25 Days of Holiday Decorating

This holiday, decorate with coastal style. Try our design ideas―one for every day of the season!

1 of 26

Punch Up Your Palette

Photographer Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn, Stylist Stephanie Davis

Use seasonal pillows and throws to add festive accents to a room. Bring in more color by wrapping packages in coordinating paper and hanging wreaths with generous lengths of ribbon.

2 of 26

Reinvent Your Chandelier

Photographer Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn, Stylist Stephanie Davis

Trim the fixture with evergreen sprigs and silver balls hung with red ribbons of varying lengths. Lighten the mood by skipping the heavy linens. Use chargers instead of place mats or tablecloths, and casually slip napkins through rings.

3 of 26

Streamline Decor

Photographer Lisa Romerein, Stylist Char Hatch Langos

Holiday trees need not be over-the-top. Make yours pretty with sparkling white lights and metallic glass balls. In this modern home, the tree complements the living room’s sleek furniture.

4 of 26

Add Some Sparkle

Photographer Tria Giovan, Stylist Elizabeth Raines Beeler

For a subtle, shimmery look, decorate with white and silver balls. Make a festive centerpiece by placing extra ornaments in planters on your table.

5 of 26

Keep Decor Simple

Photographer Tria Giovan, Stylist Elizabeth Raines Beeler

Add swaths of greenery and a centerpiece of ornaments for a touch of holiday spirit in any room.

6 of 26

Go Beyond the Interior

Photographer Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn, Stylist Stephanie Davis

Place a Christmas tree on your patio or deck, or near the pool, and play up the beach theme with sea-inspired strings of lights and blue and white ornaments. Or, instead of hanging yards of white twinkle lights, scatter lanterns around your outdoor space and let them provide more holiday glow.

7 of 26

Outfit Extra Spaces

Photographer Roger Davies, Stylist Char Hatch Langos

/Coastal touches such as nautical ornaments and stockings with images of sailboats highlight this tiny pool house’s year-round decor. Tiny spruces in red pots decorate the coffee table, and swags of garland wrap around the loft area’s nautical rigging.

8 of 26

Adorn Your Windows

Photographer Dominique Vorillon, Stylist Gena Sigala

Suspend wreaths from windows to welcome the season and your holiday guests.

9 of 26

Display Fresh Flowers

Photographer Dominique Vorillon, Stylist Gena Sigala

Simple flower arrangements of fresh blooms can turn an everyday dining room into a festive holiday gathering space. It’s an easy decoration that won’t require off-season storage.

10 of 26

Hit the Beach

Photographer Tria Giova

Use your beachcombing finds to trim the tree or front door, or even decorate wrapped gifts. Tie shells into place with floral wire and, if necessary, supplement your fragile finds with items purchased at shell shops. Attach a large sea star to the top of the wreath instead of a bow for a statement-making front door.

11 of 26

Go for the Gold (and Silver, Too)

Photographer Jean Allsopp, Stylist Elizabeth Raines Beeler

A metallic-and-white display blends easily into a room that’s sparse in color. Spread gold wire mesh and silver beaded garland across a mantel. Fill galvanized tins with blooming paperwhites. For a finishing touch, intersperse glitter-dipped pinecones.

12 of 26

Create Your Own Garland

Photographer Eric Roth, Stylists Mandi Rapisardi & Tracey Rapisardi

Homemade garland adds a festive touch to the bedroom. Loop rope through sea stars and tie a simple knot to hold them in place. Drape along the end of a bed or atop windows where you’ll be sure to see them.

13 of 26

Decorate Your Bed

Photographer Eric Roth, Stylists Mandi Rapisardi & Tracey Rapisardi

Hang stockings at the end of beds to save mantel space. Fill with treats on Christmas morning or every day of the season!

14 of 26

Fill Your Fireplace

Photographer Brian Vanden Brink

If you have a nonworking fireplace (or if it’s simply too toasty for fires in your locale), fill your firebox with a centerpiece instead. A mix of greens, sea stars, shells, and handwoven Nantucket lightship baskets brings the sea indoors.

