The living room is definitely my favorite room to decorating for Christmas. I love having a mantel for the stockings and a perfect place to put the tree, so we can all enjoy it. And I love how everything feels festive and seasonal while still working with my color scheme. Here’s a little tour of how my blue & white Christmas living room looks this year…
You can see more details about the tree in THIS POST.
We moved the dresser that is usually in that corner out to the garage and I swapped out the antique birdcage that hangs on the wall with a mirror. I’ve wanted to try a mirror there for a long time, but haven’t found one that’s the right shape, size, and finish. I finally found THIS ONE and it works perfectly! I don’t know if I’ll move it after we take the tree down or keep it there, yet. For now, I like how it reflects the lights and fills the space behind the blue and white Christmas tree without competing with the tree.
On the “hutch wall”, I just added a wool wreath I bought from Anthropologie a few years ago and a couple of knit pillows in the chairs. Sadly, neither of these are available any longer.
I hung our knit stockings up on the mantel from small nails instead of stocking hangers. I was concerned about the cats trying to climb up one and pulling the weight down. They haven’t climbed the stockings so far, but knowing they won’t get hit with a falling weight if they do makes me feel better! (It’s a little like having toddlers again!)
I added some faux greenery to the mantel for this blue & white Christmas look. I just started with a pre-made swag and then tucked in lots of pinecones and picks to get a variety of colors and textures. I must say that I was really missing real greenery as I was decorating for Christmas this year. I have found some very pretty faux greens, but I wish I didn’t have to store them and I miss the smell of fresh greens. I just got hit with a wave of plastic-smell when I open the bins and that isn’t what Christmas should smell like!
If you remember, I tried using live greens the first year we were here and everything was dead, shedding, and crispy in just a couple of days. We do have a whole-house humidifier now, so I’m tempted to try bringing in a small live tree or one wreath just to see how they do.
Anyway, I hung a bell from each stocking as I shared in THIS POST. I love how they bring a little shine and color.
I bought the resin topiaries a couple of years ago from HomeGoods. In the past, I’ve used them in the dining room, but I decided to try them on the mantel this year.
I added a few small touches to the open shelves – a bell with a ribbon, pine cones, and a small artificial pine.
I put a small artificial Christmas tree in a blue & white crock and filled an ironstone bowl with some small antique books, greenery, pinecones, and a little yarn snowball (that has become a cat toy.) I also filled an ironstone bowl with nuts in their shells and an antique nutcracker. I had to put the bowl of nuts away last year because the cats kept batting them out of the bowl and then Sebastian would eat them and spit the shells on the carpet! It was quite the team effort, but I had to be a party-pooper and put the nuts away. They’ve found other fun things to play with this year like pinecones and wool garland.
I love these little books from the 1700’s! I bought a whole set on Etsy from THIS SHOP.
I hung a couple of felt mistletoe bunches from the lamps, filled the antique basket between them with pinecones, and put a furry pom-pom pillow on the sectional for the winter.
I dressed Miss Morisot up with an artificial pine garland and some wool poms. You can find the wool pom-pom tutorial HERE.
I’ve since added a couple of my crochet snowflakes.
And that’s about it for our blue & white Christmas living room!
My post is up on the late side today because I was making gingerbread! I’m realizing I need to get a move on all of my Christmas decorating and blog posts if I’m going to be done before Christmas comes around. I have more decorating and crafts to share and we’re just 10 days away…
If you’d like to see how my living room has been decorated in the past, you can find more Christmas posts HERE.
Simply lovely!!!
Beautiful!
Did I miss a post about your painting over the fireplace? I would love to see and read all about that!
Yes! I painted over the glossy granite tile and I love how it turned out. Here is the link to the post…
https://missmustardseed.com/painted-granite-fireplace-surround-reveal/
Sorry, Fran! I skimmed and answered the wrong question. I haven’t share about the painting, yet, because I painted it for my book! I’ll be sharing it in a while.
Beautiful! Marian I use real cedar to tuck in my faux greens, it smells so good and the beauty of cedar is it doesn’t drop needles even when it dries and it retains its natural color. I love how it drapes and somehow adding it to the faux base the live cedar makes all of it look like fresh greens.
Oh, that’s a great idea! I like pine candles, but it’s just not the same.
Very pretty! I’ve never been comfortable with the idea of using stocking hangers because … kids … cats …. so I’m with you on fastening them in a way that doesn’t cause a concussion should they fall. Thanks for letting us peek into your living room.
Yes! I think they are okay in a home with adults or older kids, but I agree they are a hazard with pets and small children.
So pretty. Blessings of the Christmas season to you and your family.
Thank you! You, too!
It all looks so beautiful. My favorite things in your room aren’t even Christmas things, your hutch and your painting over the mantle! Love it so much, it looks so perfect there. Great job on all of it, as usual. : )
Thank you! I love how Christmas things make the everyday things look even prettier. 🙂
So beautiful, I just love all of the inspiration in your posts.
I love your decorations! I have been waiting to hear how you like the new rug you put in this room. Have you written about it yet? I am considering buying one for myself.
I haven’t written about it, but I’ve been asked about it a lot, so I’ll write a post on it. In a nutshell, I went with it because it’s inexpensive, but has a nice texture and neutral color. With pets and kids, I didn’t want to splurge. I will likely replace it down the road with a nice wool rug, but we’re just not at that stage of life!
