Decorating for the Holidays Around the House

Every room will be merry and bright with these colorful finds and simple DIY ideas from HGTV Magazine.
By: Jennifer Berno DeCleene, Kate Doherty, and Styled by: Elizabeth Demos
holiday front door

Green Front Door with Multi-Colored DIY Wreath

Wreath: Floracraft 16"-diameter extruded foam floral wreath, $9, michaels.com; Felt balls: 3-centimeter wool felt balls, $.50 each, tadaastudio.com

Photo by: Mark Lund

Mark Lund

Wreath: Floracraft 16"-diameter extruded foam floral wreath, $9, michaels.com; Felt balls: 3-centimeter wool felt balls, $.50 each, tadaastudio.com

DIY Wreath

1. Starting at the top and working clockwise, hot-glue the felt balls to the wreath. In this project, about 200 balls were used to cover a 16-inch foam wreath.

2. Tie a ribbon into a bow; attach it with hot glue.

A Holiday-Ready Living Room

holiday living room

Holiday Noel Fireplace

Hand-felted wool stockings, $76 each, arcadiahomeinc.com; Garland: Crochet Christmas Lights garland, $36, handspuncreations.etsy.com; Large trees: Wood Christmas trees, $6 each, Hobby Lobby stores; Small trees: Design Ideas festive poplar plywood trees, from $3 each, amanogalleries.com

Photo by: Mark Lund

Mark Lund

Hand-felted wool stockings, $76 each, arcadiahomeinc.com; Garland: Crochet Christmas Lights garland, $36, handspuncreations.etsy.com; Large trees: Wood Christmas trees, $6 each, Hobby Lobby stores; Small trees: Design Ideas festive poplar plywood trees, from $3 each, amanogalleries.com

Appliquéd felted stockings, a garland of crocheted holiday lights, and yarn-wrapped letters that spell noel give the mantel a warm and fuzzy feel. Also adding a crafty vibe: a forest’s worth of colorful wood trees. Finish with fresh green boughs and votives with battery-operated candles.

DIY Yarn Letters

yarn letter

Letter N Yarn Letter

Letter: 8"-tall papier-mâché alphabet letter, $3, hobbylobby.com; Paint: Tropical Foliage by Valspar; Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice yarn in fern, $4 for 170 yards, michaels.com

Photo by: Mark Lund

Mark Lund

Letter: 8"-tall papier-mâché alphabet letter, $3, hobbylobby.com; Paint: Tropical Foliage by Valspar; Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice yarn in fern, $4 for 170 yards, michaels.com

1. Spray-paint each letter the same color as the yarn you’re using. Let dry.

2. Apply double-sided tape to the front, back, and sides of the letter.

3. Start wrapping the yarn. When you can’t wrap neatly anymore, cut and start with a new piece. Cover the top and bottom with small pieces of yarn; affix the ends with crafts glue.

Metal Menorah
Yair Emanuel Colorful anodized aluminum menorah, $120, traditionsjewishgifts.com

Cookie Plate
Jingle Cookies for Santa 11 1/2"-diameter porcelain platter, $20, crateandbarrel.com

Cozy Throw
Stag cotton-blend throw in hunter, $165, in2green.com

Polar Bear Pillow
Peking Handicraft Scott Church Polar Bear 18" x 14" hooked pillow, $50, hi-countrybeddingandbath.com

Modern, Graphic Christmas Tree Pillow

Contemporary Christmas Tree Pillow

Dress your home for the holidays with this colorful, contemporary Christmas tree pillow.

