Holiday Home Tour – Elevated Elegance Decorating
This year’s holiday home tour is all about the look of elevated elegance decorating! I have some tips today on how you can do this as well. It’s nothing of epic proportions when you start by utilizing the same tree year after year and have it look completely different. Let me show you what I’ve done in my Christmas living room tour this year!
Elevated Elegance Decorating – Holiday Home Tour
While I definitely always do a different look in my holiday home every year, I don’t necessarily buy a new Christmas tree. In fact, I’ve had 3 of the same tree for several years now (THIS ONE) and love it! Take a peek at last year’s living room in this post – Making A Little Magic Christmas Home Tour. It’s not difficult to change up a tree, particular if it’s heavily flocked like this one.
Let me give you the steps on how I typically decorate a Christmas tree. Keep in mind that everyone has their own way and this is what works for me!
8 Steps – How To Decorate A Christmas Tree Efficiently
- Put up the tree and fluff the branches! I’ve found that the best way to start is work from the bottom up. If you store your Christmas tree in a bag that’s specially made for that it shouldn’t take you very long. THIS is the bag that I have for every one of my Christmas trees! The fluffing took me under 1/2 hour since I store the trees upright.
- If you have a pre-lit tree then check your lights and make sure that they work! Much easier to do this before doing your elevated elegance decorating (or any tree decorating) before adding any embellishing.
- Add any picks that you might have.
- Next is something that I really don’t see many do, but I LOVE how it looks! I add some “snow” to fill holes in the tree and give it more of a white Christmas tree appearance. Read this post that shows you exactly how – Secrets For Decorating A White Christmas Tree.
- Then start adding ribbon and this is one of the ways to make a HUGE impact on the overall look. I cut my ribbon into strips approximately the width of my open arm span (a yard-ish). Then starting at the top of the tree I tuck and fill in spaces in a free form manner. *TIP* Always use wide wired ribbon for this, especially with an elevated elegance decorating theme! Specifically I used THIS WHITE RIBBON and GOLD MESH RIBBON.
- Add your Christmas ornaments. Be sure to fill in all of the holes and work your way around the tree. Don’t bother with any of the tree that won’t be seen, such as the back in this case. I used a mix of metallics in large and small Christmas balls, starting at the top and working my way down. I used THESE large silver balls…and they are a great value!
- Add a topper. I love a twinkling star!
- Finish it off by adding a Christmas tree skirt or collar. Personally I’m not a huge fan of the trendy collars and prefer the flow and drape of a skirt.
*OPTIONAL* I love nostalgic Christmas tinsel and used gold on this tree. It’s actually vintage, but new gold Christmas tree tinsel is available as well!
My Christmas tree skirt in gold metallic hides the roll down Christmas tree storage bag. So easy to store the trees this way! We just drag them into the garage and zip up!
Step back when you’re decorating your Christmas tree and edit the ornamentation as necessary!
You can see the placement of the living room Christmas tree is in a corner by the front bay windows. When people drive or walk by they can see the lights at night! We used to love taking the kids out for a night time drive every year to see the neighborhood homes decorated for the holidays. I am hoping that this is still done by others and is still a tradition with families!
It’s all about soft metallic tones this year in our elevated elegance decorating. It’s casual but sophisticated with a rather budget high end finish! A couple of softly muted velvet pillow covers echo the simplicity of this designer look on my white thrifted sofa.
My vintage beaded lampshade that I’ve shown you many times before is filled with shatterproof Christmas balls. For more ideas of how to use Christmas ball decorations, head over to THIS POST!
With a mostly white interior, texture is a must. This faux fur throw is cozy and stands the test of time used year after year.
I have a confession to make! I cannot use any large area rugs at the moment due to our pets…especially Toby who has been impossible to break of his bad habit of marking. For now I used a small sheepskin rug that he doesn’t seem to notice and it adds a bit of texture.
Candles are always a favorite in our home and I’m listing lots of my favorites in this post at the bottom!
Faux fur pillows are soft, cozy and elegant touches on my antique French chairs. I’ll be leaving those up as winter pieces of elevated elegance decorating after Christmas is taken down!
On the mantel is a repurposed white garland that I’ve had for many years! I wasn’t planning on using this one since the lights no longer worked. I wove a set of battery operated fairy lights through it and love the money saving sparkly look so much!
Pulling back to a full view and I hope that you enjoyed this tour. I sure enjoyed putting it together and can’t wait to share more rooms with you soon!
Visit The SHABBYFUFU Christmas Shop!
Please visit my friends who are sharing a one room holiday home tour below!
Shabbyfufu | Designthusiasm | StoneGable | Maison de Cinq
On Sutton Place | A Stroll Thru Life | Southern Hospitality
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As always Janet…gorgeous!!!!!…you always out-do yourself every year.
Have a great day!
Thank you so much Shirley…I always appreciate it when you stop by! xo
Janet, your room is magical! I LOVE your pastel, ribbon laden tree. Every Christmas accent is perfection!
