20 Festive Decorating Ideas for Small Spaces
You can dress up your home for Christmas even when you don’t have room for a big tree
You don’t have to have a full-size tree to make your house feel like a winter wonderland. Take your pick from these 20 ideas — including a hot drinks bar and bookcase wreaths — and get your home in the holiday mood, no giant tree required.
2. Bookcase Wreaths
Highlight your library with a row of green wreaths hung from ribbon.
If you miss that Christmas tree smell, choose fresh evergreen wreaths and periodically snip off a few tips of greenery with scissors to boost the fragrance.
Shop for holiday wreaths and garlands
Highlight your library with a row of green wreaths hung from ribbon.
If you miss that Christmas tree smell, choose fresh evergreen wreaths and periodically snip off a few tips of greenery with scissors to boost the fragrance.
Shop for holiday wreaths and garlands
3. Red Flowers
Roses, calla lilies, poinsettias or even red carnations look warm and festive. Cut stems short and arrange the blooms in a small vase for the full, rounded look shown here.
Roses, calla lilies, poinsettias or even red carnations look warm and festive. Cut stems short and arrange the blooms in a small vase for the full, rounded look shown here.
4. Prettily Wrapped Gifts
Having your holiday gifts (or at least some of them!) bought and wrapped ahead of time can give you great peace of mind during this busy season.
Plus, wrapped gifts make great decor. Just pile up a few on the floor, a bench or a crate and embellish them with sprigs of greenery.
Having your holiday gifts (or at least some of them!) bought and wrapped ahead of time can give you great peace of mind during this busy season.
Plus, wrapped gifts make great decor. Just pile up a few on the floor, a bench or a crate and embellish them with sprigs of greenery.
5. Snuggly Bedding
Cozy flannel sheets or a warm plaid blanket make wonderful additions to your winter bed.
Tip: If you’re eyeing holiday sheet sets but don’t want to bust the budget on bedding, just get holiday throw pillows instead. Paired with plain white sheets, they still say holiday but in a subtler way.
Cozy flannel sheets or a warm plaid blanket make wonderful additions to your winter bed.
Tip: If you’re eyeing holiday sheet sets but don’t want to bust the budget on bedding, just get holiday throw pillows instead. Paired with plain white sheets, they still say holiday but in a subtler way.
6. Sprig of Berries
Red berries tucked into a ceramic vase make a bright point in any room. Try putting a sprig among the books on your shelves, in the powder room or on bedside tables.
3 Recipes for Foraged Holiday Table Decor
Red berries tucked into a ceramic vase make a bright point in any room. Try putting a sprig among the books on your shelves, in the powder room or on bedside tables.
3 Recipes for Foraged Holiday Table Decor
7. Advent Garland
Particularly if you have kids in the house (but even if you don’t), advent calendars can be great fun. A garland festooned with numbered treat bags makes a colorful decoration for a blank wall or a banister.
Particularly if you have kids in the house (but even if you don’t), advent calendars can be great fun. A garland festooned with numbered treat bags makes a colorful decoration for a blank wall or a banister.
8. 2D Tree
Make your own version of the geometric tree shown here by cutting out triangles of black tape (test it first to be sure it won’t harm paint) and arranging them in a tree shape on the wall. A few colored triangles add a fresh, modern touch.
Houzz Tour: More Color for a Fun Christmas in Sweden
Make your own version of the geometric tree shown here by cutting out triangles of black tape (test it first to be sure it won’t harm paint) and arranging them in a tree shape on the wall. A few colored triangles add a fresh, modern touch.
Houzz Tour: More Color for a Fun Christmas in Sweden
9. Mini Wreaths in the Windows
Suspended from slender red ribbons, this assortment of small wreaths looks stunning from indoors and out. Hang your wreaths at different lengths to get a similar effect.
Suspended from slender red ribbons, this assortment of small wreaths looks stunning from indoors and out. Hang your wreaths at different lengths to get a similar effect.
10. Mantel Swag
A simple garland of greenery, readily available at many garden centers and tree farms in December, looks holiday-ready draped across the mantel. Nestle in candles (real or battery-operated) or twine white twinkle lights through the branches for a magical touch.
Shop for candles
A simple garland of greenery, readily available at many garden centers and tree farms in December, looks holiday-ready draped across the mantel. Nestle in candles (real or battery-operated) or twine white twinkle lights through the branches for a magical touch.
Shop for candles
11. Wooden Tabletop Tree
This fun project is one you can make this year and keep for many more holiday seasons to come. The sturdy base is made from wood, and the greenery is removable, so you can replace it with fresh, fragrant greens each year.
See how to make this charming tabletop Christmas tree
This fun project is one you can make this year and keep for many more holiday seasons to come. The sturdy base is made from wood, and the greenery is removable, so you can replace it with fresh, fragrant greens each year.