Your living room looks really cozy, (a quiet retreat for the kitties too.) Yes, there is a lot of blue and white, but with the beautiful wood floors, and the greens you’ve added with the tree, etc. and the varied textures you have, it doesn’t look boring. I love it.
Oh, thank you! Yes, I think the warm woods and all of the textures balance out the coolness and simplicity of the blue and white palette. 🙂
So pretty. I made crochet snowflakes and made them into garland. Need to makes yarn snowballs. I made a fall garland of snowballs in fall colors and hang on mantel..
I have small tree on the dining room table that is my cats favorite. At night she knocks o ornaments off to bat around ! But she has been better this year.
Merry Christmas,!
Where did you get the white stockings? Did you knit them? Do you have a pattern?
Your living room looks lovely! I took some tips from your prior posts and put a small tree in a crock this year. The tree came from the my parent’s property that we inherited this year after my dad passed away earlier this year and my mom gave me the crock years ago. I hung some small wooden reindeer and added a blue and white gingham ribbon as garland and I am pleased with it so far. Now if our lab puppy will leave the reindeer alone we will be successful. Thank you for sharing all your decorating ideas, they are an inspiration to so many.
Marian –
The room looks lovely – as you said, a lovely combination of Christmas but staying in your color palette. I have to ask – the pictureof the small table with the sweet little tree in the crock — it looks like there is a small silver object in front. Is it by any chance a lighter? I ask because it looks so much like one that sat on a coffee table in my parent’s formal living room. It brought a lovely memory as that was the room in which their Christmas tree was always placed.
Having a cat is exactly like having a toddler, they don’t know the meaning of NO ! Because I am going to be alone this Christmas, I have not put up any decorations, but I am enjoying your home and the house tours on line. I do miss my own decor, but with the vaccine next year will be different! Thank you for everything you are doing to your home, you are very inspiring.
I feel just awful saying it, but the wool garlands and snow flakes are just too heavy for me. The tree is ethereal until you add them and they weigh the tree down. Other than that, I love the rest of it. Don’t hate me!
It’s a beautiful Christmas living room! I love the new painting above the mantel too!
Chuckling over the dish of nuts being tossed to the dog!
The resin figures on the mantel are great pieces and look like they could be used all winter.
And your painting is beautiful!!!
Marian, you are so gifted and truly one of the best bloggers. I love it when your new posts pop into my email.
Have a merry and blessed Christmas
RR
For those of you who are handy or could build something like this, I have an inspiration: a metal T-shaped stocking holder, about 3′ by 3′ which sits on the floor instead of hanging it from the mantel. I bought mine from Ballard Designs two years ago and did not see it on their website this year. It’s very practical, especially if you have pets and you’re concerned they may play with the stockings hung from the mantel. One could be made in wood and painted to match your decor. Another benefit to such a device is that you can hang your reusable shopping bags from it throughout the year in the foyer. Merry Christmas!
Just absolutely gorgeous!!! Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year.
I love it! And you get a white Christmas. Here in Southern California, we’re lucky that at least it’s been fairly cool. We’ve had Christmas with temps in the low 80’s. Ugh.
Everything looks festive and I love your style.
Karen
Marian, you are such an inspiration! Your living room is just so beautiful. Your painting above your mantel looks lovely. Where is Eulalie pasturing these days?!
Love how you have decorated your tree. It’s so pretty. Now you and your hubby and boys can sit and relax and enjoy all things Christmas! Bless you all!
Beautiful Marian! You have become such an inspiration! I love the peaceful and serenity of your color scheme and slowly trying to work pale blue, cream and green into my home. Your living room is wonderful! Can you speak more about the star adorning your Christmas tree? It looks amazing!
Marian, we’ve always lived in Minnesota, and while greenery does dry out, I’ve found that if we put it up for only about 3 weeks or so, and we don’t fiddle with it, it holds together and looks pretty good until after Christmas. We also always have a real tree, and yes, it dries out, but it’s typically fine for the 3-4 weeks we have it up. Not perfect, but OK.
I like your sectional I am considering one do you like it and can you share the manufacturer?
very very nice and cozy
Beautiful. I love the blue, white, and greens. Very cozy. When I read your post it inspires me to put together things that I have. I end up with a refreshed room. Thank you.
Perfection! I especially love all of your ironstone soup tureens. Thank you for inviting us in.
It’s just beautiful. Do you have a rough idea of the size of your family room? We would like to add a room on to our home and really like the layout of your room. With such a huge expense I would like to do it correctly.
Thank you
A feast for the eyes!!!! Lovely!!!!
You are lucky to have that BIG wonderful window in the room but with that…do you have concerns about fading your furniture? I know am writing this 2 days after you posted (tis the season!) so I know you may not see it or have the time to answer….or want too!…lolol
Everything is cozy good!!!
I love the peaceful and serenity of your color scheme and slowly trying to work pale blue, cream, and green into my home. We would like to add a room to our home and really like the layout of your room. With such a huge expense I would like to do it correctly. It’s so pretty. Now you and your hubby and boys can sit and relax and enjoy all things Christmas.
I love the peaceful and serenity of your color scheme and slowly trying to work pale blue, cream, and green into my home. We would like to add a room to our home and really like the layout of your room. With such a huge expense I would like to do it correctly. It’s so pretty. Now you and your hubby and boys can sit and relax and enjoy all things Christmas.
This is STUNNING! I have to ask: where is your painting from? Gorgeous and reminds me so much of England (where my husband is from and I spent years working and studying). Just beautiful!