Photo by: Aaron Graubart/Studio D

Aaron Graubart/Studio D

Candy-Stripe Pillow
Ribbon Candy 18" x 18" cotton and satin pillow, $85, companyc.com

Tree Pillow
Very Merry Christmas Tree Reversible 18" x 18" polyester pillow, $41, overstock.com

It’s a rite of passage in my family to get your own stocking starting at age 4. I still have mine—my grandmother made it for me.
Chip Wade, Elbow Room

A Holiday-Ready Entryway

holiday entryway

Deck the Halls Entryway

Chalkboard: Economy Series 36" x 24" wood-frame chalkboard, $24, lionsdeal.com; Garland: Cody Foster & Co. Bright Winter 6'-long wool garland, $70, abchome.com; Vases: 20"H x 8 1/2"-diameter balloon vase in orange, $58, and 8"H x 6 1/2"-diameter balloon vase in fuchsia, $23, both shiraleah.com; Branches: Manzanita branches, $9 each, save-on-crafts.com; Ornaments: Cody Foster & Co. Felted Swirl ornaments, $4 each, rockpaperscissorsshop.com

Photo by: Mark Lund

Mark Lund

Chalkboard: Economy Series 36" x 24" wood-frame chalkboard, $24, lionsdeal.com; Garland: Cody Foster & Co. Bright Winter 6'-long wool garland, $70, abchome.com; Vases: 20"H x 8 1/2"-diameter balloon vase in orange, $58, and 8"H x 6 1/2"-diameter balloon vase in fuchsia, $23, both shiraleah.com; Branches: Manzanita branches, $9 each, save-on-crafts.com; Ornaments: Cody Foster & Co. Felted Swirl ornaments, $4 each, rockpaperscissorsshop.com

For a foyer with yuletide style, pop painted branches into vases and trim them with ornaments. Then drape wool garland over a chalkboard for seasonal greetings. Bell-embellished yarn tassels on the console knobs bring the jingle.

DIY Tassels

holiday DIY tassels

Jungle Bells Holiday Tassels

Yarn: Lion’s Pride Woolspun yarn in orchid pink, $6 for an 127-yard skein, and Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice yarn in mustard and fern, $4 for each 170-yard skein, all michaels.com; Bells: Creatology 18-millimeter Jingle Bells in silver, $4 for a set of 38, michaels.com

Photo by: Mark Lund

Mark Lund

Yarn: Lion’s Pride Woolspun yarn in orchid pink, $6 for an 127-yard skein, and Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice yarn in mustard and fern, $4 for each 170-yard skein, all michaels.com; Bells: Creatology 18-millimeter Jingle Bells in silver, $4 for a set of 38, michaels.com

1. Cut a piece of cardboard into a 7-inch square. Wrap yarn in three different colors tightly around the cardboard.

2. Slip a piece of yarn through the top and knot it; snip the yarn along the bottom to remove it from the cardboard.

3. Pinch the tassel two inches from the top and tie with yarn. Tie on small bells.

Sleigh and Reindeer
Design Ideas Alpine 4" x 7 3/4" poplar plywood sleigh, $14, and 3"-tall reindeer, $16 for a set of 8, both allseasonsforallreasons.com

Dog Toys
Retro Sock 7"-tall canvas dog toys in aqua and red, $10 each, harrybarker.com

Snowflake Rug
Let It Snow 2' x 3' polypropylene rug, $60, companyc.com

Holiday Card Bin
Holly 5 3/4"-tall metal card tub, $39, onekingslane.com/giftguide

Moose Head
12"W x 12"D x 18"H freeze-dried boxwood head, $169, westelm.com

Since I was a kid, the grand finale to our family’s candlelit Christmas dinner has always been snowballs—ice cream balls rolled in coconut.
Meg Caswell, HGTV designer

A Holiday-Ready Kitchen

colorful holiday kitchen

Holiday Kitchen

Curtain fabric: China Seas by Quadrille Georgia Small Scale linen-cotton-blend fabric in pink magenta, decorativebuyingservice.com for buying info; Soap: Cranberry scent dish soap and Iowa pine scent hand soap, $4 each, both mrsmeyers.com; Tea towels: Merry & Bright tea towel, $17 for a set of 3, papersource.com; Pots: Lee’s Pottery Cupcake 6"-tall planter in red, $12, and Electric 5"-tall flowerpot in blue, $7, both The Home Depot stores

