Holidays & Occasions Christmas Christmas Decor 48 Best Living Room Christmas Decorating Ideas Say hello to a cozy and Christmassy living room. By Zoe Gowen Zoe Gowen After a notable obsession with yellow houses, historic homes, and glossy magazines as a child that lead to a degree in American Studies from Sewanee: University of the South followed by a jaunt through the Washington, DC art world, Zoë found her way as the Senior Home and Garden Editor with Southern Living. There she crisscrossed the region to produce inspiring interiors, entertaining, and holiday stories while also overseeing the Idea House franchise. After seeing more porches and Christmas trees than any other reasonable person can claim, she ventured out to pave new roads freelancing for various magazines and helping people bring magazine tearsheets to life inside private homes via interior decorating. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on November 17, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Laurey W. Glenn Gathering around the fireside—surrounded by a glowing Christmas tree and a room decked with cheerful Christmas decorations—is the hallmark of the holiday season. There are so many ways to make your living room feel festive for friends and family. Unadorned greenery or shimmering baubles and bows, matching color schemes or layers of patterns, handmade crafts, or special personal touches are tried-and-true ways to make your holiday décor shine. Need new ideas for the coming season? Draw inspiration from our favorite living rooms decorated for Christmas to give your space a dose of seasonal charm. 01 of 48 Highlight Your Fireplace James Ransom The coziest part of any living room is the fireplace, so if your house has one, highlight it accordingly. In this living room, designer Sid Williams-Heath draped a gorgeous greenery garland over the mantel and added warm lights to play off of the color of the fire. 02 of 48 Add Dried Fruit Garlands For a fragrant mantel finish, bake citrus slices low and slow in the oven and string them together with twine (and an occasional dab of hot glue). Brie Williams If you want to switch it up from the traditional greenery Christmas garlands, making a dried fruit garland is a fantastic alternative. In this living room by designer Maggie Dillon, a garland of dried oranges is hung by the mantel to add a colorful yet festive element to the space. 03 of 48 Decorate the Mantel Laurey W. Glenn Don't underestimate the power of a lush boxwood garland paired with gold accents, such as these elegant reindeer candlesticks. For a refined look, make sure that your garland is long enough to gracefully sweep the floor on either side of the mantel. Four Christmas stockings complete the merry arrangement. 04 of 48 Match Your Decor to Your Tree James Ransom When creating a beautiful holiday space, making sure all of your decor is cohesive is an important part in the process. In this home by Amanda Simmons, the tree's ornaments and lighting matches the colors of the accent pillows and chairs. 05 of 48 Create a Forest of Mini Trees Laurey W. Glenn Dress up an all-white space with an oversized magnolia garland (hung to frame the whole fireplace area, rather than just the hearth), bright red accents, and a row of adorable mini trees. Fresh green apples tucked across the mantel add pops of seasonal color without breaking the bank. Restricting the palette to red and green in the same tones ensures all the various components work together in a streamlined way. 06 of 48 Dress Up Every Corner Laurey W. Glenn Here, mini woven wreaths affixed with simple sprigs of magnolia and pine dress up traditionally overlooked wall space. A few stems of colorful flowers help brighten up one corner of the room. In a room with lots of pattern mixing, simple greenery keeps the room festive without overwhelming your senses. 07 of 48 Choose a Focal Point Laurey W. Glenn With its matching tufted sofas and corresponding vases filled with woody holly and boxwood branches, this rustic space proves that perfect symmetry doesn't have to be fussy. Dressing up one focal point in the room can have more impact than lots of distractions here and there. 08 of 48 Pick a Complementary Palette Laurey W. Glenn Consider a streamlined color palette this season. This formal living room—already dominated by a stunning gold sofa and bright green silk curtains—benefits from a simple all-gold selection of ornaments in varying shapes, sizes, and sheens. A gilded planter box serves as a chic tree base. 09 of 48 Go Floor to Ceiling Laurey W. Glenn When decorating for Christmas, remember to keep your space proportional: If you have a large room with vaulted ceilings, you'll need a tree that will fill the space appropriately. Here, a lush pine is decked with splashes of hot pink, vibrant blue, and apple green—a nod to the room's existing color palette. 10 of 48 Deck the Halls With Seasonal Fruit Laurey W. Glenn Holiday party guests will be hungry to steal this look when you make fruit the star of your mantel decorations. Here, colorful marbled apples and bright lemons are tucked amid cuttings of magnolia, pine, and leafy juniper sprigs. To add some spice, turn your citrus fruits into pomanders, which are beautiful and smell like the holidays. 