Are you wiped out from all the holiday fun? If decorating for these chilly winter months is the furthest thing from your mind – check out these 4 easy winter decorating ideas – before you throw in the towel!

Once all the Christmas and holiday decor is down, but before it goes back in storage, salvage any pieces with a wintery vibe as well as any evergreen greenery. Greenery will elevate your winter decor and add a coziness that only plants can. I especially love vintage pieces that remind me of winter, like ice skates, a sled, antlers, a metal thermos, and wool blankets.

4 easy winter decorating ideas

You guys know by now that I’m very flexible with decorating rules. My decorating ideas are just that, ideas to get your creativity and inspiration flowing. I may discourage the use of color or baskets when decorating for the winter months, but I broke that rule and used a huge basket with my vintage bird cage that sits front and center in our family room. So, when I share ideas or suggestions – they are flexible guidelines, and you should always decorate using what you love and want to enjoy for any season.

Simple and neutral winter decor

Keep your decor simple and more neutral than colorful. Color is great and having touches here and there is perfect, but let’s save the energizing colors for spring. Select a few simple pieces from your existing collection of decor and arrange them in a new location around the house. The decor will feel fresh and you can enjoy the subtle change without buying anything new.

Use heavy and solid objects for winter decor

Bring out the metals, glass, pottery, etc. Anything that has a cooler vibe will feel right during the cooler months. I love mixing metals and materials, and winter is the best time to bring it all together. Baskets, paper, wicker, etc. come out for the spring because they have a light and airy feel – much like spring. For the winter, I like heavier pieces, and lots of metal and glass. Dig out those vintage metal trays, candlestick holders, metal urns and vases, vintage toolboxes, vintage clocks, pottery pieces, antlers, metal stands, etc.

Layer items to create a cozy winter vibe

I love layering and stacking pieces, especially when they’re old, worn, and neutral. When layering items, I like to use varying heights, varying depths, and create points of interest. To avoid a cluttered or chaotic look when layering, be sure to have some focal pieces that draws the eye. You can also create a calmness when layering if you use neutrals or just a few colors to add interest. And be sure to balance the look. That doesn’t mean you should create a symmetrical scene, but it means that you should consider placement of pieces to make sure you have balance and flow.

It’s OK if one side of your mantel is ‘heavier’ than the other, but try to add balancing weight to give the overall scene a sense of balance. I used large faux pine trees to decorate my fireplace mantel and a sofa table in my dining room. The tree is the tallest piece, but it’s not solid. So by adding a few solid pieces to the other side of the scene, I can add to the overall balance – even though it’s not symmetrical. The key is to set up your decor and when you walk by it, make changes and move stuff around until you’re happy with the look and feel. If you’re happy with the look – then it’s right!

Add cozy elements for winter decor

Our family loves soft snuggly blankets. And when the house is cold, several of us walk around with blanket shawls. So, I love to keep different styles of soft snuggle-worthy blankets around the seating areas of our home. I also move out our colorful or floral throw pillows and go with neutral colors. I have several black and white pillows from IKEA, they all have geometric patterns and work well during different times of the year. When the budget allows, I may swap out the black and white during the winter for some warmer neutral colors, but for now this works.

Another way to add to the cozy vibe is to add bits of greenery around the house. I have more spring greenery than anything, but winter is a great time to cut little sprigs from your evergreen trees and plants outside – or restyle with Christmas greenery. However, you do it, keep in mind that less is more and just adding little bits here and there will do the trick without feeling too much like Christmas.

These are my new fave IKEA pillows

My sweet girls love ‘helping’ me decorate! They wanted to get in on the winter decorating action so we made a short video to show our cozy couch challenge.