Do you wonder how to fill the void after you have taken down the Christmas décor? “Undecorating” after Christmas can feel a little depressing with the months of winter ahead without the cheerfulness of Christmas décor. In this post, Cozy winter décor for after Christmas, I show you how to create a fresh and cozy space for winter. I believe in embracing the season you’re in- for us in Canada that means lots of snow. Therefore, I try to include nods to the snowy season as well as warming touches like blankets, soft rugs, and candles. However, I like to share a little hint of spring. This includes using the colour green and including plants and a few muted floral motifs.
If you are interested in seeing my Christmas home tour, please click here. You might also be interested in my post, 5 easy steps to a gorgeous Christmas tree.
Living Room
If you are interested in seeing how I stored our Christmas tree décor, click here. Our tree was such a focal point in our living room, it’s hard to find something to provide that kind of wow factor. Instead of trying to do that, I decided to focus on the snowy view outside the window and not obstruct the view with a large piece of furniture. Before Christmas, we had a slipcovered loveseat in front of the window. However, over the holidays we really enjoyed it in our family room as it provided extra seating for family game and movie nights. Therefore, we decided to leave it in the family room indefinitely. As a result, a new seating arrangement was needed for the area in front of the window.
With limited options to choose from, I borrowed our dining room end chairs that we really only use for entertaining larger groups. I’ll need to come up with a long term solution eventually, either with a new loveseat or a pair of cozy chairs. To give the small chairs a little more visual weight I added baskets beneath them for storing seasonal décor and I added pillows and a chenille blanket.
The Comfort Factor
I made sure to add blankets and pillows throughout the space. And I kept the layered rugs to add warmth underfoot. Candles also appear throughout the space and we light those whenever we have an overcast day or in the evenings. I also added a faux fur throw and cozy cable pillow on the piano bench. Cozy winter décor for after Christmas is all about feeling comfortable and nurtured by your environment. If you’re familiar with the word Hygge, then you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Tiered Tray
The tiered tray on the coffee table is filled with winter treasures- faux fur balls reminiscent of snowballs, oversized pinecones, frosty faux leaves, as well as some fresh touches of faux greenery (Lamb’s ear).
Snowflake Wall
I added the snowflake wall before Christmas and I think I will leave it up until I bring out the spring décor. I used wood dollar store snowflakes and painted them white and adhered them in a random pattern to the wall and window frames.
Hints of Spring
To give the space some freshness, I included an oversized green glass vase with faux olive stems, greenery in the tiered tray, and an arrangement of faux succulents on the stool between the chairs.
Dining Room
For the dining room, I removed all of the Christmas ornaments that were in the table centerpiece and in apothecary jars on the open shelves. To replace the glass ornaments that were in the centerpiece, I added cotton rope balls reminiscent of snowballs. I kept the table mostly unadorned, with just a black ticking stripe table runner and centerpiece box. I added the pretty pillow from Porter Lane Home to give a hint of spring. On the buffet table and open shelves, I displayed only white dishes with some touches of greenery and faux potted succulents. The bird and butterfly wall hangings are another subtle nod to spring.
Kitchen Eating Area
For the Christmas season, I had a winter greenery centerpiece on the table, which I removed after New Year’s Day. I kept the neutral vibe going in this space with a neutral table runner and lantern adorning the table. A few white dishes and ticking stripe napkins in a tray add a simple and neutral touch. I removed the 4’ tree from the corner of the kitchen and replaced it with a tall faux fiddle leaf fig plant.
Family Room
To transition from Christmas to winter décor, I simply removed the stockings on the fireplace and the Christmas pillows. I actually didn’t add anything new to the space as there were ample cozy pillows, blankets, and candles to emulate the feeling of Hygge. If removing your Christmas décor leaves a void, some accessories you can add include- fuzzy or cable knit pillows, blankets, candles, books and book stacks, family photos in neutral frames, vases, ceramic pinecones or other natural elements.
One of my décor strategies for this space was to decorate the space for winter back in November with minimal Christmassy elements. This made the transition after Christmas almost effortless. I love having at least one space like this to minimize that overwhelming feeling after Christmas.
A new January tradition for our family is to have poetry nights by the fire. Each member of our family chooses one or two poems to recite and then discuss, which could be children’s poetry, humorous riddles, song lyrics (think Leonard Cohen), or classical poetry. We have a few poetry anthologies that are useful for this, but our teens/preteens also look to the internet for poems. This isn’t just for artsy people! My husband and I are trained as engineers/scientists and we enjoyed it.
Master Bedroom
Reading Nook
I really wanted to bring that feeling of hygge to this space. This area had a 6’ tree that left a gaping hole in the décor once removed. To fill the void, I added a blanket ladder with cozy blankets, and a rustic wood table with a rope basket filled with faux Lamb’s ear stems and a teapot with a mug. Having a footstool with the slipcovered chair adds an element of relaxation. Pillows and a blanket add warmth to the chair but notice how I added pillows with flower motifs to make the space feel fresh. To the tray, I added an assortment of favourite books, a candle, and a plant.
Bed
I changed the sign that was above the bed and removed all my mini-Christmas trees, replacing them with seasonal-neutral signs and faux potted plants. In addition, I removed any Christmas-themed pillows. However, I did leave the faux cedar garland with twinkle lights on the headboard and the bells hanging from the sconce lights. They are suitable for winter décor and the space needed a little twinkle and shine. In winter I tend to spend more time indoors and more time reading, so having a stack of books nearby feels natural.
Tips for Winter Decorating
DO
- Consider using a neutral palette
- Add cozy blankets, pillows, and rugs (layered is good)
- Use candles and twinkle lights abundantly
- Bring in elements from nature- snowflakes, pinecones, evergreen plants and winter leaves and berries
- Fill empty spaces with large plants, large baskets filled with blankets or pillows, blanket ladders and accent tables
- Add items that promote cocooning or indoor socialization such as books, a tea or hot chocolate station, and board games and puzzles
DON’T
- Necessarily put away all the Christmas décor- leave out items that transition well to winter, such as cedar and pine garlands, twinkle lights, and snowflake and pinecone décor
- Hesitate to include a few subtle nods to spring including floral motifs on pillows, fabrics, or wall art and plants and flowers (real or faux)
I hope you have enjoyed my post, Cozy winter décor for after Christmas, and that you find ways to stay warm and comfortable this winter.
Love your home! Did you diy the slipcover for the reading chair and ottoman? Whete did you buy it?
Thank you Marianne. The chair was an old one that I updated with a DIY slipcover.