Simple & Natural Christmas Decor: Bloggers Best Holiday Home Tour 2020
I’m so excited for you to see our entryway, living room, and dining room all dressed up for Christmas! This year I decided to go for a natural Christmas with pops of red, and I love how it turned out.
Before we walk through my home all dressed in red and natural Christmas elements I want to take a moment to honor a couple of wonderful ladies. Kelly with The Tattered Pew and Mansa with This is Simplicite. They have worked so hard to create this blog hop. I’m so grateful for both of them.
If you are hopping over from Stacey’s beautiful Rustic Farmhouse Christmas Inspired Home Tour thanks so much for continuing the journey! If this is your first time visiting us here at Open Doors Open Hearts I wanted you to know how honored we are that you are here. We love having visitors and with everything that’s going on these days, this is one of the most common ways we’ve been able to open our doors. So thanks for joining us!
At Open Doors Open Hearts, we believe that if you’re brave enough to open your doors to those around you, you’ll be blessed by hearts opening around you. We hope you enjoy stepping through our doors as much as we enjoy showing you around! Now let’s get this Christmas Home Tour going! Come as you are!
Disclosure: There are some affiliate links below, but these are products I recommend. I won’t put anything on this page that I haven’t verified and/or personally used.
Natural Christmas: Entryway
The entryway is always such a fun space to decorate in our house. First of all, it’s small, so it doesn’t require a lot of time and energy, but secondly, because I really feel like it has come a long way since the first time, we shared this space with you.
To help create a natural & red Christmas I went with as much evergreen as I could possibly get! This bunch of evergreen stems was found while we were winterizing our house. My husband and I were driving the little riding mower with the little trailer back to the dump pile on our neighbor’s property (yes, they gave us permission to add our dead clippings to the pile).
After we had everything unloaded, I realized they has done the same thing recently. There were pine tree branches in the yard waste pile. I screamed, jumped up and down, and did some fist pumps into the air. No, I’m not kidding you. Luckily, I was just out of the view of the trail cam the neighbors have set up for wildlife. Do you know embarrassing it would have been for them to see me acting like I just won on The Price Is Right haha
Needless to say, I loaded those pine tree branches up onto to now empty trailer and we drove them back to the house. I gave them a fresh cut and then stuck them in a big bucket of water. This particular bunch of stems is my favorite, because of its perfectly imperfect shape. It looks wild and free, which speaks to my heart. For a little more evergreen, I also added an evergreen wreath to the coat rack.
But my favorite addition to this space is the little Norman Rockwell oil painting I picked up at a garage sale 2 summers ago. I had no idea where I would put it, but something about it spoke to me so I bought it.
The warmth of the painting helps make the entryway calmer and cozier. Even though it’s an image of people out shopping for Christmas, it reminds me of a time when things were slower and more simple. A time when Christmas was less hustle and bustle and more love, Jesus born in a manger, and peace.
Natural Christmas: Living Room
Cozy Corner
Remember those boxwood bushes I told you about in my evergreen swag post? Well, I used those in this space too. I created a little nativity scene using one of my great-grandma’s platters, boxwood clippings, twinkle lights, and neutral glass nativity scene figurines. I’ve always struggled with the nativity scene. But I’m liking this year’s version better than any from the previous years.
Mantel
The mantel is loaded with candles at varying heights and a simple and sleek mirror. Then I added garland to create a big swoop from one side to the other. I’ve never done the garland swoop before, and I’m really happy with the way it turned out! Now I just have to make sure that the kiddos don’t decide to climb the red stocking and pull the whole thing down haha!
On the blanket ladder, I picked up this fun candy cane blanket from Rustik Market. I love the way it’s red but it’s a nice light red. Most of the reds that I used this year were very bold, which I love! But this blanket seemed to balance out the bold red that I put in this space. You should go to Rustik Markets page and check out all the Christmas she has!
Coffee Table
I’m really loving styling coffee tables lately. I’m not really sure why. With two kiddos, and a dog with a baseball bat for a tail it doesn’t stay the way I style it for very long. But regardless, it’s been a lot of fun! For this coffee table I stuck with the rules of threes. Apparently, humans like odd numbers best because it creates a center. We find that more attractive than groupings of things that do not have a center.
I did a stack of books on either side of a bowl full of natural and red Christmas décor. I filled the bowl with boxwood clippings and then added small red bulb ornaments, pinecones, and vintage rusty bells. It was a simple coffee table styling, which means when the dog’s tail knocks something off, or the girls decide to play with the bells it’s really quick to put it back together.
Natural Christmas: Dining Room
This is another one of the fun rooms to decorate in our house. Mainly because we recently gave this room a refresh. It’s amazing how doing a couple of simple cosmetic things to a room can make it so much more enjoyable to be in!
Cocoa Bar
A couple of weeks ago I joined some ladies for a hot cocoa Bar tour and I shared all the details of this space. If you’re interested in creating a family-friendly coffee bar for the kiddos go check it out! We have had so much fun with the hot cocoa bar since we finished it. It’s supposed to snow a lot today and tomorrow and maybe we can put this cocoa bar to use after playing in the snow!