11 of 48 Nod to Mother Nature Lucas Allen This moss-and-dried-foliage-covered mantel, flanked by mossy green wreaths, adds festive Christmas warmth that complements this cabin's woodsy décor. Stockings hung on the hearth always invokes a homey feel. Tip: Artificial moss is easy to find at most craft stores, but properly dried and preserved natural moss can also be reused year after year. 12 of 48 Mix and Match Greenery Laurey W. Glenn We love the effortlessly elegant look of this asymmetrical juniper, eucalyptus, and magnolia mantel arrangement, as well as the way the homeowners used their oversized, statement-piece antlers to display a simple wreath. Fragrant juniper and eucalyptus will also make the room smell like Christmas. 13 of 48 Use Neutral Décor Laurey W. Glenn Though red and green are not to be found in this living room's existing color scheme, rusty red and burnished gold ornaments paired with an all-brown magnolia wreath (featuring just the backside of the leaves) coordinate with the neutral plum and cream palette. A few sprigs of greenery add a touch of charm to the fireplace. 14 of 48 Add Some Glitz Laurey W. Glenn Oversized gold pinecones flank this symmetrical mantel arrangement, while an arrangement of red roses atop the mantel adds vibrancy to the space. Whether you forage them yourself or pick them up at the craft store, there are so many ways to get creative with pinecones for the holidays. From glittery to rustic, explore our pinecone Christmas decoration ideas for inspiration. 15 of 48 Play Up Strong Architecture Paul Costello; Styling: Howard Christian Accent beautiful windows draw the eye toward high ceilings with well-placed Christmas wreaths. You don't have to use traditional red ribbon when doing so—just choose a color that matches the décor. Hang matching wreaths both inside and out, so they look good from either direction. A Special Tribute: Remembering Julia Reed's Christmas In The Delta 16 of 48 Strive for Easy Elegance Laurey W. Glenn This no-fuss space is decked with foraged foliage and hints of sparkle, from the mantel's simple bead garland to the coffee table's bowl of metallic ornaments. An oversized arrangement of cut pine stems in the window is uncomplicated and elegant. It only takes a few details to make a living room feel Christmasy. 17 of 48 Create Nostalgic Appeal Lucas Allen An old-school red beaded garland lends vintage charm to this festive Christmas tree, particularly when paired with simple silver, white, and iridescent ornaments. Tip: If you can't find a tree skirt you can live with, consider using a bright plaid throw blanket instead. 18 of 48 Incorporate Coastal Charm Laurey W. Glenn If coastal chic is more your style, don't force yourself into a traditional red and green Christmas palette. This all-white mantel offers a healthy dose of holiday spirit with pale pinecones, pops of sea glass-blue, and elegant palm fronds scattered throughout. Mantels are usually the center of attraction in most living rooms, so it's important to dress them up to your style during the holidays. 19 of 48 Tie More Ribbons Who says ribbon has to be wrapped around the tree? Here, cute ribbon bows trim the branches of this living room's Christmas tree, while masculine chocolate brown-wrapped gifts keep the room from feeling too frilly. Add bows to punctuate your trees, garlands, and wreaths. Want to learn how to make a beautiful bow with ribbon? This step-by-step tutorial walks you through it. 20 of 48 Use Art as Inspiration Helen Norman If statement artwork is the focal point of your living room, consider building your holiday décor around it. Here, the Christmas tree décor and gift wrap coordinate with the room's existing oversized abstract painting, helping the room retain its modern, cohesive look. The beauty of Christmas trees is that they allow us to express our personal style, from modern to traditional. 21 of 48 Delight in Festive Details Laurey W. Glenn Though this room's mantel is flush with the wall, the homeowner affixed a lush garland across the top, adding festive color and dimension to the space. This living room also pays special attention to traditionally overlooked spaces, with a sprig of magnolia in the circular window as well as a simple pine garland draped across the dining banquette. There's nothing more Christmasy than fresh greenery, and there are more ways to use it in every room of your house. 22 of 48 Have Fun With Color Hector Manuel Sanchez; Design: John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon; Styling: Kendra Surface Purple, yellow, orange, blue, and green—why not? If you have an incredibly vibrant living room like this one, why not continue with the theme? The white flocked tree serves as a neutral canvas for colorful ornaments that pop. It would be impossible not to catch some Christmas cheer when walking into this festive living room. 23 of 48 Add the Scent of Christmas Marta Xochilt Perez; Styling: Jenny O’Connor Infuse your living room with the scent of Christmas by using fresh greenery—but try a garland, wreath, centerpiece, or swag instead of a whole tree, which is a lot more work to maintain. Explore these eight kinds of holiday greenery, seasonally available at garden centers, to dress up your living room. In this Texas home, a wild garland and modern painting balance the surrounding traditional pieces in the formal living room. 24 of 48 Invent Your Own Holiday Palette Marta Xochilt Perez; Styling: Jenny O’Connor Caroline Harper Knapp, of the lifestyle blog House of Harper, mixes her home's blue hues into her Christmas palette. Blue ribbon, in tones picked up in her home's color scheme, gets woven into her Christmas tree and tied around traditional green and red gift-wrapped presents. The result is that blue looks festive without looking out of place. 