Photo by: Mark Lund

Mark Lund

Curtain fabric: China Seas by Quadrille Georgia Small Scale linen-cotton-blend fabric in pink magenta, decorativebuyingservice.com for buying info; Soap: Cranberry scent dish soap and Iowa pine scent hand soap, $4 each, both mrsmeyers.com; Tea towels: Merry & Bright tea towel, $17 for a set of 3, papersource.com; Pots: Lee’s Pottery Cupcake 6"-tall planter in red, $12, and Electric 5"-tall flowerpot in blue, $7, both The Home Depot stores

Hung sink-side for the holidays, a bulletin board covered with Christmas cards introduces some “ho ho ho” into the kitchen scene. Cranberry-scented dish soap and pine-scented hand soap—plus a bulb-patterned tea towel—make cleanup feel less like a chore. In colorful pots, fragrant lemon cypresses look like mini Christmas trees.

bulletin board

DIY Bulletin Board

Corkboard: 28 1/4" x 24 1/4" framed corkboard, $50, hobbylobby.com; Paint: Gloss Watermelon by Krylon BURLAP: BLP burlap fabric in avocado, $4 per yard, hobbylobby.com; Ribbon: Burlap ribbon in turquoise with white stripe, $1 for 4 feet, hobbylobby.com

Photo by: Mark Lund

Mark Lund

Corkboard: 28 1/4" x 24 1/4" framed corkboard, $50, hobbylobby.com; Paint: Gloss Watermelon by Krylon BURLAP: BLP burlap fabric in avocado, $4 per yard, hobbylobby.com; Ribbon: Burlap ribbon in turquoise with white stripe, $1 for 4 feet, hobbylobby.com

DIY Bulletin Board

1. Spray-paint a framed corkboard. Let dry.

2. Attach a piece of burlap to the cork with spray mount.

3. Hot-glue ribbon around the edge of the burlap, just inside the frame.

Dish Towel
Whimsy Dot Trees cotton dish towel, $13 for a mixed set of 2, tag2u.com

Reindeer Trivet
Aluminum 10" x 8" trivet, $17, crateandbarrel.com

Cookie Jar
Red Car With Holiday Tree 11"W x 6"D x 8 1/2"H dolomite cookie jar, $13, worldmarket.com

Tumbler
Dreidel 6-ounce glass, $3.50, crateandbarrel.com

red and white striped pet bowl

Candy Striped Pet Bowl

red and white striped pet bowl

Photo by: Courtesy of the manufacturer

Courtesy of the manufacturer

Spatula
Be Jolly silicone and wood spatula, $15 for a mixed set of 2, shopmerimeri.com

Pet Bowl
Kenya small metal bowl in red, $34, jayesstudio.com

Every year we buy an heirloom-quality ornament for each of our kids. When they leave the nest, they’ll have an instant collection for their own trees.
Vern Yip, HGTV Designer

A Holiday-Ready Bathroom

bathroom decorated for the holidays

Bathroom Decorated for the Holidays

Elf decals: Custom 2 1/2"-tall removable vinyl lettering, $1 per letter, vinylwallexpressions.com; Bath towels: Dot to Dot bath towels in citron and aqua, $28 each, and hand towel in aqua, $20, all garnethill.com; Bath mat: Style Selections Holiday Patchwork 20" x 34" cotton bath mat, $28, theprimroselane.com

Photo by: Mark Lund

Mark Lund

Elf decals: Custom 2 1/2"-tall removable vinyl lettering, $1 per letter, vinylwallexpressions.com; Bath towels: Dot to Dot bath towels in citron and aqua, $28 each, and hand towel in aqua, $20, all garnethill.com; Bath mat: Style Selections Holiday Patchwork 20" x 34" cotton bath mat, $28, theprimroselane.com

Help overnight guests keep track of their towels by assigning them peel-and-stick numbered elf decals. Another way to deck the walls: Outline the vanity mirror with graphic washi tape. Pull it all together with a winter-themed rug in matching colors.