Your floors add to the French-inspired room. A beautiful Mongolian skin is all you need.
A joy to wake up to this morning!
You always have something amazing to see at your home, Janet!
So kind of you Yvonne! xo
Gorgeous as always Janet. Love the tree, you always do a beautiful job.
Have enjoyed your posts for many years, always a day brightener for me.
Have a blessed holiday season!
Judy, I always appreciate it when you stop by and leave a comment. Thank you and same to you and yours! xo
Love it all, it really is so beautiful and so elegant. Your tree is stunning and I really appreciated the tips on how to decorate a tree. I am starting mine today, so the tips are so timely for me.
Thank you Marty and we enjoy having you with us in this series!
So pretty! I think your Christmas theme this year tops them all. Love it!
Awww, thank you Linda for letting me know that!
So beautiful and calming.
Teresa…I truly appreciate that!
Absolutely stunning tree, Janet! And what a brilliant idea for storing the tree!! Going to have to look into that one… 🙂 Love the way your living room looks!!
Thanks Lory! Those storage bags are must haves for sure!
Gorgeous, stunning, and sophisticated, as always! Thank you, Janet.
Thank you Miche…I’m posting all the rooms this week so I hope that it inspires (and doesn’t overload;-))
This is all so pretty Janet- you are so good at doing trees!
Sheila
Thanks so much Sheila…I enjoy them!
Absolutely stunning !! Love the pretty brocade tree skirting and the baubles in the bowl. Perfectly elegant. I have cats at my place and my home is devoid of rugs as well !! I don’t know how you manage to keep such perfectly well-kept sofa cushions – but we drape our sofas with white bedsheets and only when we have guests over, the sheets are removed. Cats, teenager sons and husband are all, not good recommendations for such lovely sofas.
Naush
Thank you! My furniture is all slipcovered and can be washed, so it’s not a problem. We have 3 dogs, a cat and a rabbit!
Oh wow ! You’re a real animal lover ! We rescue cats – right now we have six but earlier we had far too many. Luckily they were adopted.
Absolutely gorgeous, Janet! I appreciate the step by step on decorating a tree. I’ll be doing it for the first time in years. Can you believe I didn’t know what a pick was until yesterday. I’m hopeless. I also didn’t now the tree ribbon needed to be wired. Excellent tip. I’m heading out to pick up picks and ribbon now. We’ll see how I do! xo
Thanks Juliet! Oh you’re going to have so much fun decorating your tree! Tag me on Instagram when you post for sure! xo
SO beautiful Janet! You do Christmas trees like no one else! Thanks for the tips too – I love the storage ideas, and the way you use the ribbon – going to try those out for sure!
Thank you so much Barb…means a lot to me to hear that. Hope you have an amazing Thanksgiving!
Beautiful and gorgeous, that’s all I have to say. I can’t wait see more..
Well, you are the most bewitching combination of Marie Antoinette, Martha Stewart and the Christmas Faery ever! What a luscious holiday fantasy room! I am just crazy about the brilliant way you have made this elegant plush room so warm and inviting … what a wonderful place to spend time with friends and family!
I’m am wild about that crystal/wire bowl of ornaments on the coffee table – is that lampshade? It’s just fantastic!
I have always wanted to do a Christmas design based on a color theme … but, I’ve been collecting ornaments for so many years, I just can’t bear the thought of keeping them hidden away for a holiday season, so I probably never will. And, since we sold our home and moved to our retirement condo, there’s just not space for ANOTHER tree. LOL So, I live my elegant color theme Christmas life vicariously!
I am so dreadfully behind this year … I haven’t even rearranged the furniture, let alone put the trees up. But, here’s a post from last year’s trees hopefully, I’ll have this year’s done before Christmas actually gets here!
Thanks – as always – for sharing your lovely home and super tips for decorating. I always look forward to the next Shabbyfufu post announcement!
Even though I don’t celebrate Christmas, I can appreciate the beauty of this. It’s like a feast for the eyes! Can I ask where you got your fireplace surround?
Thank you Lizzy! Both mantels were taken out of client’s homes that we were remodeling who no longer wanted them. Lucky me!
Very!
Thanks Lizzy! The fireplace surround was torn out of an old home that we remodeled. Take a look at this one though…it’s a great price and if I had room for a 3rd I would snap it right up! https://shrsl.com/ll9m-10wa-jnva3c_1-1
That is gorgeous! It wouldn’t fit around my regular fireplace, but I’ll see if I can find another place for it. Thank you so much!
HOW WONDERFUL YOUR TREES AND DECOR ARE!!! I PRESUME YOU DON’T HAVE CATS! MERRY CHRISTMAS
Thank you Carolyn and actually we do have a cat, 3 doggies and a bunny! Merry Christmas to you too
must be a very well behaved cat! kiss him for me
Love the tree. Cant wait for more Christmas posts!
Annie…so many posts to see if you scroll down the bottom of this one and see the “related posts”!