See how to make this charming tabletop Christmas tree
12. Amaryllis Bulb
Forced bulbs make an elegant addition to a bar cart, side table or entryway. Here, the scene is made even more festive with the addition of golden ornament-filled champagne flutes and a vintage silver ice bucket.
Forced bulbs make an elegant addition to a bar cart, side table or entryway. Here, the scene is made even more festive with the addition of golden ornament-filled champagne flutes and a vintage silver ice bucket.
13. Pine Cone Garland
Foraged pine cones are elevated with brush-on gold leaf and attached to rustic rope for this nature-inspired garland. Drape your finished garland across the mantel, wall or entry.
See how to make this festive pine cone garland
Foraged pine cones are elevated with brush-on gold leaf and attached to rustic rope for this nature-inspired garland. Drape your finished garland across the mantel, wall or entry.
See how to make this festive pine cone garland
14. Branch in a Vase
Take a fresh cutting from a tree outdoors, plunk it in a jar of fresh, cold water and then surround it with white candles. Simple, beautiful and so Scandinavian.
Take a fresh cutting from a tree outdoors, plunk it in a jar of fresh, cold water and then surround it with white candles. Simple, beautiful and so Scandinavian.
15. Fancy Cocktail Napkins
Have a set of embroidered or monogrammed cocktail napkins hiding in a drawer? This is the time to use them! Set a stack on the coffee table, and they will add to the ambiance even when guests aren’t using them for their drinks.
Have a set of embroidered or monogrammed cocktail napkins hiding in a drawer? This is the time to use them! Set a stack on the coffee table, and they will add to the ambiance even when guests aren’t using them for their drinks.
16. Strategic Holiday Book Placement
Vintage children’s holiday books with sweet illustrations make a fun addition to holiday decor. Try setting a few picture books — or classic titles like Little Women and A Christmas Carol — beneath a glass-top coffee table or propped up between bookends on a console table.
Browse glass-top coffee tables
Vintage children’s holiday books with sweet illustrations make a fun addition to holiday decor. Try setting a few picture books — or classic titles like Little Women and A Christmas Carol — beneath a glass-top coffee table or propped up between bookends on a console table.
Browse glass-top coffee tables
17. Chalk Art
Have a chalkboard or a wall coated in chalkboard paint? Transform it into a holiday prop by drawing your own Christmas tree or a wintery scene. You could even pile up the presents beneath your chalkboard tree.
Find out how to make your own chalkboard paint
Have a chalkboard or a wall coated in chalkboard paint? Transform it into a holiday prop by drawing your own Christmas tree or a wintery scene. You could even pile up the presents beneath your chalkboard tree.
Find out how to make your own chalkboard paint
18. Nutcrackers
Whether functional or purely decorative, nutcrackers are charming reminders of that holiday classic ballet and its tale of young Clara and the dashing Nutcracker come to life. Place a pair on the mantel or, if you plan to use them, on the coffee table alongside a bowl of nuts in the shell.
Whether functional or purely decorative, nutcrackers are charming reminders of that holiday classic ballet and its tale of young Clara and the dashing Nutcracker come to life. Place a pair on the mantel or, if you plan to use them, on the coffee table alongside a bowl of nuts in the shell.
19. Lantern Light and Fake Fur
Create a winter wonderland feeling in a corner of your home by placing a cluster of lanterns on a table or tree stump and laying a faux sheepskin on the floor below.
Branches gathered from outdoors and propped up against the wall boost the Narnia factor even more.
Create a winter wonderland feeling in a corner of your home by placing a cluster of lanterns on a table or tree stump and laying a faux sheepskin on the floor below.
Branches gathered from outdoors and propped up against the wall boost the Narnia factor even more.
20. Mini Potted Tree
Tabletop trees, whether potted, as shown here, or cut, bring a fragrant, woodsy element to the house that just can’t be beat. Decorate your mini tree with ornaments or lights, or leave it plain: It’s lovely either way.
Your turn: Tell us about your clever holiday decor idea and share a photo in the Comments!
More on Houzz
Browse Holidays stories for more decorating ideas
Find an interior designer
Shop for holiday gifts and decor
Tabletop trees, whether potted, as shown here, or cut, bring a fragrant, woodsy element to the house that just can’t be beat. Decorate your mini tree with ornaments or lights, or leave it plain: It’s lovely either way.
Your turn: Tell us about your clever holiday decor idea and share a photo in the Comments!
More on Houzz
Browse Holidays stories for more decorating ideas
Find an interior designer
Shop for holiday gifts and decor
A tray stocked with the makings of your favorite hot beverage is sure to be a hit at any holiday gathering.
Use an insulated thermos to keep hot drinks toasty, and prop up a sign to let guests know what’s on tap.
Get this cocoa cocktail recipe
Shop for serving trays on Houzz