There is something so cozy and homely about the farmhouse aesthetic. Characterized by the use of wood and a warming color palette, it's a style that seems to transcend trends. Year upon year, designers come back to the look for inspiration for Christmas decor. It has that rustic edge that feels like a trip to the countryside, even if you're celebrating Christmas day in the city.
This year, I'm feeling inspired to go for the farmhouse Christmas aesthetic. To get the look right, I've spoken to the designers to find out their practical tips for bringing a bit of countryside core to your home this festive season. Here are their Christmas decorating tips to get the farmhouse Christmas look just right.
1. Go all out on your garland
Garlands are a festive accessory that are gaining traction. They're such a simple addition to your Christmas home that can feel as minimalist or as maximalist as you want. For the farmhouse look, you might want to go for a more bushy evergreen, accented with gold or red accessories that feel homely and cozy. 'I highly recommend greenery garlands for a farmhouse Christmas,' says interior designer, Emily Henderson. 'I love cedar with twinkle lights and accents.'
In this farmhouse living room, Emily has draped the green garland over the curtain pole, framing the view and bringing a beautiful wintry farmhouse feel. A banister is also a natural spot to wind your garland down, or over your island in the kitchen.
You can buy some relatively inexpensive garlands like this pine garland from Walmart, but making a garland is also a fun activity to do with the family. Get some gardening twine and use smaller bits of twine to affix the branches that you've found in your garden, parks or woods. If you've selected evergreen branches, the greenery should last for a while. Build it up with more and more twigs and branches and add holly in the mix for extra festive spirit. The bushier the better!
‘For garland on a staircase, at every point in which it meets the rail, finish it with a bow,' recommends interior designer Shea McGee. 'If your home doesn’t have a staircase or mantel, hang garland around a door frame.'
2. Pick a cheery farmhouse color palette
One key element of the farmhouse Christmas look is the color palette. The traditional color palette features red, greens, and golds, a trio that fits in with the farmhouse aesthetic. Think about the material you are using too and how the color works with the texture. For example, red works in gorgeous, sumptuous velvet, and you can bring gold to your color scheme with things like small decorative or ornamental bells that have a countryside charm to them.
But you can also veer off the typical red, green and gold look for the farmhouse aesthetic too, as seen here in this design by Emily. 'There are a million ways to decorate for Christmas,' says Emily. 'But if you are like me and want a cozy living room with an eclectic feel then I would recommend picking a happy but cheerful color palette - I went with blues, greens, reds, and burgundy in this scheme,' she says.
3. Layer your space with perfect lighting
As with all Christmas styles, Christmas lighting is super important. It works particularly well in the farmhouse style because it helps really emphasize that cozy feel, which is a core pillar of the look. 'Actually, lighting is so important,' says Emily. Turn the big light off, and layer your scheme. 'Make sure to have enough lights and candles,' says Emily.
Taper candles are a farmhouse Christmas essential. Taper candles in your favorite colors (like these cute candy cane candles from Amazon) are the perfect addition to any flat surface like a mantelpiece or window shelf. Put them on display in golden candlestick holders to add height, interest, color, and most importantly, that beautiful flicker of flame that feels so joyous and festive.
4. If in doubt, add a wreath
If there is one thing I've learned about the farmhouse look, it's that the look isn't complete without a Christmas wreath. We're not just talking wreaths on your front door, welcoming guests in as you usher them out of the winter cold. For the farmhouse look, wreaths are placed everywhere and anywhere.
From the center of your bed's headboard to your internal doors, wreaths make a beautiful centerpiece. It's also a great way of getting fresh foliage into your home. 'I like to decorate with nature,' says Tiphanie Wiebe of lifestyle blog, Prairie Farmhouse Living. 'Adding fresh greenery wherever I can makes such a difference. From wreaths in windows to garlands draped on every surface, as well as branches and live trees.'
In this 200-year-old farmhouse, wreaths were a key decorative pillar. 'Last year, Sarah from The Little Shed Flowers helped us decorate our farmhouse for Christmas,' explains Attaul Ghaffar, who owns the farmhouse. 'We like to use all natural elements from local suppliers and the fields in our farmhouse. We added some elegance to our wreaths using original silk ribbons, dried oranges and we love using grape vines for the wreaths which gives our space a rustic touch. Overall, the best tip will be to use as much natural greenery as possible.'
5. Finish it off with a ribbon
If there is one big trend for this year's Christmas decor, it's the ribbon, and they are perfect for giving your home a dose of that farmhouse Christmas magic. From the world of fashion to interiors, everyone seems to be finishing off their space with a beautiful ribbon bow. It's a look that has its roots in the farmhouse aesthetic, so this year's ribbon trend makes it a real winner for the style. 'Try garland and wreaths topped off with ribbon bows,' advises Tiphanie. Think about a mix of colors too. 'Instead of bright red ribbon, I opt for earthy mustard and burnt orange velvet ribbon to adorn simple wreaths and sprigs of mistletoe,' says Alicia Quiles of The Comfort House, who topped this headboard wreath off with a festive orange bow.
