With the holiday season in full swing, our homes feel extra festive strung head to toe in lights and every open space decked in holiday decorations. When the season ends, it can be a little sad seeing all the decorations go! However, it’s easy to transition from over-the-top holiday decor to a more understated look that will carry your space through the winter. Think cozy textures, lush greenery, and warming colors to evoke the perfect vibes for hot cocoa by the fire after a day playing out in the snow
Check out my recent interview below with Wayfair to see how I transition from holiday to winter decor!
WINTER DECOR TRANSITION: Q&A with Ann of Dabbling and Decorating
Wayfair: How do you incorporate winter decor into your space without it feeling too “holiday”?
Ann: This is an easy one for me. If you’ve been following me for a while you know that I like to keep things simple around the holidays, to begin with. Otherwise, I can feel very cluttered. I tend to go with a smaller Christmas tree, simple evergreens, and my favorite, vintage ski lodge decor.
So when the holidays have passed, it’s a simple and easy takedown. I can leave the evergreen arrangements up until they are literally falling off onto the floor, then replace them with faux or seasonal flowers like winterberries, pinecones, fresh evergreens, tulips, etc…
You may enjoy this romantic Valentine’s Table Setting where I used winterberries as the centerpiece and these DIY tulip arrangements in the post, Antique Crocks with White Tulips that I designed for Saint Patrick’s Day.
Next, I remove any bows that I have applied to my decor. For instance, this year’s Christmas theme was around old musical instruments that I found out vintage shopping. You may see more in the post, How to Decorate with Old Musical Instruments. Each instrument has a blue velvet ribbon on it, which I will remove after the holidays. And the instruments instantly become winter home decor.
My outdoor and indoor vintage ski lodge decor is also very winter adaptable. Snowshoes, skis, ski boots, sleds, toboggans, and basket backpacks easily transition from Christmas to winter by simply removing the bows.
I love decorating for the holidays and winter with vintage ski lodge decor so much so that I created an entire blog series around it. You may see more HERE.
At our second home in Coastal Maine, I have a front door 3 Wreath Christmas Tradition and after the holidays, I remove the Christmas bows, leaving the wreaths on the door, and have added things like coastal bows and ice skates with pink touches for Valentine’s Day.
In our guest bedroom, I chose this reversible quilt set from Wayfair for its versatility and effortless transition from Christmas right into winter decor. See more of this guest bedroom decorated for winter in the post, 5 Cozy Cottage Christmas Guest Bedroom Swaps.
Wayfair: Are there any pieces you reuse from your holiday decor collection?
Ann: YES! Almost all of it. For example, this naked pine tree stayed on our porch all winter long. A simple naked tree leaning up on the porch, deck, fence, side of the house, etc. adds rustic winter charm like a country setting from a Hallmark movie.
And as I mentioned above the vintage ski lodge decor that I incorporate into our holiday home decor easily transitions right into winter. Old sports equipment like vintage snowshoes, skis, sleds, and basket backpacks are a classic tradition here in New England. I even decorate with them in the off-seasons too, that’s how much I enjoy them.
You may enjoy this post, Cozy Snow Day at Home in Maine.
Here is a table setting that I created for the holidays with this fabulous blue and gray stoneware from Wayfair. You may see more of this coastal holiday-inspired tablescape in the post, 6+ Holiday Pointers for Setting a Coastal Tablescape. A table setting that will transition seamlessly from the holidays straight into winter and beyond.
Wayfair: What inspires your winter decor? i.e. a cozy log cabin decked in plaid, or maybe an icy blue winter wonderland?
Ann: My outdoor surroundings inspire my winter decor. Living in the Green Mountains of Vermont, we are influenced here every day by the natural beauty of the mountains and the outdoors. It’s cold and snowy all winter long. So having a cozy and comfortable home is essential to me.
I like adding lots of sheepskins, quilts, pillows, and blankets to our chairs, bedding, and seating areas. Creating an inviting, comfortable, and casual place to come home to and enjoy after a long day of skiing or snowshoeing.
A place to warm up, cook, dine, watch a movie, and modestly relax. See more of this space in the post, Cozy Winter Dining Room with Ski Lodge Decor | Get the Look.
You may also enjoy this winter decor post, 12 Best After Christmas Home Decor Ideas and Tips.
A big thank you to Wayfair for the inspiration and partnership this holiday season!
I’m so glad you dropped by today, and if you are new to my blog, welcome! Please join me as a regular here at Dabbling & Decorating by signing up for my Saturday morning newsletter and never miss an update!
How fun! What an honor to be interviewed by Wayfair. Loving all their home decor and how you transition to the winter season.
Thank you Kim, I had such a wonderful holiday partnership with them. Such a wonderful company!
This is wonderful Ann! Such great tips and beautiful examples.
Thanks so much Kristin, Happy New Year!