Better Homes And Gardens Living Room Decorating Ideas

decorated christmas tree

Credit: ALEXANDRA GRABLEWSKI

Where do we get our Christmas living room decor inspiration? From people just like you! Follow our lead and take some hints from self-trained and professional interior designers who put their skills to work in their own homes.

Plaid Christmas Living Room

Credit: Lucy Ancheta

Blogger Lucy Atkins of Craftberry Bush dressed a pair of prelit faux trees with loops of plaid ribbon, jewel-tone ornaments, and pine cones. Fuzzy throws are an elevated take on traditional tree skirts. "I tuck old throw pillows under them to make them fluffy and full and hide the tree stands," she says.

Mini Christmas Trees

living room with christmas decorations

Credit: Jeff Herr

Who says you can only have one tree? In addition to a gorgeous statement Christmas tree, this homeowner layered a variety of miniature Christmas trees ($10, Target) on the mantel and around the fireplace to create a gorgeous rustic look that's not over the top.

Flock the Halls

Fireplace with stockings and Christmas tree

Credit: Adam Albright Photography Inc

The white flocking on this gorgeous Christmas tree carries through the rest of the evergreen elements in this farmhouse-inspired living space. And you don't have to go out and buy all new decor pieces to re-create the look: It's easy to flock trees, garland, and wreaths at home, so you can transform your existing faux evergreen pieces into a cohesive set.

Non-Traditional Colors

decorated christmas tree

Credit: ALEXANDRA GRABLEWSKI

With its white walls and green couch, this living room already had enough of the classic Christmas color scheme, so the homeowner decorated with non-traditional colors. Light blue ornaments tie in with the other couch, while the pink and light green decorations add a fun pop of unexpected color. And since wrapped gifts typically sit under the tree for several weeks, you can continue your color scheme by looking for matching papers and ribbons.

Silver Christmas Tree

Christmas tree with silver ornaments and white fireplace mantel with greenery

Credit: Alise O'Brien

Bold silver ornaments on this Christmas tree match the subtle silver reindeer leaping over the mantel. Make a simple statement by layering a festive wood sign with a classic faux green garland ($25, Michaels) on the mantel. Of course, you can always use fresh sprigs to get the look too! The greenery pops against this white and gray space without stealing any attention from the gorgeously-decorated tree.

Make a Statement

green silver and gold christmas tree decor

Credit: Adam Albright

Holiday decorations can quickly overwhelm a space, so we love the way this homeowner used a large tree as the focal point of the room and used minimal decor pieces in the rest of the space. Making your tree the center of attention means you can add as many ornaments ($30 for a 48-piece set, Wayfair), ribbons, and garlands as you like without cluttering up your living space.

Striking Holiday Decor

bright modern living room corner with red couch, blue walls, and bright Christmas décor

Credit: David A. Land

Everything about this cheery room —eye-catching stockings, vibrant tree ornaments, and bright holiday figurines—complement the existing orange sofa and pink, blue, and yellow pillows. Even a holiday wreath above the fireplace is adorned with colorful ribbons! To recreate the look, pick up a set of colorblock Christmas stockings ($40, Etsy) and use the colors to influence the rest of your decor.

Go Classic

candy cane christmas tree and presents

Credit: Adam Albright

Decorated in strictly red and white, this oversize tree really makes a statement in this bright corner of the living room. The large flocked tree ($269, Wayfair) is decorated with classic red bulbs and red plaid ribbon that pop against the bright white curtains and furniture, and the wrapped gifts perfectly match the decor scheme.

French Country-Inspired Christmas Decor

french living room mantel with Christmas swag, paperwhites and candle above stone fireplace

Credit: Alise O'Brien

Homeowner Lynn Eastin's sophisticated Christmas living room is filled with mirrored surfaces reflecting the soft glow put of the tree's string lights. A vase of tulips, potted paperwhites on the mantel, sequin pillows, and a wreath hung on the fireplace mirror contribute to the understated elegance of the nature-inspired space.

Turquoise Holiday Decorations

white fireplace mantel with Christmas swag, monogram stockings and turquoise candelabra

Credit: Kim Cornelison

A neutral living room becomes playful thanks to an eye-catching candelabra and ornaments. The mantel is accentuated with a fresh evergreen garland along with whimsical trinkets like miniature gnomes and mice.

Related: How Gnomes Became Classic Christmas Decor

Make It Yours

christmas tree in basket

Credit: Aniko Levai

You don't have to pile on the ornaments or deck every surface in garland to get a gorgeous look. This simple decorated tree makes a gorgeous statement in this space, and we love the way the gifts wrapped in kraft paper tie in to the wood ornaments on the tree and the pretty woven basket ($34, Target) that the homeowner used in lieu of a tree skirt.

Eclectic Christmas Living Room

white slipcovered sofa under eclectic gallery wall near decorated Christmas tree

Credit: Brie Williams

Artwork made by homeowner Way Way Allen's friends and family add life to a crisp white wall while red and blue ikat pillows have the same effect on the sofa. A vase full of striped 'Popov' amaryllis flaunt more traditional holiday hues along with the classic red, white, and gold tree ornaments.

Gorgeous Christmas Greenery

Christmas wreath hung around deer head décor above mantel in modern living room

Credit: Scott Little

Here's proof that Christmas decorating doesn't have to be over the top. A simple but matching tree, garland, and wreath dress up this living room with minimal effort. A set of white Christmas stockings ($12, Target) keep the look pretty but simple.