25 of 48 Leverage Your Favorite Colors Marta Pérez; Styling: Vero Designs Connect your Christmas theme to your home's existing color palette, it will look both seamless and effortless. This Charleston couple's jewel-toned home decor gets boosted by their holiday decorations—sapphire, aquamarine, amber baubles, and gift wrapping—in the same palette. 26 of 48 Personalize Your Tree Alison Gootee; Styling: Elizabeth Demos Scale your Christmas tree to your room to make a statement. Monica Lavin, founder of the lifestyle blog Lavin Label, finds the tallest tree they can find to fit her double-parlor living room. The tree is then decorated with a collection of ornaments that are also family mementos. Ribbons, in two dominant colors woven through the tree, tie it all together 27 of 48 Display Meaningful Heirlooms Alison Gootee; Styling: Elizabeth Demos Celebrate family with personalized decorations. Heirlooms, made by family members, create a deep connection to the holidays. These needlepoint stockings sewn by family can be passed on to future generations along with Christmas memories. 28 of 48 Get Playful With Christmas Décor Marta Pérez; Styling: Vero Designs If you have a favorite piece that stands out in your living room, make it even more of a feature by adorning it with holiday touches, whether baubles, greenery, or bows. You can even be a little cheeky. Not only is the mantlepiece draped with a fresh garland, but the Barbary ram gets his own Christmas crown. This Charming Charleston Home Is Filled With Holiday Cheer 29 of 48 Highlight Artwork Alison Gootee; Styling: Elizabeth Demos Accent artwork and furniture pieces with greenery. Scouring your space for everyday items for opportunities to add some holiday flair can make your living room both festive and fragrant. Pick up greenery at your local garden center and further embellish boughs with festive details like ribbon, baubles, and pinecones. 30 of 48 Keep It Simple Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Liz Strong Simpler Christmas decorations are warranted against more detailed backdrops. Here a living room mantle is covered in a night-sky blue, crescent-patterned tile. An unadorned magnolia garland sets the mantle up without clashing. 31 of 48 Frame the Scenery Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Suzonne Stirling You can still create a festive space without over-the-top Christmas bling. This New Orleans home overlooks Audubon Park with views of ancient live oak trees, so homeowner Cece Calhoun chose to bring the outside in with unadorned greenery for a more seamless experience. Fragrant cedar garlands frame the living room's stunning architecture punching up this neutral living room with traditional green of the holidays. 32 of 48 Create a Main Attraction Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Liz Strong This sizable Christmas tree flanks the fireplace and sparkles in the corner, anchoring interior designer Andrew Howard's blue and ivory living room. A mixture of metallic balls hanging on the branches creates a shimmering attraction. Otherwise, the holiday décor is simple and natural—red peonies, red amaryllis, evergreen, and magnolia greenery—making the spectacular tree the star. 33 of 48 Cast a Monochromatic Glow Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Suzonne Stirling This 12-foot Christmas tree exudes understated drama decorated in tones that blend with the room's neutral surroundings. Gold, pink, and rose gold ornaments and winding gold ribbon trim this Fraser fir. The monochrome look is just as festive as traditional red, green, and white Christmas color schemes. 34 of 48 Use Mirrors for Extra Impact Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Suzonne Stirling The large mirror in this space not only magnifies the preserved boxwood wreath hanging on it with green silk ribbon, but it also reflects the dazzling tree across the room. The same gold ribbon woven through the Christmas tree is wrapped around the bird of paradise plant's pot. Tip: Preserved boxwood provides the look of fresh greenery but it is coated in glycerin, which will help it last and look new for several years. 35 of 48 Add Some Zest Hector Manuel Sanchez Citrus fruit is another creative way to add natural components to your holiday décor. Homeowner Natasha Lawler, of Charlottesville, Virginia, uses a cheery yellow and blue palette for her citrus-themed Christmas decorations with lemons, baubles, and ribbon trimmings. Yellow and blue pattern mixing, from the tree skirt to the gift wrapping, works well since it's all part of the same color palette. For more ways to add citrus to your Christmas décor, browse our favorite ideas. 