Article Holiday Decor Two Ways

Sometimes I get really into holiday decor, and sometimes I shy away from it opting for more minimal seasonal touches. This year, we aren’t doing a tree so I’m decorating the house in new ways to bring some holiday vibes without feeling like I’m drowning in over-the top holiday decor. Today I’m sharing two looks I’m experimenting with for the holidays. I plopped them in the bedroom on our nightstands, but they could easily be set up in any room of the house.

This post is in partnership with Article.

I’m not a big fan of changing out the house for holiday decor that’s in your face screaming, “I’M HOLIDAY DECOR!” You’ll never see me decorate with a sequin pillow that says “Ho Ho Ho” nor a sign that says “Santa parking here” nor glittery pinecones. But you will see minor shifts in color palettes and swapped out artwork to make a space feel more like it’s fitting with the season. I like to bring in every-day items that make a festive vibe when combined but don’t yell, “Christmas!” when they’re on their own. You’ll also find a sprinkle of some holiday-specific tchotchkes that are handsome and relatively simplified to make it feel festive. I love winter holidays and because San Diego doesn’t get much in the way of cold weather, so I yearn for decor that reminds me of the seasons.

I teamed up with my buddies at Article to use some every-day decor in two different holiday looks. First up is a more traditional Christmas-y look, and then I did a more winter-y lookin’ design. I’m curious which one most people like, so weigh in after you give them a peruse.

Traditional Christmas Look

I’m a sucker for velvet in deep moody hues (you may have already noticed this in the den and the living room) so I’ve been eyeing Article’s lucca pillows in my favorite color palettes of deep green and blue. I finally got them for the holidays, but the beauty is I can use them all year long! They’re delicious to the touch and to the squeeze. Don’t be surprised if I start using these as my main pillow at night. They’re under-stuffed so they have a casual look that I like since I’m not a big formal-pile-of-pillows-on-the-bed kind of lady.

The balsam green color is the perfect hue for a green and red Christmas palette, so I collected things from around the house and pillaged the Christmas bin for items in the color scheme to pair with the pillows.

I added some artwork that I picked up last year by artist Erica Hauser when we were on vacation in Beacon, NY. We stumbled into her art gallery featuring 50+ of artists but fell for all of her pieces and left with a handful of prints. Her drawing of a vintage holiday lights box was my favorite item to pull out of the holiday bin this year!

I plopped Article’s sabla oval platter on the nightstand with the artwork to pair a warm metallic with the deep green and reds for the traditional Christmas palette. Since neither of us put much on our side tables other than our phones, I filled the platter with bottle brush pine trees with a dusting of “snow.” In the new year, I’m taking this platter to the dining room to use as the base for a centerpiece - you just watch me!

Also in the platter is a watch that Ross’ grandfather wore. Since Ross isn’t a watch dude, it sits in a drawer most of the year, but this season is a great time to appreciate the heirlooms, no? The white deer is a piece by artist Jeff Irwin. He participated in a project at a Museum I worked at years ago so I bought a tiny original piece that fit with my budget. Now the deer hangs out on shelves all year long, but it works great for the holidays, too.

I was admiring the drawing of the tree lights box so much that I thought to grab my Christmas ornament box to use as decor on the lower shelf. Who says utilitarian things can’t be pretty?!

The unfinished wooden nutcracker is from complements the white oak of the bed nicely. He’s so neutral that he could really go anywhere - simple neutrals for the win! While the one I have is discontinued, here’s a similar one that I might even like better.

At the foot of the bed is a vintage Pendelton wool blanket that I bring out every year and normally put in the living room. I think I’d like to start a collection of wool blankets. I have about 10, so I’m well on my way.

Since I’m not into the color red very much, the traditional green and red color palette is kind of foreign to me. While I love it in December, I don’t have much red decor to add to continue the color scheme throughout the rest of the house. Lucky for me, my favorite dark blue hue is still just as festive, so I did another look with a more chilly winter-y look.

Psst! If you’re in a Reader, you may not see that animation of the decor being built out. Click through to see it in action.

I kept the main elements of the room the same, (bedding, rug, night stand, sconces) including the bed which also happens to be from Article. It’s the culla bed that I talk more about in the reveal of this room - spoiler: I love it. That light oak wood color works beautifully in any color palette and any season. In my quest to find the perfect bed to put in front of a window, it was a clear winner.

Chilly Winter Look

For an equally festive but less Christmas-y look, I went with a blue, grey, and white color palette. It gives me all the snowy vibes that my San Diego winters never provide.

I started off with the pillows again to inspire the colors. Article’s cascadia blue velvet pillows are the same color as the matrix chair that I have in the living room so I have some opportunities to combine them if I wanna be matchy-matchy. Side note: I get asked all the time if the matrix chair is comfy and my answer is that it’s beyond comfy and earned the title of my favorite chair ever - it’s plush and cushy and the perfect combo of casual/lux and masculine/feminine.

At the foot of the bed, I draped the cusco throw (which is on crazy sale right now!). It’s made of alpaca wool so it’s suuuuuper soft - it’s perfect wooly goodness to cuddle up with if it get’s chilly at night. Sometimes I pretend it’s cold so I can drape the blanket over my shoulders while I wander around the house - I’m this close to turning on the A/C to make it actually cold in the winter. Perhaps my favorite part of the throw is the fact that it’s handcrafted by a fair-trade company.

The side tables are on the hefty side so while most nightstands can only fit a book and a vase of flowers, I have a muuuuch bigger surface to decorate. It can feel like it’s too big sometimes, so Article’s sabla platter comes in handy to corral items and fill the space without adding clutter. This time, I went with a rectangular shape in a textured silver metallic to keep with the chilly wintery feel.

On the platter I rest my glasses, a jewelry dish, an alarm clock, and some greenery. I wanted to use pine clippings, but since I didn’t have any on hand (remember, we aren’t doing a tree this year) I wandered into my yard and cut some rosemary. It does the trick, right? Did I fool you into thinking it was pine?

The framed print is another one by artist Erica Hauser, the same artist that made the print in the Christmas-y look. I really like her style and love that her work makes such an appearance in my home this time of year. The brass deer on the bottom is vintage and just needed a quick polishing before resting him next to some blue books and a silver box.

If you’re into any of the pieces from Article that inspired my holiday looks, or my favorite chair, or the articles I have in the den, or you’re in the market for modern decor, hop over and check out their goodies. They extended their Cyber Monday deals to 12/2 so check out the sale items including both of the sabla platters and cusco throw blanket. All of their items, including furniture, ships for just $49 (or $19 for small shipments) which is a killer deal for those bulkier items!

That’s about it! Do you have a favorite look? Tell me if you dig the traditional Christmas or the chilly winter look.

If you’re interested in more of my subtle holiday decor, check out what I did for Halloween. If you’re curious to see what the master bedroom looks like throughout the year, check out all the details and sources for each and every product and paint color in the master bedroom reveal post.

Get The Look

Traditional Christmas Look

Chilly Winter Look