Simple Winter White Cottage Decorating Ideas

How to decorate your home with timeless, winter whites. Below you’ll find simple ways to add back the cozy after all the festive holiday touches are gone, using winter white, warm layers and natural elements. 

Today I’m sharing our after-Christmas home all snuggled up for winter. My goal was to keep things simple, using easy home decorating basics and a few Wintry touches. I added soft layers, some natural elements, candles for a warm glow, and a little bit of whimsy for fun.  

After stripping away all my holiday décor, I didn’t want to lose the warmth it offered, but I also wanted to keep things clean, simple… and bright.

It can be very dark here during the wintertime in the Pacific Northwest, it’s one of the reasons I love my white walls and my white furniture. Be it sunlight or lamp light, the white bounces that light around and doesn’t absorb it.

I’m a big fan of mirrors too. More light, yes please! 

The brassy gold mirror & lantern are a favorite pairing, and I often use them together.

My wicker chairs float around a lot, they are light and easy to move, and the boys are always game to carry them up and back from The Little Cottage for me. I’d use them even more if they fit up to the farm table, but alas… they are a smidge too wide to sit side-by-side. 

The little white Deer was found out thrifting years ago, as were the pipes. The later might seem like and odd thing to buy used… but they remind me of my grandpas pipes, and the mildly sweet pipe tobacco he used. 

I kept the décor on my living room console table to a minimum, opting for wintry faux pine branches (with teeny tiny pine cones) and a set of marble coasters. With the oversized glass vase and lengthy stems reflected in the mirror, I felt it filled the space nicely. And since winter is such a sparse quiet season, I wanted that reflected in the house as well. It feels very peaceful. 

This cable knit chenille throw with the furry pom-pom trim was a gift from my mom. I brought it home with me back in the Fall, and I just knew it would be perfect for Winter. (Thanks mama! Love you so much, and I use it lots and think of you!) 

Those sconces have been such a perfect addition, and going into winter with the diffused light they offer is so welcome. The dimmer allows me to bathe the room in light from ambient to bright, and I love that flexibility! 

These Kalen pillows are from Katrina & Co. and were a pre-Christmas purchase. I knew they were going to be so terrifically textured. They are feather filled, and the nubby yumminess of the fabric is divine!

Over the last few years I have become so much more selective with what I allow myself to bring into the house. These beautiful pillows have a timeless feel, while still feeling fresh and energized. And you know I love versatility, and they offer that as well! 

My electrical spool coffee table got an upgrade with some wheels and it makes me love it even more. It was a $20 Facebook marketplace find a few years ago and it’s been used both inside and out. It just got scrubbed-up and freshly painted before it made its way back inside. Jimmy added the wheels for me a few months ago, and they make it even better! 

The décor on my “coffee table” is pretty sparse — with a hurricane, some shed antlers and a few barren winter trees. I specifically use my bleached trees during the wintertime, they are so easy to decorate with, and that makes my life simpler. 

Oh, and in case it applies to you, this is how I divide a room in our small house. 

Our 1920’s cottage has a long, slender open room upon entry to our home. I’ve visually divided it into two rooms — a living room and a dining room.  I’ve done this by placing a console table between the living room furniture, and the dining area.

This strategic furniture placement creates the flow of a walk-thru space from the front door and into our home, while also acting as a boundary between the now two distinct rooms. 

Over the span of 15 years, I almost always have our home set-up in this way.

I kept the simplicity going in the dining area too. 

The farm table is wearing a very un-fussy graphite chambray table runner — it makes a nice base for my chunk-o-tree centerpiece. Next, loads of candles were piled on! 

I added a few more of my (naturally shed) antlers, and two chunky faceted glass candles to the table and called it done! The warm glow from the candles is always a good thing. 

To keep things feeling very calm, I used candles in varying shades of white. 

Another big benefit of having the table décor on the lighter side, is that it leaves the table open to be used — we can dine here easily, then by moving a candle and a set of antlers, I can also use it work on various craft projects. I like to have the TV on as background noise when I am creating. Oftentimes I stream a favorite show or a movie I’ve already seen. 

Even as I’m trying to keep things simpler, I don’t want to shy-away from adding texture & interest! I want simpler… but not sterile feeling. 

The only spot I got a little more heavy-handed was the fireplace mantel. 

I kept the chalkboard exactly the same as I had it for Christmas, but deleted everything else. 

In place of the missing Christmas décor I added — more bleached bottle brush trees in all shapes & sizes, a smattering of candles, some vintage spindles, and a few of my painted wood houses. 

Since I had all my supplies out, I thought I would paint a set of three houses for myself to use for winter. I left the wood raw and natural, and decided to purposefully keep them really minimal — with matte black silhouettes & roofs. I like how stark they are. 

Of course it all started out a bit more sparsely. I nestled them in with a just a few trees and candles to begin with. Then I added the wee tiny trees… then I got the flocked glass trees I had used in our bedroom, and finally, I added my vintage wood spools. And it felt complete. 

And that is the extent of my winter decorating thus far. And it will probably be the extent of it. I did lightly decorate the wood & metal shelf in front of  the brick wall, and thought I might do the kitchen island too… but my kitchen island is currently holding a mini housing tracks worth of little wood houses. haha. It’s the truth though. I am so looking forward to getting back to them! I have some new designs I’m working on, and I’m actually going to be offering them for sale starting next month. GULP. I shared them on Instagram and got such a lovely response, and apparently people would like to buy them… so I’m going to give it a go. I’m a little bit terrified. 

Wishing you all a WARM & COZY winter! Full of good books, candlelight, comforting food, steaming beverages, your favorite pass times, warm homes and full hearts. xo Shannon

I’ve included convenient clickable shopping links below for you. Some may be affiliate links. Click here for full disclosure.

Shopping Sources & Links:

• Kalen Pillows – from Katrina & Co.[click here]

• Teak Wood Bowl – Katrina & Co. [click here]

• Ava Sofa, Chair & Ottoman – Grandin Road [click here]

Having a bit of trouble pulling more links, until I can fix that, please let me know if I can help you with anything. Shannon 

Related:

• How To Shiplap A Fireplace Wall (for about $30.00)

• How To Paint A Fireplace Fire Box — this will keep your fireplace looking good!

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