Minimalist Christmas decorating ideas for an elegant, pared-back festive season
Christmas naturally has strong associations with abundance and festivity, which can often translate to some pretty over the top decorations. We've seen a real topple into high kitsch in the last few years, not to mention this year's craze for the Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic. But it doesn't have to be this way. If your style leans more towards the austere and elegant, there are plenty of cool, minimalist Christmas decorating ideas out there – chic ways to acknowledge the season without being brash. Decorating with foliage and natural materials works particularly well in this context, as do hand-crafted paper decorations that hark back to a simpler time. Scroll down for our favourite minimalist Christmas decorating ideas from the pages of House & Garden.
Owen Gale1/12Elswhere in her Cotswold guest cottage, Amanda Brooks has opted for paper chains, simply made from silver and green and brown and gold craft paper, to create a gently festive feel.
Christopher Horwood2/12Brown and caramel shades are ever so chic when used together, a refreshing change from the usual green and red colour schemes. We love the paper stars in shades of ivory and brown used in this Scandinavian-style Christmas scheme. You can get brilliant kraft paper stars from one of our favourite sources for decorations, RE Found Objects.
Dean Hearne3/12At his flat in the Barbican, designer Tom Morris matches his Christmas decorations to the clean lines of the architecture, using simple, natural decorations such as stems of winter berries and evergreen leaves in bud vases.
Paul Massey4/12The traditional red and green Christmas scheme goes Scandi in the heavenly holiday home of designer Marie-Louise Sjögren on the Stockholm archipelago. Evergreen wreaths and arrangements are enlivened by the bright crimson candelabra from Svensk Hemslöjd and glamorous amaryllis flowers.
Michael Sinclair5/12The quickest way to make a Christmas tree feel more elegant is to avoid lots of clashing colours. This tree in a West Country rectory is simply done with glass decorations and warm white fairy lights, and feels very smart indeed.
Michael Sinclair6/12Elsewhere in the same West Country rectory, pots of indoor bulbs bring nature indoors, enlivening the simple, pared back decoration. Forcing narcissus and hyacinth bulbs from November onwards is a beautiful way to ensure lovely (and fragrant) flowers for Christmas.
Christopher Horwood7/12If you want something more elegant than full on shiny metallics, the weightier, antique finishes of bronze, brass and tin are incredibly stylish. Here ‘Lichen’ by Farrow & Ball provides a lovely backdrop for subtle metallic decorations in this shoppable scheme, including tin decorations and a garland made of spoons. In the foreground, a candlestick holder from Jess Wheeler adds a golden note.
Michael Sinclair8/12Pine cones and branches of old man’s beard have been used for this garland over the fireplace of the West Country rectory, where the family uses mostly foraged decorations at Christmas.
Michael Sinclair9/12Foliage doesn't have to be abundant to be beautiful. Austere sprigs of holly look just right over the simple Georgian fireplace in Pedro da Costa Felgueiras' Spitalfields house.
James Merrell10/12Bowls of pomegranates can be a lovely table decoration for Christmas, and we love how florist Silka Rittson Thomas has expanded the idea here to make it into a mantelpiece garland. 'I decided to avoid the traditional green garland here,' explains Silka of her pomegranate mantlepiece. ‘We wired together the pomegranates and lit them with tea lights. It looks like an old Spanish still-life.’
Jake Curtis11/12Carole Annett's house in Surrey is a vision of tasteful decoration at Christmas – here in the kitchen, vases of narcissi make for a simple but lovely table centrepiece.
Jake Curtis12/12A bowl of cyclamens decorates the hallway console table in Carole Annett's house in Surrey, an equally simple and appealing idea.
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