back parlor gets a little tricky, but once it's up I can't wait to get started decorating it.

Brown is one of my favorite colors to start the palette when decorating my tree. It is a natural color that blends well with the colors of my cottage. This year I chose white, silver and gold to highlight my tree.

Huge brown velveteen ribbons, silver starburst and beads, glittery snowflakes, golden glass pinecones and homemade white salt dough ornaments lend a rustic feel.

Three silver glass trees highlight a collection of natural evergreens, pinecones and glass ornaments on my buffet. A wooden bowl with ivory candles and green apples intertwined with silver beads rests on my coffee table.

Magnolia leaves with their dual coloration are a beautiful display in a silver vase.

Brown pine cones, silver beads, and frosted ornaments in an antique dough trough add visual interest and carry the theme through to my dining table. It's a great conversation starter for my guests.

How do you decorate for the holidays? Do you stick with a time honored theme or do you change it up every year?