There is no shortage of fanciful holiday decorating as I scroll, and unfortunately some folks are more discouraged than inspired since we’re all so prone to comparison. Beyond budget, artistic ability, and access to fresh greenery, there is simply a spirit to create cheer or calm or wonder or sparkle. Even when talent and time are in short supply, the deficit can be overcome with heartfulness. No decorations yet? No problem (need permission to chill?). Put your heart into it. Draw realistic inspiration from these talented creators below.

REALISTIC HOLIDAY Decor Ideas to Love!

Before the 21st century, I never dreamed we would have access to the wonders of inspiring design, decoration, and home tours we have today. May we never take the moments of beauty for granted…for example, the way hummusbirrd keeps the mood neutral and serene yet oh co cozy for the holidays (above!). Let’s peek at more tips we can apply to our own schemes.

1. Transform Ordinary Ornaments into the Extraordinary

Emily’s lovely mercury glass ornaments look vintage and expensive, but she made them! There’s a secret for getting that finish, but it isn’t complicated which is what makes it so brilliantly realistic for us! FIND THE DIY HERE at Le Cultivateur…you’re going to be inspired by her talents!

*Psst. Emily, I’m blowing kisses to these and all of your romantically styled holiday vignettes!*

2. Go High Contrast With Sophisticated Simplicity

Oh the adventures of Sherry and the gorgeous holiday magic she shares every year when she tours Atlanta Holiday Showhouse! The first idea I scored from this particular year’s post was the unique holiday color story in this Michele Gratch designed bedroom.

A deeply rich color on the wall behind the bed sets off the light toned “wreath” magically. My thought is you don’t even have to paint the entire wall. But if you have a smallish pale wreath you love, paint a board or a frame with soft black and attach the wreath simply.

I also love this simply elegant wreath (above) she captured suspended from a beautiful dining room sconce. (Even if you don’t have a single wall sconce, I bet you have a mirror or other fixture on the wall that could be elevated with a plain wreath and a pale bow.)

(Sherry, if you’re reading, I know the bother blogging is in the 2020s, but please don’t ever stop. We need your voice forever and ever, Amen. We cherish you so dang much.)

3. Score a Winning Combo With Cedar + Red Berries

While it may not be realistic to live in a home as breathtaking as my friend Tina’s (The Enchanted Home), we can file away this idea for a winning combo for holiday curb appeal.

Cedar and little berries look so stunning at her front door, and can’t you just smell the fragrance right through the screen!?! (Don’t forget to shop The Enchanted Home shop!)

(Hey, Tina, ever wish we could time travel to 2010 before the terms “Pinterest,” “influencer,” and “algorithm” were things? ‘Cause I’ll board that time machine with you, sista.)

4. Creatively Wear Vintage Bling During the Holidays

In this strike of fashionable genius, Cindy Hattersley reminded us of the power of bling for holiday outfits. Cover the button of a blazer or sweater with a sparkly vintage brooch!

Love this so much, and it works no matter our age! (My collection of costume jewelry and such brooches is legendary since it has been collected over four decades!) Be sure to visit Cindy to score the sources of her enviable wardrobe and learn more of her styling hacks.

(Cindy, thank you for being my sort-of-Midwest blogging pal in the California sunshine with that dazzling smile and killer wardrobe! Please visit when you are near the heartland, friend.)

5. Crown Your Kitchen With Holiday Romance

If you follow Mary Ann (I’m sorry, but at any age, she tends to look more like Reese Witherspoon than Reese Witherspoon!), then you know she traded San Francisco for the South. Look at the magnolia added to this greenery!

She will always remain a favorite blogger of mine because of the practical timelessness of her advice, designs, and aesthetic.

(Mary Ann, your home and content are some of the most calming and realistically brilliant out there, and I so admire how you look the other way when it comes to trends for yourself and your clients…lovely! In spite of hurricanes, you do make a lovely case for a move to Florida!)

6. Capture the Soul of Nature

Elizabeth of Pinecones and Acorns embellished her tree last year true to brand: with collected pinecones and acorns.

You simply cannot go wrong when you connect design plans for the holidays to your unique environment. When Elizabeth shared a video of a deer studying her on a hike, I captured a screenshot because the colors were so lovely…

This proves you truly can score a winning Christmas card or discover the wonder of the holidays with beauty right outside your door!

(Omg, Elizabeth, how long have we been bloggers, baking freaks, and bookworm buds? Thank you for cheering me on in a creative field too often fraught with the fake, the competitive and the unkind.)

7. Bring on the Brown Velvet

If you know artist Dore of Burlapluxe, you know her palette is restrained and serenely muted. What a lovely touch she gave to this French cupboard with brown velvet. Who can resist touches of chocolate during the holidays? Brilliant!

You can also score art and treasures from Burlapluxe HERE.

(Dore, thank you for ongoing support for a decade and a half of social media. We can always count on your loving energy to flow freely and abundantly.)

8. Create 20 Paper Bag Snowflakes

See details of my holiday foyer with paper snowflakes here, and here’s a peek at how they look during the day in bright afternoon light.

Simple, a total of $6 for the paper lunch bags, and I didn’t even add fairy lights or embellishments beyond fabric ties (recycled my well-loved men’s style pajamas that had seen better days).

9. Cat-Safe Book Tower Christmas Tree

Truth be told, I don’t know if Fifi O’Neill (follow her!) stacked her beautiful design books to suggest a Christmas tree or not! But when I saw this image of her lovely blue and white Christmas vignette, it read “tree” to me!

Isn’t it a stroke of genius when trees are hazards? If you have cats, maybe a stack of books with a star on top (or mouse like Fifi’s!) will especially make perfect sense! But which books? Hmmmm…

(Fifi, you made it through one heck of a storm and profound loss this year. Thank God you are recovering. Was disappointed our home was not a stop on your French book shoot so we could meet and soak up creative energies in person.)

Do visit all of these creators to explore their creations, decor, and lifestyle inspiration!

Brilliantly Realistic or Brilliantly Unrealistic?

Does Martha inspire you to create or to feel less than?

Consumers are so fickle. It seems cool to love Martha at the moment. She’s great at doing HER. You are free to be at peace doing YOU. Isn’t that sweet relief?

I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.

For me, FREEDOM once again feels like an important quality to embrace this season in spite of pressures to celebrate, spend, and decorate (or not decorate) in a particular way. You truly are free to claim peace and choose compassion, no matter your circumstance, resources, or health.

I am mostly a wobbly mess during holy days – not polished, not poised. In the cold night, something new is being born. A rearranging is happening. I long to be brave enough to allow the new to be what it will be, not what I want it to be.

Peace to you right where you are.

-michele