Also, if you’re looking for a couple of Christmas gifts for the coffee lover in your life you’ll find a few awesome ideas! The milk frother/steamer, enamel mugs (shatterproof), and a simple and gorgeous way to display the mugs with this mug rack.
Herb Drying Rack
I love this herb drying rack corner. It has dried many flowers. I have plans for these flowers in the early spring. We’ll see if these plans actually happen. I found my precious baby girls playing with some of my dried flowers. Hopefully, I can salvage something with what’s left haha!
But for now, I’ve added some evergreen clippings and a few of the salt dough ornament the girls helped me make last year. We used to make sugar cookies with those awesome vintage silver cookie cutters at Grammys, so I hunted for those same cookie cutters last year specifically so we could use them to make these ornaments! I can’t wait to show you the family tree we put in the living room beside the mantel.
We’re doing a real tree this year, so I don’t have it ready for this post yet. But fingers crossed we will have it all ready to go sometime next week! I can’t wait to decorate the family tree with the girls! It’s my favorite tree in the house every single year.
Wall Rack
The last place I’m going to take you for this Christmas Home tour is the wall rack we put up earlier this year. We originally just put copper pots and pans up on this rack, and since then, I’ve fallen more and more in love with copper.
The days of just the copper pots and pans are over. These days I’m hunting for more and more copper to add to our dining room and our kitchen. I love the way the copper warms up the space. Especially when you find some vintage copper!
I found this copper ladle and colander from my favorite vintage shop in town, Nina’s Niche. She is the sweetest woman and I love going to visit her! In fact, as soon as I finish this post I’m gonna drive by her shop and see if she has found any more copper haha!
Also, I found this festive hand towel and this very simple and natural Christmas tree from Rustik Market. I’m beyond blessed by both of these ladies. I do shop at chain decor stores, but I certainly try to shop at these places first. Be focal. Shop local.
Well, that’s it for my Christmas Home Tour, but be sure to keep hopping along to Kelly’s Christmas Home Tour. I love her ideas so much! So make sure you get some Christmas inspiration from her!
Also, the inspiration isn’t over after today! This blog hop will be going on all week with new inspiration from truly talented ladies ALL WEEK! So make sure you check out all the posts. They’re all at the bottom of this Christmas Home Tour!
Don’t forget to Pin for later!
If you’re looking for some awesome Christmas gifts for children in your life I recently wrote a post on our favorite books from 2020. These books were read and reread at our house this year. Hopefully, this helps you if your feeling stumped for a gift for a child in your life.
Thanks for stopping by! Don’t forget to follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram! Have a great week! XoXo
Open Your Doors,
Aliya
Monday’s Tours
The Tattered Pew // My Thrift Store Addiction // Simply 2 Moms
Worthing Court // Bricks N’ Blooms // Open Doors Open Hearts
Tuesday’s Tours
Lora B Create and Ponder // This Is Simplicite
Shiplap and Shells // The Ponds Farmhouse //
Wednesday Tour’s
Stone Gable // Midwest Life And Style // Follow The Yellow Brick Home
Noting Grace // My Wee Abode // The Farmhouse Life
Thursday’s Tours
Aratari At Home // Caitlin Marie Design // Sweet Pea
Fiddle Leaf Blog // First Day Of Home // White Arrows Home
Friday’s Tours
Cottage On Bunker Hill // The Aspiring Home // Lantern Lane Designs
DIY Beautify // Cassie Bustamante // The Flowering Farmhouse
62 Comments
JENNIFER GULIZIA
Your house looks gorgeous for the holidays!
Aliya
Thank you so much Jen!! It was so fun to decorate! 😄
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Cecilia
Aliya, I adore your nature-inspired Christmas decor. It is all so calming! I especially like the lovely accents you added to your kitchen–even your hanging pots look festive! Have a joyful Christmas season! Pinning & will be sharing in IG stories this week, too! Blessings, Cecilia @My Thrift Store Addiction
Aliya
Thank you so much Cecilia!!! You’re so kind! I had a blast at your home today! It’s so pretty for Christmas!
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stacy
Aliya, I love how you decorated your beautiful home! I especially love the drying rack. xoxo
Aliya
Thanks Stacey!! I have so many ideas for this little drying rack. Next year!!! 😁
JENNIFER GULIZIA
I love all your natural holiday decor!
Suzy Handgraaf
I love all of the Christmas touches that you’ve sprinkled throughout all of the areas of your home! So inviting and cozy!
Aliya
Thank you so much Suzy!! I can’t wait to go check your home out!! My girls naptime is right around the corner 😂
Rachel Harper
Loved seeing your Christmas Tour. Happy to be sharing mine with you tomorrow.
Rachel
Aliya
Rachel thank you so much! I can’t wait to see yours tomorrow! I always love what you share!
Kim | Shiplap and Shells
What a wonderful Christmas tour! And I love all the greenery you’ve brought in. You’re making me wish I had an entry now, you’ve decorated it so beautifully.
