I’d love for you to take a little tour of my home for Christmas! Decorated in rustic farmhouse style, I’ll share with you how I’ve decorated with lots of cheap and easy ideas! Lots of DIY and repurposed decor! Come join!
The Inner Conflict of a Christmas Home Tour
I’ll be honest – it feels a little pretentious to be posting a Christmas Home Tour. For a BUNCH of reasons.
First, I’m not a professional home designer. I kinda feel a little out of my league putting my house out there.
Second, it feels a little like a humble brag. “Everyone, come look at my home! Oh, it’s nothing. But, come look!”
Third, is it even good enough to share? Will anyone even care?
Fourth, I technically don’t live in a farmhouse (I know, hardly anyone does. But still).
So Why a Christmas Home Tour?
Well, there is a reason I’m posting this, in spite of the reasons listed above. Almost all of the decor I used for Christmas was either a DIY project (some of my favorite farmhouse Christmas DIY projects here ) or repurposing decor I already have. The reason I’m sharing this post is really for a certain group of people (although anyone is welcome to read along!)
This is for the moms who are on a tight budget and don’t have a lot of money to spend on decorations. (I have a whole post on cheap and creative ways to decorate for Christmas).
This is for the moms who maybe are short on creativity these days and need some inspiration and ideas for projects that are easy and doable.
This is for the mom who wants her house to look a little less a toy store and more of a home, but doesn’t have a lot of time or energy to do it.
Sister, I’m with you. That’s me, 100%. So today, I just want to share some ideas of things that I’ve done (with twin 4-year-old boys underfoot, no less). I don’ have a million followers on Instagram, and I’m not sure my pictures are stopping anyone in their tracks. But I’m hoping that today, I can share what I’ve done in a way that’s practical.
The First Real Christmas in Our Home
This is our first ‘real’ Christmas in our home in Tennessee. Last year, we closed the first week in December, so in the middle of unpacking, we put up a tree and just started throwing up Christmas decorations in every direction.
This year, I wanted to be a little more thoughtful about it, since I actually had the space (our house in NY was TINY) to truly decorate. (this is where I got a lot of my farmhouse Christmas decor inspiration!) I didn’t bring much of our Christmas decor from NY, so I was pretty much starting with a blank slate.
A little overwhelming, and I’m sure I’ll build on it year by year, but this is what I came up with.
OK, let me walk you through my house!
Disclaimer: It’s not my whole house. This mom doesn’t have time for that, lol. But it’s the best parts, I think, and hopefully that will be enough!
Rustic Farmhouse Christmas Home Tour (+ Cheap and Easy Decorating Ideas!)
Front Porch
The Target Dollar Spot was my best friend here. I’m sure I was there every week, seeing what new things they had. Most of the items there are $1, $3, or $5 – very affordable, when you’re talking about Christmas decor.
The red buffalo check bunting I got last Christmas along with the 2 sleds and skis. These were great buys because they can also transition to winter decor, which will also save money. The mini wreath next to the door I also got at Target Dollar Spot as well as 2 of the trees.
The ladder and table we had around the house, so I dug them out and used them as porch decor.
The buffalo check rug was a sweet present from my sister The Girl Creative!
The NOEL sign was a DIY project, which I give all details here!
A real cheap way to add decor is to fill a jar or vase with ornaments. I had picked up the hurricane vase at a yard sale, and those are Dollar Tree ornaments in there. Dollar Tree also sells cute vases you could use.
The rest of the decor I had picked up over the years on clearance or yard sales, toward the end of the Christmas season.
The tree below is one I had made for fall using acorns. I just took off the acorns and added the red bells (also $1) from Dollar Tree. Pieces that transition from season to season are a great way to save money.
(For more porch inspiration, check out this post on the 30 Best Farmhouse Christmas Porches on Instagram!)
Entryway Wall
This is not really the entryway, but the entrance to our living room. You can see it from the front door, though. I went back and forth over what I wanted this to look like, but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. Lots of DIY here!
First, the garland and wreath. I LOVE the evergreen, but the faux is pretty pricey. I have almost an acre of woods behind my house, and wouldn’t you know it?