15 of 26

Coordinate Your Gifts

Photographer James R. Salomon, Stylist Susan Salomon

Use coordinating wrapping paper to match gifts to your holiday decorating scheme. Boats and ship’s bells ring in the season, and primitive accents lend folk-art flair to this living room.

16 of 26

Warm Up Bedrooms

Photographer Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

Throw red-and-white quilts over beds to provide cozy comfort on Christmas and all winter long.

17 of 26

Bring Decor Outdoors

Photographer Jean Allsopp, Stylist Elizabeth Raines Beeler

Opt for casual over froufrou when decorating for the holidays. On your table, pair a tray of pomegranates with green or teal mason jars or large wine bottles.

18 of 26

Get Creative With Displays

Photographer Jean Allsopp, Stylist Brian Carter

No fireplace? Try hanging your stockings on an old cherry-picking ladder. When the china’s taking up table space, display holiday cards in a glass cabinet.

19 of 26

Abandon Traditional Colors

Stylist Vicki Weathers, Photographer Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

Dramatic green, pink, and blue trees embellished with whimsical sea creatures prove a welcome departure from red and green. Bright green feather wreaths and gaily wrapped packages scattered about the room continue the unconventional theme.

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Celebrate With White

Photographer Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

Pair translucent and silver accessories with a sea-inspired fixture for glamour and elegance.

21 of 26

Fashion Your Own Tree

Photographer Jean Allsopp, Stylist Elizabeth Raines Beeler

Create a Christmas tree of cut branches adorned with white and silver ornaments for a quick holiday arrangement in any bedroom. It’s a festive touch that especially shines against minimalist decor.

22 of 26

Don’t Forget Tradition

Photographer Deborah Whitlaw Llwellyn, Stylist Whitney Wise Long

Bring in some of the established elements of Christmas and give them a coastal twist. Decorate a fir tree with shells and bleached sea stars. A Christmas favorite, poinsettias bloom not only in red, but also in beachy shades of pink, yellow, and white.

23 of 26

Design A Sea of Gifts

Photographer Deborah Whitlaw Llwellyn, Stylist Whitney Wise Long

Incorporate shades of the ocean in your present presentation. The dazzle of a decorated tree doubles when paired with shimmery giftwrap in silvers and blues. Instead of bows, tie on seashells and palmetto leaves.

24 of 26

Unite with Color

Photographer Jean Allsopp

With such a stunning gabbro stone fireplace, the mantel needs minimal embellishment. Match crimson candles to the ribbon used in the fresh fir wreath to establish your color palette. Intertwine the ribbon with the candles to enhance the burst of color.

25 of 26

Bask in Fresh Greenery

Photographer Jean Allsopp

A staircase becomes the center of attention when adorned with fresh greenery and flower-laden hanging vases. Arrange tropical flowers in glass sconces to bring sprays of color to the banister. Fill hurricane lamps with sea glass and candles to brighten steps and cast a welcoming glow. Use scented candles to add warmth and holiday cheer with seasonal fragrances.

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25 Days of Holiday Decorating

1 of 26

Punch Up Your Palette

2 of 26

Reinvent Your Chandelier

3 of 26

Streamline Decor

4 of 26

Add Some Sparkle

5 of 26

Keep Decor Simple

6 of 26

Go Beyond the Interior

7 of 26

Outfit Extra Spaces

8 of 26

Adorn Your Windows

9 of 26

Display Fresh Flowers

10 of 26

Hit the Beach

11 of 26

Go for the Gold (and Silver, Too)

12 of 26

Create Your Own Garland

13 of 26

Decorate Your Bed

14 of 26

Fill Your Fireplace

15 of 26

Coordinate Your Gifts

16 of 26

Warm Up Bedrooms

17 of 26

Bring Decor Outdoors

18 of 26

Get Creative With Displays

19 of 26

Abandon Traditional Colors

20 of 26

Celebrate With White

21 of 26

Fashion Your Own Tree

22 of 26

Don’t Forget Tradition

23 of 26

Design A Sea of Gifts

24 of 26

Unite with Color

25 of 26

Bask in Fresh Greenery

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