Winter Home Finds That Make Your Home Festive Through Christmas

Winter home finds to make your home festive without putting up a single Christmas light! Decorating your home for winter will simplify Christmas decorating and keep your home festive long after the holidays!

Winter dry bar with crystal alcohol bottles on vintage silver tray.

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Winterizing my home…

When November first rolls around, I’m ready to switch out the fall accents for a more festive vibe. Something I started doing in the last couple of years is “winterizing” my home before putting up the Christmas decor.

I prepare our home for winter in the first few weeks of November by layering in lots of cozy textures, scents, and accents. Then, after Thanksgiving, we simply add a few Christmassy details (the tree!) for the holidays.

Initially, this was a weird concept for me because, culturally, we don’t distinguish between the Winter season and decorating for Christmas. (Check out this Christmas post from a couple years ago to see what I’m talking about!)

Myquillan Smith, one of my favorite home educators, often says to remember that “winter is the season and Christmas is the celebration” (I’m paraphrasing, but you get the idea!) Keeping this in mind helps me prioritize the Winter season and makes Christmas even more special.

The “winterizing” process allows us to slow down and enjoy the season and helps me have a mindful approach to holiday decorating. I’ve discovered our home needs less Christmas decor and feels festive long after the big day, which helps with those post-Christmas blues!

So, without further ado, here are a few of my favorite decor ideas for a warm and festive home that lasts all winter!

white linen couch with sheepskin fur, velvet lumbar pillow, and festive home decor accents.

Sheepskin Fur Rug | Moss Velvet Lumbar Pillow | Dune Sofa

Sheepskin Rugs

Winter decor is all about layering luxurious textures, and sheepskin rugs are the perfect way to do this. This year I invested in our first genuine sheepskins; let me say, they were worth every penny! This rug instantly elevates any space and is a dream to walk on. Sheepskins also look great over a bench, couch, or on the back of a chair. If you don’t like genuine sheepskin, faux fur options look fantastic, so you can still achieve this look!

Evergreens

Adding live evergreen arrangements is the simplest and most affordable way to add a festive touch. Many of us prefer a fake tree and garland, but a little touch of real evergreens will give you an expensive, elevated look. I grabbed a few bundles of pine, cedar, and juniper from Trader Joe’s and made two large arrangments and a couple of smaller ones for under $20. In our tiny apartment, these few touches are enough to set the Winter tone without feeling overwhelming.

festive home decor on a coffee table with evergreen arrangement and rustic wooden bowl with a candle.

Primitive Wooden Bowl | Balsam Candle | Large Glass Vase

Winter Candles and Scents

Scents are so nostalgic in the winter, so I tend to splurge on candles that I love. We love woodsy, earthy scents like cypress, balsam, and cedar. Our favorites are Anthropologie’s Balsam & Cedar, Fur & Firewood, and Cypress and Balsam scented candles I picked up at Stoffer Home.

Another staple Winter scent in our home is the Mrs. Meyers Iowa Pine soap and multipurpose cleaner. This scent has become nostalgic and an absolute must for our Winter home.

festive dry bar with glass bottles on silver tray accented with festive home decor.

Antlers

A new addition to our winter decor is rustic antlers. Scandinavian-inspired and organic, these antlers are a perfect wintery object to style on a stack of books, piled in a bowl, or on a tray. I love the lodgey, masculine feel they bring to our bar area.

Mercury Glass

Simple yet magical, mercury glass votives are a beautiful way to burn candles as they give a warm glow to any space. I recently found a few vintage votives, but the rest of our collection is from the world market, making this a very affordable touch!

Fur Blankets + Accent Pillows

Fur blankets and accent pillows are worth the investment because they will be well-used and add texture to a space. Home goods, West Elm, Amazon, and Pottery Barn have fantastic options; this time of year, you can get a deal on something good quality.

Winter Art

Although I typically avoid seasonal art, something about ships reminds me of Winter. Maybe it’s due to the Christmas song, “I saw three ships come sailing in“?! Anyway, this year, I added one art print to the bar area for a subtle winter accent (click here). A little know hack for free art is to use the Smithsonian open access to download tons of beautiful historical prints. Also, if you have a Frame TV or really love seasonal art, this is a great opportunity to add something a little festive!

There you have it! Decorating for the Winter season is simple and makes our home feel much more festive, warm, and cozy. Do you decorate for winter? Drop a comment below and tell me your favorite festive home decor for Winter!