Not one evergreen tree. Not a cypress. Not a juniper. So as I was driving around town, I was looking for trees that I could sort of sneak up upon and cut some branches.
Well, an abandoned car wash did not disappoint, and I’ve made about 3 trips to date!
I originally wanted the garland on the mirror, but it was too heavy and hard to maneuver in a way that looked flattering. So, I took it apart and laid it on all the tabletop surfaces in living room and decided to make a wreath for the mirror instead.
I felt like it was missing something, I saw an idea with ribbons and dried orange slices on Liz Marie’s blog, and I fell in love. Then, it sort of took over the living room!
On top of the bench are some bottles I had gotten at TJ Maxx last season. Inside are more of the real cypress branches with white berry stems from Hobby Lobby.
The cream bowl was from a gift I had received, and I spraypainted over the shiny silver with cream chalkpaint. Then, I just threw some extra cypress branches in with orange slices.
Here’s the wreath I made for the mirror, which tied in with the garland and table decor. Wire wreath for $1 from Dollar Tree!
The print is also DIY. I saw an Instagram account with a similar wall hanging, so I recreated it on Canva, sent it to Vistaprint (affiliate link), and hung it in the frame I had already made (it’s magnetic, so I can swap out the prints).
Super easy! I wanted something simple and clean and kept the focus on Jesus.
You can get the free printable for an 8×10 of this O Come Let Us Adore Him sign here!
On the bottom are just wrapped up food boxes with snowflake butcher wrapping paper. The container with the pine cones was from an old gift I received. I wasn’t going with too much red but I liked the vintage feel of the container.
Floating Shelves
I change the decor on these shelves seasonally as well. The berry garland I bought at Michael’s years ago, on Christmas clearance.
On the bottom shelf, both the bottles and pine greens are from Hobby Lobby. The picture is from Target Dollar Spot.
And it’s really 8 signs – 4 boards with one on each side! Super-versatile
On the top shelf, the Sleigh Bells Ring sign is also from Target Dollar Spot (last year). The mason jar rack is from Christmas Tree Shop.
I spraypainted the jars with cream chalkpaint as well because they blended in with the wall so much. I added jute string around the top and put in faux juniper stems from Hobby Lobby.
Entertainment Center
On top of the TV stand, I added more of the garland, ribbons and dried oranges. Below are stamped books I made for the holidays. These are hard-covered books, and I just chalkpainted (same spray paint as the other items) them as well.
I was looking for a saying that would keep the focus on Jesus, and I really liked this line from ‘Joy to the World’: “Let earth receive her King.” (And I say, ‘Amen’ to that!)
Using my glue gun, I wrapped the burlap ribbon and tied the raffia string on with the cinnamon and orange slices.
Below is a pail that used to be sparkly bright red, and I use galvanized silver chalkpaint (spraypaint also), and added the ribbon, jute string, and cinnamon sticks as well. The 2 plaid candles are from Dollar Tree!
Cube Cabinet
As you can see, more green garland, orange slices, and ribbon! That definitely was a theme! The prints in the frames are actually gift bags from Walmart, and the frames are from Dollar Tree! Super-cheap!
The rest of the pieces inside the boxes are either things I picked up cheap along the way (like 50% off at Hobby Lobby or after-Christmas sales) or things I already had.
I try to pick up things throughout the year that can be used seasonally like the hurricane vases (got at a yard sale) or the lantern (cheap find at Aldi).
The ornaments in the basket are Dollar Tree ornaments, and I just scattered some more cypress greens and pine cones for a little embellishment.
I also use chalkboard signs a lot, too. Those are easy to change seasonally and keep costs low. Letterboards do the same!
And here, you can see them with the battery-powered candles and string lights on (even though it’s daytime, but you get the idea).
Dining Table
I kept the table simple because I have twin boys, and I’m constantly removing whatever I have set up so they can eat and play.
The runner I got last year on clearance at Hobby Lobby. The tray was a Facebook Marketplace. The pitcher was a spring clearance from Hobby Lobby. The faux greens and white berries are from Hobby Lobby also.
The 2 ornaments were $1 each at Dollar Tree and then I added a chalk sign and some pine cones.
