Decorating with organic elements for the holidays is not only budget friendly, but it also helps create a gorgeous rustic ambiance. While in my household we use an artificial tree, the wonderful scent of freshly cut pine branches quickly uplifts our family’s seasonal soul and is an easy way to bring the outside in. We cut branches away my parents’ white pine trees each year; the soft and long needles are easy to work with, providing a wonderful wispy look to garland. Try out re-creating a number of these looks in your own space or utilize them to inspire your very own fresh take.
Julie Ranee Photography
In our farmhouse kitchen, I chose red as an accent color to add a special holiday touch to our regular look. For your island cottages, I place pieces of freshly cut pine branches around a classic enamel pail filled with gathered pinecones.
Over the hood hangs a red holly wreath tied with a handmade burlap decoration.
Tip: To create a burlap ribbon to your very own all-natural wreath, just cut a narrow slice of burlap, which you can buy at your local crafts store, and sew it onto the sides to stop fraying.
Julie Ranee Photography
This view of the kitchen includes the dining table, where another display of pine garland and pinecones comes together atop a burlap table runner. The simplicity of the display allows the organic elements to take centre stage.
Julie Ranee Photography
My kids and I made gingerbread houses out of graham crackers and icing, and paired them with a little evergreen tree on top of our hutch. While during the entire year I display the jadeite dishes you visit, the classic green thermos plays nicely with all the vacation color palette.
Julie Ranee Photography
Nothing says “rustic” for example old barn wood. I used an empty flea market frame and filled it with a simple green wreath to match the table display.
Tip: Finding different ways to display pinecones lets you utilize them throughout the house without the threat of too much repetition. For the headboard, I used a classic wooden box to stand the pinecones upright. A shorter display like this allows for easy table conversation.
Julie Ranee Photography
From the living room, the organic elements used on a couch table that is a wooden ironing board include pine garland, buckeyes, peach pits, pinecones and sand from a beach vacation. While we utilize an artificial Christmas tree, then it fits right in with my rustic vacation decorating style. The newspaper garland on the tree was made by hand using vintage sheet songs.
4 Rustic, Romantic Christmas Ornaments to Craft in Minutes
Julie Ranee Photography
Straw hats topped with a red star are a rustic alternative to a traditional Christmas tree. Antiques such as the typewriter, metal drawers, baskets and cameras nod to the rich history of the season.
I generally possess these hats on display but was motivated to bring the red star for Christmas after a friend told me their collective shape reminded her of a shrub. One of those hats is one that my dad wore while he helped us build this house. Others are sourced from flea markets and thrift shops.
Julie Ranee Photography
More pine garland is put in the transom window and on top of the cabinet completed in blue milk paint. A natural wood Nativity scene sits with a small evergreen shrub on top of the cupboard.
Tip: to generate the long pine garland, I tied together pieces with string. The window greeting is made from papier-mâché letters covered in strips of classic sheet music. I bought the letters at my local crafts store and used a decoupage medium to stick the sheet songs.
Julie Ranee Photography
From the restroom, I put natural pine garland above the medication cabinets. The classic apothecary cabinet was bought at a local auction for only $15 and fits in easily with all the rustic vacation decoration.
Tip: The toilet is an ideal location for seasonal greens because the high humidity keeps them nicely hydrated.
Julie Ranee Photography
On the stairs, I inserted another wreath-filled flea market wood frame along with a pine garland to flaunt red glass ornaments and a typography hint that catches true spirit of the season.
Tell us : Does your house have a cue in the outside? Let us know in the Comments below.