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Simple Decor for Winter

By Rachel

published 01/11/2023

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Last Updated on December 9, 2024 by Rachel Granholm

Refresh your home with simple decor for Winter!

Winter is a such a beautiful season. It’s a time to get cozy, to rest and renew. Many of us spend more time indoors during the colder months, which is a perfect time to refresh your home as well! With a brand new year beckoning us forward, lets pair down our homes and make way for a light, calm and soothing atmosphere. I’ll show you how with this simple decor for winter!

Table of Contents

Shop the Cozy, Winter Look!

Decorating for Winter with Warm and Cozy Vintage Items

It’s a mixed bag when it comes to taking down the Christmas decor. Some of us love a clean slate, others feel their home is much too bare and empty. I do agree that, once the tree comes down, it is a little shocking as to how empty everything feels.

But! What if we embrace that instead? Think of all that empty space as an opportunity to hone your decorating skills and create a peaceful winter display to enjoy throughout the next few months.

The inspiration piece for this whole serene winter display came from my vintage, thrifted Longaberger bowl seen in the photo above. I found this at the thrift store months ago, buried in a box, for only .99 cents!

The creamy white paired with the deep blue seen on the bowl is the theme that I chose to use for this season. Those colors, combined with soothing greens as well as textural elements like flocked trees and pinecones, helped to create a vintage winter wonderland throughout my home.

Join me as I share easy, affordable, and unfussy ways of decorating your home for winter!

Simple Decor for Winter with Thrifted and Vintage Finds

In the entry, this sweet little vignette greets us. The cute sign was a Christmas gift from my aunt and it’s just the perfect spot for it, don’t you think? Each time I walk by it, I’m reminded that there is always hope. It’s such a comforting feeling.

This small shelf sets the tone for the rest of the house. My vintage milk glass collection is used extensively as well as greenery and cream-colored ribbon.

If you have a small entry like I do, a little goes a long way. You don’t need to do much to make a large impact.

I find it helpful to incorporate many different textures in small spaces to bring in depth and contrast.

Winter Mantel Decor

On the right side, I kept the same trees that were used for Christmas, only removing the red ribbon. It’s amazing how these flocked trees take on a whole different look by simply removing the red!

The left side holds a winter basket that I made using birch logs and a plaid scarf. I paired that with a vintage blue book, another piece of milk glass, and a thrifted vintage needlework picture. If you look closely, the window in the picture itself is looking out to a snowy winter scene..how neat is that?!

Lastly, I used the same ribbon here as in the entry and tied it in a bow. Ribbon is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to spruce up any space!

I’m all about budget friendly decorating and this mantel display is a great example of how to re-use decor. When packing away your Christmas items, think about pieces that can be used for winter.

These can include:

flocked or plain green trees
bottle brush trees
snowmen
snowflakes
neutral decor such as Ironstone or milk glass

Honestly, this is the simplest that the mantel has ever looked but I love it. Some people adore the ‘more is more’ concept but I’m totally into the ‘less is more’ mentality. Where do you land?

Winter Shelf Decor

Creating vignettes on shelves or credenzas is something that brings me such joy. The creative process involved in these displays is one of a handful of activities that grounds me in the moment.

I kept the credenza fairly neutral in color.

Milk glass is the main star here along with a few Ironstone pieces.

Bottle brush trees and vintage books in blues and greens were used to add color and height.

Pinecones bring in a natural, textural element and the rustic ribbon ties the whole display together.

There is such simplicity and comfort in using items from nature and combining them with neutral colors. It’s nothing fancy but the beauty about winter decorating is that it doesn’t have to be.

My advice for creating a similar display would be to use items that you already have such as eucalyptus stems or other dark colored greenery, hardcover books in winter hues, neutral linens, or cream colored dishes.

Then, just start mixing those elements together and playing around with them until you arrive at a pleasing display.

Natural Winter Wonderland Decor

The other shelf that I decorated for winter is my navy blue wall shelf. For the base of this shelf display, I used a cream and tan colored scarf. Using a scarf as a base is so easy and affordable! I highly recommend trying it.

Anyways, I anchored each end of the shelf by using vintage vessels filled with winter foliage. By using the same flocked trees as on the mantel, it provides cohesion, making each individual display feel as though they are one.

Milk glass is used on this shelf as well as some vintage pottery pieces that I’ve collected from thrift stores over the years.

The key to keeping the decor unified is to combine pieces that are similar in colors. So, I used decor items that had complementing shades of blue, cream, and white, situating them amongst the trees.

To add texture to this shelf, more pinecones were nestled throughout as well as some eucalyptus branches, both of which tie in with the credenza.

Keep things easy and united by incorporating many of the same elements within each display.

Styling shelving is such a fun way to add unique decor interests within your home. When I am in someone else’s home, I can always tell what types of things they love by what they have on their shelves. It’s what makes each person and each home so special!

Other Decorating Ideas for Winter

To unify the kitchen with the rest of the home, I tied the same cream ribbon onto a peg rack.

I pulled out one of my very favorite vintage tablecloths to use on the dining table. It has white Battenberg lace, scalloped edges and the prettiest blue embroidery.

For a simple centerpiece, I simply tucked faux greenery into my favorite transferware pitcher.

It’s like a cozy winter wonderland on your table!

That’s all you need for a pretty winter table!

A few winter pieces were added to the hall bath as well.

There are a few shelves in it that I love to add simple decor to, bringing character and life to this small space.

I incorporated some of my favorite vintage pieces such as copper, enamelware, and Ironstone.

To tie it all in with the rest of the house, I used a bottle brush tree as well as some dark colored faux greenery.

I think it’s so fun to decorate with items that aren’t necessarily ‘supposed’ to be there, like using cups and creamers in a bathroom. It’s an unexpected twist but anything goes when decorating your space!

And, just like that, this concludes my simple decor for winter this year.

My hubby told me a few nights ago that this is the best our house has ever looked. Decorating brings me immense joy and I’m just so thankful that our home can be a source of happiness for us both.

Closing Tidbits for Simple Decor for Winter

My sincere hope is that these ideas on simple decor for winter are helpful for you. There is such beauty in simplicity. By pairing down your home, your mind or anything in your life that brings stress, we are able to clearly see the peace and hope that is always present.

May you be encouraged to go slowly this winter season, giving yourself grace along the way.

Let me know in the comments how you decorate for winter!

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If you are new here, I’m Rachel, the writer and content creator here at The Antiqued Journey. I’m so happy to have you! I encourage you to stop by the ‘about me’ page to get to know me a little more.

Here on the blog, you will find loads of inspiration for decorating with vintage and antique decor, simple DIY crafts and many thrifting adventures. If that interests you, I invite you to sign up for my e-mail. You will receive a free digital download as a thank you!