Again, I wanted the saying to be focused on Jesus.
The pail was from Dollar Tree this spring! Don’t underestimate what you can find at Dollar Tree!
Wall Hangings
I have 2 shelves on the wall where I keep these jars and just change out the decor seasonally as well. These jars were alfredo sauce jars from Aldi that I saved and cleaned up.
I added a votive and candle for the top, some burlap ribbon on the side, and I took a sprig of pine and a pine cone from other faux decor. Inside are fresh pine greens, cinnamon sticks, and dried orange slices.
The berry garland is the same one I had on the floating shelves, to tie it together.
Here, you can see some Christmas pillows I got at Aldi for $6.99 each! Love the randomness of Aldi!
Kitchen
I did very little in the kitchen this year. New house. Low funds. That will wait til next year.
But I had some icicle garland from Pier 1 that I had bought years ago on clearance, and I just wrapped up the strands to make wreaths and hung them from the window. (The ribbon is actually the wrap from a blanket I bought at Aldi! lol. I waste nothing! )
Here, you can see a night view with the light on. The lights on top are battery-powered strands from Dollar Tree! 🙂
I had some blank space below my oven, so I used this $1 wreath from Dollar Tree and some berry garland (same as the living room) and wrapped it to make this wreath.
I have ideas for the kitchen next year, now that I have gotten most of the house done.
A wreath like that would also look great as a table centerpiece with candles inside!
Fire Place Room
Outside the fireplace room, I hung garland (purchased from Michael’s a few years ago on clearance) around the doorway, and that’s where I hang my Christmas cards.
Inside the room is our Christmas tree (the boys really took this one over, but I’m OK with it!). It’s not a styled tree, but years of ornaments with meaning. I’m totally good with that. Memories mean more.
Tree skirt is from Hobby Lobby, last year clearance.
By the fireplace are some floral arrangements I made with hanging greens I wasn’t going to use. I pulled them apart and put them in the galvanized bucket (Target Dollar Spot) and crate (Facebook Marketplace). The gifts are more empty food boxes.
The mini tree is our Advent Tree that we are going through (using the Story of Christmas book and ornament set – affiliate link).
Our hot cocoa bar is an area for the boys. I feel like it’s important to let them have a little space of their own! On the bottom is some Christmas decor I wasn’t going to use, but they made a winter wonderland and love it!
The snowman snack bowl and the cookie jar are not really a grown-up – just a little whimsical and fun! Perfect for the little guys!
The middle shelf is a sign from Target (nowhere to hang it, but just wedged in right there!)
The mugs and tea towel are also from Target Dollar Spot (last year)!
What a Christmas Home Really Means
I totally love the amazing scenes set up by the pro-designers on Instagram. I get a bunch of inspiration from them. But today I want to encourage the moms whose homes don’t look like that.
You know what?
They don’t need to. A home should be filled with love, and it should be a space for memories to be made. And yes, I think the decorations and design can add to that- but it’s not all about that.
The thing is – you can have both. Without going crazy or broke, you can have a home you love to be in, with decorations that mean something to you, to make memories with your family. It can be done.
And of course, even if all that faded away, Christmas would still be Christmas because of Jesus. HE is the center of it all. It’s my hope that He would be conveyed in my decor and celebration.
Because He is what it’s all about.
Merry Christmas! Thanks for coming into my home.
More Christmas Home Tours
Cozy Rustic Farmhouse Christmas Home Tour (2o22)
Neutral Rustic Christmas Decor (Budget Cozy Cottage Home Tour) (2021)
Rustic Glam Christmas Decor Home Tour: Budget Friendly Inspo! (2020)
PS: If you are looking for some more DIY Christmas Inspiration, which is my favorite way to decorate on a budget, here are some Christmas posts you can check out: DIY Christmas Wreaths – classy farmhouse wreaths that are beautiful and original, DIY Christmas Ornaments, and DIY Scandinavian Christmas Decorations, perfect for minimalists! And if you want just some farmhouse Christmas DIY decor projects, here are some of my favorites!
I’d love to see what you come up with!
Please tag me on Instagram @100affections or leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!
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