me decorating the Christmas tree

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I am LOVING the neutrals on my Christmas tree this year! I think the added copper velvet ribbon might be my favorite addition to the last stop on my 2017 holiday home tour: the living room and fireplace.

neutral christmas decor holiday home tour - living room

Hi friends! I hope this final Friday before Christmas isn’t too hectic for you. As promised, I’ve come back on the blog today to toast the holidays (clink clink, glug) and show off my neutral living room decor.

me decorating the Christmas tree

When I had my family over for Christmas dinner (last weekend), I snapped a bunch of photos to show off the tree. In all honesty though, things were pretty crazy with the meal, not to mention the SIX dogs we had between all the family visiting. It was one big blur, with just a few moments to snap in between. For me though, it was totally worth it to soak in all of that Christmas glitter as my backdrop:

Stella at Christmas

Stella is such a great little model. ?

Copper. Velvet. Ribbon.

Neutral Christmas Tree with Copper Velvet Ribbon

As you can see from these photos, there is ONE inconsistency with the tree: the copper velvet ribbon. It’s a whole lotta lewk with just one item, isn’t it? I spotted it on Etsy and immediately ordered. But due to shipping time and just plain exhaustion, I didn’t stick it on the tree until this week. I think it was the final flourish that really makes the tree shine, though.

neutral christmas tree with copper ribbon
Related: DIY Wooden Couch Sleeve

And velvet? Not a thing I ever expected myself to decorate with. But the 80s are coming back in a pretty big wa, and I’m a little bit here for it — within reason. If you see me walking around with a fanny pack, or a scrunchy, or those godawful hairsprayed bangs (yes, I’ve heard at least 2 of these things are coming back, ick), please internet shame me until I remove them.

Christmas tree with copper velvet ribbon

I anticipated the ribbon to be slightly lighter/brighter than how it looks in person, but it’s still gorgeous. My tree was already decorated by the time it came in the mail, so it was a lot easier to weave it in with short 3-foot pieces instead of trying to keep the entire roll intact (I wish I could have, but c’est la vie).

side view copper velvet ribbon on Christmas tree

Neutral & Copper Christmas Tree: Ornaments

I liked the “joy” ornament I’ve had in previous years so much that I bought more words to go on this year’s tree. Only I didn’t have time to decorate them, so they’re bare wood. Maybe I’ll do it by Christmas… maybe not.

Ooh, I want to show this off to ya too: my aunt gave me a beautiful new ornament this year that perfectly fit my theme!

woodland ornament gold sky

Gorgeous, right? She also gave me a — *ahem * — squirrel ornament too, so she trolled me in addition to giving me something I’ll cherish forever. Family.

squirrel ornament

Neutral Christmas Mantel and Stockings

neutral Christmas decor on fireplace mantel

I went neutral this year on the mantel, too, with most of the decor being reusable from previous years. The stockings are a new addition since we have a few more people to represent this year (Stella and K), but I really like the mix-and-match style of them. Keeps things looking more casual and homey.

gold and white Christmas mantle

closeup of neutral Christmas mantel with white and gold

The little white houses on either end are also a new addition. I picked them up at Joann’s on a super steep Christmas sale (60 and 70% off!).

left side of Christmas mantel 2017

right side closeup of mantel Christmas 2017 neutral scheme

Christmas Cookies

Whoops — I forgot I had cookies on the coffee table, but I suppose it’s just fine that they wound up in my photos! The copper canisters are a new addition to the kitchen and the cookies are old family favorites. I’ll have more details on the cookie bar-looking things really soon, and you might recognize the ones below that are my Granny’s kolaches (recipe here). Our family seems to have a thing with jam.

Cookie jar on coffee table

Christmas living room 2017 - with neutrals and copper accents on Christmas tree and fireplace

That’s the last house tour photo dump I have for ya this week, but feel free to take a look back on the entryway and kitchen or the dining room posts if you missed them. There’s also my red and white Christmas decor from two years ago that should get some love if you haven’t seen it. I say that because it’s just been dethroned by my 2017 decor as “favorite Christmas look”.

christmas living room - classic red and white
Pffft… amateur hour, Sarah.

Be sure to come back this weekend for another free cross stitch pattern and the full recap of our holiday dinner early next week. Maybe it will serve as a fun distraction if you need something to read while hiding from your family. ? If you’re a fan of dogs, you’re probably going to really enjoy it!

Are you finished decorating, or are you still tweaking like me? Merry Christmas, friends!

neutral christmas decor holiday home tour - living room - tree with velvet ribbon

Still want more? Check out my Holidays category page or see past Christmases in this Holiday Home Tour page!

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6 Comments

  1. Sarah, MERRY CHRISTMAS to you, too! I love your Christmas tree. I think the copper ribbon is just the right touch to accent the other decorations. I have been staying pretty neutral this year, too. For the past few years–ten, or so–been decorating my small tree with only white or silver ornaments and white lights. I departed from that a smidgen this year by adding some small blush ornaments and I love the look of them in among the white and silver. In other places in my house, though, you will find touches of red and green.

    Your mantel–one of which I sincerely want–is very pretty in the neutrals, too. I want a mantel in my living room big time. I don’t care about an actual fireplace, I just want a mantel to decorate! There is only one place it could go and it would displace—to where?– the furniture that is presently on that wall. So, you see…not really practical. But I WANT one! And I’d prefer a VINTAGE one, please. Oh darn, I suppose it’s too late to write to Santa. I never tho’t of that! I have been especially good this past year, too. I know he could get it in the sleigh if he tried really, really hard. Well, I’ll for sure write him next year. You know how much I want that mantel by the fact that I’m willing to be good two years in a row!!

    1. Haha – I dunno, two years is tough for me! But you can always do a faux mantel that hangs on the wall without actually having a fireplace (as pretty as they are). And I don’t have my sectional touching ANY walls… it sits right in the middle of the room, so you can walk around it on all sides!

      1. Yeah, I’ve tho’t of having just the mantle- type shelf instead of the whole fireplace. It’s not my first choice but I might have to settle. I’m going to have to shuffle some furniture around, maybe get rid of a piece or two and think about it. I have a lot of old family pieces of furniture that I am attached to which take up quite a bit of the space in my small living room. Like the old oak up-right piano that was my grandmother’s. It’s a beast and takes up one of the two unbroken walls in the room. So the couch has to go either on the one left or in front of the bay window. I’ll keep thinking about alternatives and maybe I will have to settle. Which is not so much like me–to settle! I guess there’s a first time for everything as they say!

        Hope your Christmas is filled with Peace and Happiness!

  2. Gorgeous! Well done, I really love the addition of the ribbon in the tree. Looking forward to seeing the new post with all the pups (6 dogs, I can’t imagine!)

    Merry Christmas!???

  3. Which ribbon did you use? Where can I buy it? This year I want to do neutral Christmas treewoth copper velvet ribbon.