When I was planning my Christmas decor for the living area, I wanted a classic and traditional look.

I added a lot of blue to this area this year, so I didn’t want to add more blue, but something that would complement all the dark blue. What could be better than a traditional red and gold combination?

Earlier this year, I gave my storage room a makeover to be more functional. In the process, I sorted all the tree ornaments by color.

It made things so much easier – grabbing the red bin and the gold bin and kicking things off on a quick start.

I added a tiny amount of blue ribbon and blue ornaments to tie in the red and gold decorations.

Most of the ornaments on the tree are from previous years, but I did add a few new ones. Like the glittery star tree topper that stole my heart the moment I saw it! I found similar small ones that I added a bunch of since it adds a lot of variety next to the baubles.

I tried to use the same shades of red and gold, but added interest with various textures and shapes.

Red and Gold Flowers as Tree Decor

Flowers, like the big red and smaller gold poinsettias I used, are great for filling any “bald” spots on the tree.

A Classic Christmas Mantel

I used five floral foam blocks wrapped in chicken wire to keep the mantel decor in place. The five blocks in a row span almost the entire length of the mantel. I used Command hooks to keep the roll on top of the mantel.

It took two pieces of garland to cover the chicken wire. I also tucked in smaller stems to bulk up the greenery and add variety.

The velvety poinsettias are really the stars of the show on this mantel.

For a touch of gold, I added a small french horn hanging from the middle of the arrangement.

The glittery gold picks added color, but didn’t give me the traditional vibe I was going for. After living with it for a few days, I realized that I was missing swags and bows, and the gold picks had to go.

Last Christmas, I learned the hard way that right above the fireplace, any faux greenery hanging lower than the top of the mantel, will melt!

I added garland to both sides, hanging down the sides of the mantel. They looked a bit thin, so I added small branches with pine needles and a berry pick on each side.

The gorgeous red and gold ribbon is from Walmart.

For a bit of added interest, I stuck a bunch of pheasant feathers in the middle section, and two giant sugar pine cones on each side. These big pine cones come in handy in so many places during fall and winter.

A golden ornament tucked in here and there, and the mantel is finally what I wanted it to be! I am really pleased with this final look.

These little bottle brush trees are great for giving bookshelves a little festive touch.

Don’t mind the “snow” on the floor that must have sifted down when I fiddled with the mantel garlands, after I had already vacuumed for the day. Sigh.

Seasonal Art for Difficult Spaces

Decorating the shelves that flank the fireplace is easier after I redesigned this area last year this time, but the tops are still a challenge.

I found the cutest printed canvas at Goodwill that works so well to dress up this difficult area.

Isn’t it just adorable? I love this sweet scene of kids playing hockey in the snow, so much!

The piece I found for the shelves on the other side is cute, but not quite as special as the one with the kids playing hockey. It does help to brighten up this area, though, and it was only $3.

This sweet little Santa is one of our oldest Christmas decorations. I bought it almost 20 years ago!

This photo was taken before I changed the mantel decor, but it gives you an idea of how the room as a whole looks.

I love the look of this year’s tree! To be totally honest, I kind of messed up last year’s tree by adding too many things that didn’t work together. Lesson learned. That is also why I tried to use the same shades of red and gold throughout, and it worked!

This gorgeous photo is from the photoshoot for our holiday decor feature. Our home, decorated for Christmas, was featured on The DIY Playbook. I feel so honored to have been part of this. Thank you, Casey!

I hope you enjoyed this mini tour of our living area with its traditional red and gold Christmas decor.

Until next time, happy decorating!

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