The Little Cottage at Christmas
How to decorate a beautiful flocked Christmas tree on a modest budget, and create a soft, snowy, sparkly Winter living room filled with diy project, thrifts store finds and affordable furnishings & decor!
Hello my Winter Foxes! Welcome to The Little Cottage, I can’t wait to show you around. As you can see, the pink velvet chairs have spurred a flurry of pink accenting for the holiday.Â
I can not even tell you how fun it’s been to play with this soft pink blush color. Being a boy mom has been the best thing ever, but I definitely missed out on a lot of pink over the years, and I’m making up for it now! Back in the Fall, when I decided on the pink velvet, instead of being practical and getting gray, I knew I wanted to decorate The Little Cottage with splashes of pink for Christmas, and this has just been a dream. I hope you’ll indulge me!
I gathered up all my flocked trees, wreaths and garlands, and everything I had in silver & gold to decorate. I tried to buy very, very little new, and when I did it was very inexpensive.
And it was also pre “we have to do major construction on the house”. But I don’t regret a thing.Â
My mom and my sister were texting me one day while they were out shopping, and I showed me these sweet vintage looking deer. Well I loved them of course, and a lucky me, a few days later they showed up in the mail! I knew right where I was going to put them too!Â
Bottle brush trees are the perfect holiday filler! They go anywhere, go with everything, and I use them copiously. I really tend to stick to basics I can use again & again. They tend to save me money, minimize frustration, and make decorating so much easier.
I did hit a little hiccup when I couldn’t find my $30 Flocked Tree, but I rallied and hit Walmart, and got one of the last two $79 pre-lit trees they had left. It’s a foot taller, a bit fluffier and I didn’t have to string 600 lights. It was worth it. I am in love with it.
Could I go bigger with the vaulted ceilings? Sure, but I didn’t have several extra hundred dollars to buy a tree or all the additional ornaments it would take to fill it, and I am totally content with this.
I got so, so lucky when I saw these faux fur pillows in (what I crossed my fingers was) the perfect shade of pink. And they were! I was actually shocked at how well the tone and shade matched my chairs.
The seascape was switched out for a vintage mirror. One of several I’ve found out junking for super cheap.Â
I forgot to light the little tea lights when I first started taking my pictures because honestly, I was feeling rushed.
You see, on the way down to The Little Cottage, I saw our male feral cat, and he had what looked to be an abscess below his eye. So, I ran back up to the house and contacted a local non-profit to see if that was something I could bring him in for. A regular vet won’t see him, because he is feral and you can’t handle him. I got an appointment to bring him in the same day, and ran back down to take my pictures to share with you before the sun disappeared. Whew. And you thought I was sipping champagne and leisurely taking pictures in my pink Christmas cottage now didn’t you? hehe
My old vintage ladder hides the electrical box and panel. I always find something to hang on it to act as ugly-real-life-stuff-camouflage.
This year, it was a darling There’s No Place Like Home For The Holidays wood sign that Devanie Adams sent me from Krumpets home decor. Partnering with this small business to share with you has been an extra blessing this year, since we are throwing so much into re-building our house.
Make sure to read the source section at the end of my post for an amazing sale going on right now!
I had actually planned to leave the little flocked tree totally naked! But at the last minute, I tried just very causally looping some pink satin ribbon around it. And I’m so glad I did. It’s a soft pale pink, and I used it to hang the stockings up, and just gave it a shot on the tree. Happy accidents. Often the best kind!Â
FUN FACT: This ribbon is from the florals from our wedding. So it’s vintage. hahaha
My Antiques Collectibles sign is something that will always be here. That wall is its home. I can’t imagine ever taking it down!
The coffee table decor is simply some Oui glass yogurt jars, tea lights, faux snow and a glitter dusted Putz house.Â
I kept things light, and somewhat symmetrical on the console. I really wanted the tree, and the mantel to be the focus in this room. Because they are what I want to look at the most and I didn’t feel like every surface needed to be drenched in Christmas.Â
I just adore those Deer! I love the vintage vibe, even thought they aren’t. My friend Kelly Elko (aka Eclectically Vintage) got them too! And she’s across the country, all the way over in New Jersey. Small world.
Hi Kelly!Â
The bonus of decorating a small space is that it doesn’t take as much decor to complete it.Â
Yet I still took 95,000 photos… I’m sorry. I was just in some sort of a pink coma I guess.
With all the girly colors and my Doe throw… and the glitter.Â
See how pretty the table looks when the candles are glowing?Â
Simple I tell ya.Â
Candles + Faux Snow + Something Glittery = Magic!Â
I absolutely have plans to sneak down here at some point and indulge in a movie! Perhaps on high volume, when my house is being torn apart?Â
I love a hidden TV, though I am getting really tempted by those fabulous TV consoles with built in electric fireplaces. How cozy would that be!?Â
And my white glass front cabinet is still saving the place for a fridge. One of theses days, I’ll run across a good deal. And Austin will love me extra. Even if the house is pink.Â
Which I promised not to do to the actual guest bedroom.Â
Were my fingers crossed behind my back? Maybe.Â
I thought I might sneak back down, light all the tiny coffee table tealights, and re-shoot some of those views.
But then reality called and laughed at me.Â
Plus I don’t want your Christmas gift from me, to be your eyes falling out… so I’ll wrap it up. Your welcome.Â
Thank you so much for joining me! If I didn’t have you to share this pink wonderland with, I might just pop! Blogging has been such a huge blessing over the years, being away from my mom and my sister. Having all of you to share with is really something I am so, so thankful for!!!!
Merry, Merry Christmastime ~ xo ShannonÂ
PS: As I type this, the boy kitty is back home, all taken care of! Safe, healthy and recovering for the night in the warm & cozy bathroom at The Little Cottage. And hopefully not missing his little bits that were snipped while they had him.Â
PPS: And, I’m going to do a separate post on all the tree details if you guys are interested, so you don’t pass out from reading this post.Â
SOURCES:
Some clickable shopping links may be affiliate.Â
- My Flocked Tree [click here]Â
- Accent Flocked Tree, Santa I Tried Pillow, Vintage Deer: HomeGoodsÂ
- Pink Velvet Chairs [click here]
- Delicate Gold & Glass Lanterns [click here]Â
- White Fur & Glitter Snowflake Pillow, Two Urn Flocked Trees: Big Lots
- Pink Faux Fur Pillow Set, Fa La La Pillow, Furry Jingle Bell Garland: ROSS
- Silver & Gold Mantel Trees, Flocked Wreath: Walmart
- Assorted Bottle Brush Trees: Walgreens, HomeGoods, JoAnn
- Doe Fur Throw: BHG Walmart, sold out
- Grey & White Area Rug [click here]
- Plantation Shutters: Blinds.comÂ
- Walls: Sherwin Williams in Extra White – Harmony PaintÂ
- OTHER: Most likely DIY, Vintage or ThriftedÂ
- My No Place Like Home Pillow, Sign and White Christmas sign, are all from Krumpets Home Decor.Â
Right now, Krumpets Home Decor is offering 40% Off on the entire Christmas Collection! PLUS, and extra 10% off for a total of 50% off, yep, FIFTY PERCENT OFF
— Use code FOXHOLLOWCOTTAGE in all caps at check out.
CLICK HERE TO SHOP TODAYÂ
I love the little cottage, so cosy. Also love your Church.
Wow! Just wow!! I love all your Christmas spaces! So much beauty & inspiration here Shannon! I especially love the pink in the guest house! Sharon @houseonheatherfield
Thank you Sharon. That was SUCH a treat to get to do.
Merry Christmas!!