Aliya
Thanks so much Kim! I love our little entryway. I used to fight with it all the time because it was so small. But I’ve learned to just lean into the small-ness and now I love it!
Cassie Bustamante
Aliya, I just love your entry! It has a bit of a Scandinavian Christmas vibe I adore!
Aliya
Thank you!! We did an entryway refresh a couple of times this year to finally figure out how we wanted it! haha I think we finally figured out what looks and feels right!
Anne Zirkle
Aliya, I just love how you’ve used all the natural greenery throughout your home for Christmas! The collection of white candles on your mantel makes such a pretty statement. And those drying hooks with the salt dough ornaments are perfect!
Aliya
Thanks so much ladies!! It really means so much to me that you would say such kind words!!
Jen
Everything is so gorgeous, Aliya. I love all of the natural greenery that you used and all of the pretty pops of red! My favorite color for Christmas!
Aliya
Thanks so much Jen! It was so fun to decorate! PS My favorite colors for Christmas are red and green too! I’m super traditional that way haha
Kathy A
Enjoyed your tour so much. Loved the glass Nativity set set in the greenery; lovely touch!
Aliya
Kathy! Thank you so much! It was a piece of Christmas I inherited when I married my husband and I love it too!! Thanks for stopping by the Home Tour today! It was so nice having you!
Kelly
Aliya! As I was reading your post I could hear your voice and I felt like you were showing me each of your beautiful spaces in person! Some day! I love all of your natural branches and touches you scored from the neighbors. My neighbors recently let me use some greenery for a wreath! Anyways, beautiful Christmas decor. I loved your nativity and can’t wait to see your real tree all decorated!!!
Aliya
Someday we are for sure having coffee on your porch and I’ll absolutely take you and a tour of our home…with coffee! Thanks for all your sweet words! XoXo
Julie Briones
You Christmas decor in your tiny home is lovely, Aliya. The evergreens are perfect, and I love the red accents, too! Your mantel is gorgeous… those varying height candles are perfect, and really make a statement! Pinned, and look forward to the rest of the week!
Jennifer Fancher
Aliya – your home is so very beautiful and especially festive this Christmas. I literally LOL-ed at your free greenery fist pumps – because I have done the same thing! I always love freebies!
It has been so lovely being on this blog hop with you!
Aliya
Jen! My husband was convinced that I made the trail cam, but upon further review, the neighbors informed me I had missed it ever so slightly haha I’m glad I’m not the only one who gets excited about these kinds of things!! Thanks so much!
Lora Bloomquist
Loved seeing your home tour and how you decorate your home for Christmas:) I especially loved your story about scoring your neighbor’s clippings; reminded me of being excited about big pinecones in CO on my honeymoon…my husband should have known then that I’m a scrounger!
Aliya
I love it!!! I’m glad I’m not the only one who behaves that way over the little things that excite me!! Can’t wait to see your tour!!
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Paula@SweetPea
Your home looks gorgeous! I love your Norman Rockwell painting in your entryway. He painted from Vermont and that has to be a quaint Vermont town pictured. I loved so many of your ideas, too many to mention, but I have to comment on how you decorated your pot rack. Using salt dough ornaments and greenery is a fabulous idea. I so much enjoyed your decor!
Mansa
Your simple holiday decor is so heart warming! That wreath and the tree in your entryway just have my heart!
Aliya
Thank you so much Mansa! I love them too! XoXo
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Lindsay Aratari
I love the simple Christmas vibes. Feels very comforting and inviting!
Crissy
Aliya, I’m so glad we met on this tour! Your beautiful decor is so timeless and sentimental. (That Norman Rockwell art!) It sounds like we have lots in common, not the least of which is foraging for natural elements and getting “Price is Right” excited about them! Ha! I have young kids as well, so decorating is always a balance. I love that you also have a hot cocoa bar set up! And a drying rack! My kind of girl. Merry Christmas!
Aliya
Ahhh!! Crissy! You have no idea how wonderful it feels to hear you say those kind things!! I’m so so so glad to have met you friend!!
Ana
Aliya, love all your christmas touches!
Aliya
Thanks Ana! I really appreciate you kind words!
Korilyn Martin
Your home is so lovely! I especially love the basket with the tree inside on the bench! styled perfectly!!
Aliya
Thanks so much Kori!! It was such a fun space to decorate!
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KariAnne Wood
You are amazing friend! Your photography is stunning and your house tour is so pretty!
Happy day!
KariAnne
Aliya
Thanks so much KariAnne! Your such a dear friend! So glad to be connected to you!
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Jenna @ Lantern Lane Desgins
Your home is beautiful Aliya! I cannot get enough of your entry. The painting and tree branches are perfect! Have a wonderful Christmas xoxo
Aliya
Thank you so much Jenna! I am so glad I was about to do this tour with you!!! Merry Christmas!
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Jennifer Howard
So pretty Aliya!! Your pot rack looks so nice…I’m digging your copper pots!
Aliya
Jennifer! Thanks so much! My husband wanted to get those copper pots and pans this past spring. It started a love for copper I had no idea was going to happen! haha XoXo
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