Our Favorite Holiday Decor Moments Over The Years

Design & Styling: The Interior Collective | Photography: Madeline Harper

Our approach to holiday decorating is always centered around simple, refined details that make the season simple and never over-the-top or too kitschy. Incorporating fresh details as our base allows us to switch it up each year and eliminate the need to store bulky materials. We like to choose a single design element to focus on and carry it through the home to create a sense of cohesion.  

As you will see in every one of our holiday home tours, we’re big believers in designing with fresh greenery during the holidays. We’ve sourced ours from Gracious Garlands year after year, and the quality is unmatched. Working with fresh greenery can feel intimidating, but it is worth the effort once you get over the learning curve. We compiled a guide on caring for fresh greenery to make it last longer through your season here.

2021 in The Austin Townhome

Taking it back to 2021, we centered our holiday decor around a palette of mauve and berry tones for a seasonal twist. Fresh greenery set the tone for every vignette, brought to life by dried citrus slices, brass bells, and velvet ribbon. Dusty purple hues took center stage with cozy throw pillows and blankets.

We incorporated fresh greenery and garlands throughout our home, and we were able to swag every inch of our 12-foot ceilings, staircases, bookshelves, and bedroom.

When it comes to making your holiday home feel personal, it’s all about creating moments around your favorite traditions. Setting the scene for entertaining friends and family members in various corners of this year’s holiday home was a highlight.

2022 in The Austin Townhome

2022 was the last year in the Austin townhome home before the move into The Austin Tudor, so the holiday season felt extra special as the last hurrah. We went all out with all the big signature elements for the final December in this space. Fresh cypress garlands added a natural and textural element, while moodier moments like Spanish moss hanging from the tree and living room bring a cozier vibe.

This Christmas tree was one of our favorite elements of this look, decked out with Spanish moss for a more whimsical aesthetic. The moss paired with tiny fairy lights created such a special and different look in the home. Our DIY moss tree skirt pulled the room together, giving the living room a forest-inspired feel.

2022 in The Lake House

In keeping with the relaxed and playful spirit of The Lake House, we wanted the holiday decor to reflect a laid-back, cozy feeling. We took inspiration from fun family traditions and vacation ease. Because we had limited time at the lake, we knew fresh greenery wouldn’t last long, so we opted for faux versions. The Norfolk Pine collection of garlands and wreaths from Afloral kept things fresh with zero upkeep while still adding a beautiful natural element.

The colorful kitsch tree was one of our favorite parts of the Lake House decor. We have the tradition of getting a new glass ornament that symbolizes something that happened each year, and it was a lot of fun seeing them all in one place.

2023 in The Austin Tudor

Last year was the first holiday season in The Austin Tudor, and it felt very natural to deck the halls of our newly renovated home. We knew this home would come to life during the holidays as soon as we saw it. It was so much fun to lean into the traditional TuTudor-style architecture.

We embraced the home’s English country meets Texas hill-country beauty and incorporated a timeless palette of fresh greenery, velvet ribbon, and vintage-silver-plated details. Magnolia was the star of the show, and we used Magnolia and Cypress garlands and wreaths in every corner, highlighted with a pretty peach velvet ribbon.

Scroll through the gallery below to take a look at more of our favorite holiday decor moments from over the years.

For more holiday content, check out our gift guides, wrapping guide, and holiday hosting guide.