Wreath and Ribbon Garland

brightly lit living room with white couch, wreaths, Christmas tree, and ribbon garland

Credit: Ray Kachatorian

Year-round red accents in the living room make decorating for Christmas super easy! When holiday time comes, just add stockings that match the throw pillows, hang a few wreaths with some red velvet ribbon ($10, Michaels), and remember the tree, of course.

Old-Fashion Holiday Accents

antique Christmas décor in cottage living room with stockings, small trees, and gifts

Credit: Jeff Herr

Coordinating with the existing antique theme, the homeowner sought after old-world stockings, pillows, and decorations to boost the cozy nature of this Christmas living room. Festive poinsettias dazzle in an enamelware pitcher on the neutral coffee table.

Festive Bar Cart Idea

large white painted brick fireplace with red winter banner and robins-egg blue walls

Credit: Adam Albright

Keep a gold bar cart stocked and ready for seasonal entertaining in a Christmas living room full of warm and inviting accents. A large red banner spells out the mood while fleece and flannel fabrics in embroidery hoops ($2, Michaels) on the mantel reinforce the cozy atmosphere.

Related: 19 Easy Homemade Christmas Decorations

All-White Christmas Color Scheme

neutral living area with silver and white Christmas tree and décor

Credit: Greg Scheidemann

Keep choosing your decor simple when you pick one color to dominate the room. A white flocked tree ($85, Walmart), chair slipcovers, and assorted candies offer a crisp, clean feel to an elegant home. Adorn the tree with ornaments in a light color palette to add drama.

Gold and Green Christmas Decorations

pale yellow traditional living room with arched ceilings and tall Christmas tree

Credit: Jay Wilde

Beige chairs and a trellis pattern rug let the gold and green Christmas decor do the talking. In addition to an oversize Christmas tree, this homeowner framed the fireplace with two small pre-lit artificial trees ($73, Walmart).

Nautical Christmas Decorations

red and blue Christmas stockings hanging from mantel in coastal-themed living room

Credit: David Tsay

Red, white, and blue aren't just for summertime! We love the nautical stockings and throws in this beachy home. The addition of stockings and a simple wreath make this space holiday-ready without compromising the look and feel of the room.

Classic Christmas Color Palette

red and silver Christmas décor, tree, and stockings in modern living room with taupe walls

Credit: Scott Little

Choose a pop of red for festive and traditional decor. Bright poinsettias and a classic tree take this white-walled room to Christmastime stardom. In addition to the classic Christmas tree, a faux evergreen garland ($13, Walmart) and a few fresh poinsettias are all you need to totally transform a room for the holidays.

Countryside Christmas

rustic living room with stone fireplace, arched ceilings, and greenery Christmas swag

Credit: Andreas Trauttmansdorff

A rustic-looking home calls for outdoorsy Christmas decor. Drape greenery (real or faux) along ledges for a subtle but festive look that you won't want to take down.

Gray Christmas Decorations

large chalkboard calendar in rustic living room near brightly lit white Christmas trees

Credit: Alise O'Brien

A large chalkboard calendar makes counting down until Christmas easy. Two bright white trees, which get added height from galvanized tubs ($17, Michaels), balance out the gray tones of the rest of the room.

Pretty Pom-Pom Garland Idea

living room decorated for Christmas with tree, ivory drapes, and fireplace

Credit: Dana Gallagher

A Christmas living room with clean lines and patterns craves a tree with some spontaneity. In addition to the classic Christmas tree, add texture with a pretty pom-pom garland and mis-matched patterned stockings.

Gold Holiday Decorations

beige living room with windowpane, wreath, Christmas tree, and gray décor

Credit: Tria Giovan

Gold curtains look like they were made for Christmastime when accented with a simple wreath and tree. Cozy blankets complete the scene and make warming up by the fireplace super comfy.

Vintage-Inspired Christmas Decor

vintage-inspired living room with hints of red and green Christmas décor

Credit: Adam Albright

Holiday decorating doesn't need to be overdone. Michigan-born Maria Marcusse adds hints of red and green to her already weathered-looking living room to give it a classic Christmas feel.

Bright Holiday Color Scheme

turquoise credenza behind slipcovered sofa in living room with bright Christmas décor

Credit: Michael Partenio

Diane Henkler chooses bright, uncoventional colors instead of a traditional look for her home. Lime green, bright pink, and turquoise accents match the bright turquoise credenza, and faux wreaths hung with pink ribbon tie the whole space together.

Non-Traditional Christmas Color Scheme

sophisticated winter wonderland Christmas décor in traditional living room

Credit: Kim Cornelison

Red and green are beautiful but we love how this family created a chic winter wonderland in shades of blue. Using Christmas decorations in unexpected colors like turquoise, green, and silver adds a sophisticated touch to your holiday decor. We love how the metallic accents add a pop of holiday glam to this pretty Christmast living room.

Traditional Christmas Living Room

bright red and green holiday decorations in living room

Credit: Kim Cornelison

This look is traditional with a twist! Deck your living room in classic red and green but add a playful theme. Here we decorated with ribbons, a dog motif, and pops of red. Finish the look with packages topped with classic red bows.

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