DIY Wrapped Jars and Votives

holiday bathroom jars and votives

Ribbon-Wrapped Jars and Votives

Wrapping paper: Merry double-sided gift wrap, $9 for two 24" x 36" sheets, smockpaper.com; Gumdrops and Ribbon Candy gift wrap, $6.50 for each set of two 20" x 30" sheets, snowandgraham.com; Washi tape: Recollections washi tape, from $5 per roll, Michaels stores

Photo by: Aaron Graubart/Studio D

Aaron Graubart/Studio D

Wrapping paper: Merry double-sided gift wrap, $9 for two 24" x 36" sheets, smockpaper.com; Gumdrops and Ribbon Candy gift wrap, $6.50 for each set of two 20" x 30" sheets, snowandgraham.com; Washi tape: Recollections washi tape, from $5 per roll, Michaels stores

1. Cut wrapping paper to fit around the jar or votive. Wrap it around, sealing the seams with double-sided tape.

2. Decorate other jars or votives with washi tape.

Shower Curtain
Andrea Victoria Jolly Ornaments polyester shower curtain, $89, denydesigns.com

Soap Pump
Tree 7 1/2"-tall hand soap in holiday forest scent, $6, pier1.com

Ring Dish
Snow Much Fun 6" x 9 1/4" dolomite tray, $13, bedbathandbeyond.com

Scent Diffuser
Home Ambiance glass and bamboo reed diffuser in sugar plum scent, $32, voluspa.com

holiday bathroom tissue box

Green and White Chevron Tissue Box Cover

holiday bathroom tisse box

Photo by: Courtesy of the manufacturer

Courtesy of the manufacturer

Toilet Paper
Kurt S. Adler Cross Stitch Reindeer 200-sheet toilet paper, $13, digsngifts.com

Tissue Box Cover
Chevron 6"W x 6"D x 6"H metal tissue box cover in green, $30, jayesstudio.com

Without fail, my husband and his family do the Polar Bear Plunge into Boston Harbor on New Year’s Day. Brrrr!
Taniya Nayak, HGTV designer

Next Up

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Cold weather doesn't mean you have to abandon your favorite outdoor spaces. With our tips you can turn your front porch into the ultimate holiday hangout with items you likely already have at home.

How to Make a Felt Poinsettia

Dress up your walls, banisters or doors this holiday season with handmade felt poinsettias.

How to Make a Votive Candle Runway for Santa

Light the way for Santa by lining entry steps with glowing votives.

How to Make a Mobile Christmas Tree

Mobile Christmas trees are the easiest way to bring holiday flair to any room in the house. Learn how to turn wooden crates, galvanized tubs or children's baby doll buggies into beautiful vessels for your Christmas tree.

How to Make Sheet Music Christmas Trees

Bring the unexpected to your table with miniature Christmas trees made out of cut and curled sheet music. These fluffy trees will add texture and whimsy to any holiday arrangement.

How to Make Chalkboard Stocking Hangers

Why buy a cookie-cutter stocking hanger when a custom one can be made with a few staple workshop tools? This project is a perfect way for the woodworker of the family to contribute to the holiday decor.

How to Make a Glittery Christmas Banner

German glass glitter transforms a party store banner into a stunner. Hang this holiday decoration on a mantel, a banister or even on the Christmas tree!

How to Make a Backlit Wooden Christmas Tree

Designer Dan Faires adds a touch of modernity to holiday decor with a minimalist backlit plywood Christmas tree that's perfect for indoor or outdoor use.

How to Make a Wall-Mounted Christmas Tree Alternative

Designer Casey Noble shows how to bring the look and feel of a Christmas tree to a small space by creating a wall-mounted version using MDF trim and fabric.

How to Make a Snowflake Curtain

Deck the windows with strands of snowflakes. They're inexpensive, easy to make and add the perfect dose of seasonal flair to even the smallest windows.

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