36 of 48 Honor Existing Décor Ngoc Minh Ngo Rustic-chic style shines in this simple space, where oversized red string lights illuminate a monochromatic color scheme of iridescent and silver ornaments on the tree. Festive pops of red on the armchair and mantel liven up the room's neutral décor. Beautifully gift-wrapped presents offer additional opportunities to introduce color, while neutral stockings keep with the rustic theme. 37 of 48 Mix Understated With Formal Hector Manuel Sanchez Formal living rooms don't need a lot of dressing up, that's why understated holiday décor syncs in this refined space. A mantlepiece flower arrangement, neutral stockings, and red striped ribbon add festive charm. 38 of 48 Invoke a Winter Wonderland Kriech-Higdon Photography Frosty blue and snowy white accents help turn this festive home into an understated winter wonderland. Brown velvet ribbons and shimmery embellishments add more interest to the evergreen garland draped over the mantel. Repeating similar elements on the Christmas tree gives the room a cohesive holiday look. 39 of 48 Make it Merry Cristina Harth Photography A colorful Christmas tree dressed up with patterned ornaments feels right at home in a playful living room like this one. With layers upon layers of colors, textures, and patterns, this tree fits right in instead of clashing. 40 of 48 Add Citrus to Garlands Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas and Buffy Hargett Miller Make a lemon garland for your mantel. Magnolia leaves, greenery, and lemons combine for a unique garland that can be hung anywhere in your home. Use heavy-duty florist wire to string the lemons and leaves together. 41 of 48 Decorate With Trifle Dishes Photo by Robbie Caponetto It's one of the oldest tricks in the decorating book, but it works every time. Fill a trifle dish or a glass hurricane with layers of limes, holly berries, and oranges for a bright arrangement on your mantle or dining room table. This dazzling decoration looks good enough to eat. 42 of 48 Hang Wreaths on Mirrors Laurey W. Glenn Treat mirrors like they are another window ready for Christmas décor. Hang a wreath to give the impression you're looking outdoors, but instead enjoy the reflected glow from the Christmas tree. 43 of 48 Hang a Swag Laurey W. Glenn An antique window sash becomes even more of a focal point when adorned with greenery. Double and triple up pinecones by securing them with wire on magnolia swag. Hang paper ornaments or glass ornaments for an even more festive appearance. 44 of 48 Make Rustic Stockings Southern Living These rustic Christmas mantel stockings are made with inexpensive burlap fabric from the fabric store. Hand-stitch the edges of each stocking foot with light-colored twine—the messier, the better. Label each stocking with mismatched block letters, found at a flea market or on sale at a craft store, for a personal touch. Secure to your mantel using the same twine used to stitch the stocking. 45 of 48 Scale Up PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRIE WILLIAMS; STYLING BY G. BLAKE SAMS A small tree would look undersized in this large living room. Take advantage of a soaring ceiling by buying the largest tree you can find. A few sprigs of holly berries in vases add Christmas charm without detracting from the modern look of the room. 46 of 48 Shine With Metallics Photo: Helen Norman Shining silvers, golds, and bronzes can't be overdone when it comes to Christmas decorating. Savannah McPartland, the design partner for Haddy House Interiors in Houston, recommends matching metallic Christmas décor to the metals already in your home or choosing a mixed metals approach. "It just looks really pretty and adds in another element without having to bring in like another crazy color or print," she said. 47 of 48 Enjoy a White Christmas Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Jan Showers Are you dreaming of a white Christmas, but can't remember the last time you got to enjoy snow? Bring the winter wonderland indoors with a flocked Christmas tree. The metallic ornaments on this tree make it glimmer. 48 of 48 Give an Angel Wings Laurey W. Glenn Add a dose of fun to your display by allowing Christmas figures to take flight. This wooden angel hangs from the ceiling in a swag of greenery. With a little creativity, you could help Santa and his reindeer become airborne as well. Frequently Asked Questions How can I decorate my living room for Christmas on a budget? You can easily decorate for Christmas on a budget, especially since handmade crafts are strong Christmas traditions. Make paper ornaments or snowflakes, set out favorite family holiday photos, forage for greenery and pinecones from your yard, and hang stockings from when you were a kid. How can you decorate a small living room for Christmas? A few statement pieces, such as a wreath, flower arrangement, or a collection of figurines, can create that holiday feeling. You can also scale down with a tabletop Christmas tree and sprigs of greenery. How do you make a living room look cozy for Christmas? Fleece throws and chunky knit blankets create a cozy feeling. Bring in throw pillows in Christmas or winter colors to add even more softness. If you don't have a fireplace, candles and dimmer lamps can create a warm glow. 118 Christmas Decorating Ideas For A Beautiful Holiday Season Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit