This Bryarton Cottage Tour is full of thrifty Christmas decor ideas.  I wanted to share the warmth of our cozy Victorian cottage in Georgia, where we lived last Christmas. Join us in decorating for the birthday celebration of the Savior through creative vignettes that will inspire.

Christmas 2013 was the first year that Cami Grace could really enjoy and partake in all the festivities and the snow. So we had a lot of fun starting traditions that we will continue as she and her little sister grow up. One of those traditions is decorating the tree together.

Camdyn was fascinated by all the sparkling ornaments and lights as we added them to our live 8 foot tall tree. We usually can only afford a 5-6ft tree, which seemed dinky under the 12 foot ceiling. But by shear accident last year, someone put the wrong price on this giant, and they took the loss on it. What a blessing!

I love to incorporate nature into my Christmas décor. Not only is it free, but it also feels right for the season. Decorating for a birthday celebration using something the birthday Boy made Himself just makes sense. It is a little harder to do this in the winter when all of nature is asleep or dead, but there are a plethora of pinecones, ever-greenery, and dried flowers available for anyone willing to brave the cold in search for them.

Living Room

Anything that was not gathered from my yard I picked up from the local Goodwill, yard sales, or made myself. It is amazing what you can come up with when you have little but the creative mind that I believe God put in all of us. For example, this oval picture frame I snagged for only $4 (because the glass was cracked) was easily turned into an inspirational chalkboard.

Try to solve design problems in your home without running to a chain store. I had a large crack in the 100 year old plaster just above this holiday painting.  Using a 99¢ beat up hymnal, I cut leaf shapes of various sizes and hot glued them together to create this one-of-a-kind garland. Tacked gently to the wall it not only hid the crack, but also added something textural to my original artwork below.

Formal Dining Room

For the dining room, I changed my holiday color palate from the traditional red and green to an unexpected blue and gold. These colors complemented the existing dining room color palate of grey, black, white, and mustard yellow making the room feel relaxing. Don’t be afraid to stray from using traditional materials or colors when decorating for Christmas, as long as the focus is honoring the Savior.

 Other Holiday Vignettes

These little pops of Christmas cheer greeted visitors in the entryway and all throughout the cottage. Putting together an arrangement in a small area is called a “vignette” and gives interest to even the most drab of corners. As landing places for one’s eyes, vignettes are a designer’s playground.

Sorry, I couldn’t help sharing all these shots of Camdyn’s first experience with snow. One of the joys of Christmas is experiencing things through a child’s eyes. I hope this tour has given you some ideas to use in your home. We will be sharing another Christmas tour soon showcasing Bryarton Farm decked out for the season.

I would love to hear some of the creative Christmas traditions and décor ideas you have implemented.