The holidays may have come and gone but, winter is just getting underway. Things may seem a bit drab after taking down all the bright and festive holiday decor, but that doesn’t mean our homes have to look and feel boring during the long winter months! Today I am sharing some “deer” winter looks from the past few winters, as well as some Christmas-to-Winter changes I am currently enjoying in our dining room.

 I am excited to be joining some talented blogging friends in sharing how we are “Welcoming Winter” with simple and beautiful winter decorating ideas! A special “thank you” goes out to my friend Cecilia of My Thrift Store Addiction for organizing this lovely and inspiring  mini-blog hop. If you are coming over from the oh so creative Lora Bloomquist or if you are just stopping by for a visit, I am so happy to have you! 

 

 

 

When it comes to decorating our home for the seasons, I am always inspired by nature. For winter I bring the outdoors in by using rustic and woodsy decorative elements built around a deer theme. This is very appropriate since there are always deer playing in the beautiful forest just across the street.

 

 

Green is my favorite color, and I consider it a neutral mainstay that works for all seasons. After Christmas I remove the red and glittery golds decorative accents, but leave a bit of greenery mixed in with winter neutrals to keep things cheery and lively during the dark winter months. For a few weeks after Christmas a simple faux cypress garland continues to adorn the mantel along with some pretty cypress trees in urns.

 

 

As winter progresses, I always change things around. I remove the mantel garland and some of the other winter touches bit by bit, as I start craving a less cluttered space in preparation for the fresh changes that will begin in early spring.

 

This beautiful deer lumbar pillow with a botanical design is one of my favorites. The past two winters I have used it on my recliner in the living room, but currently I have moved it to the dining room which you will see in a bit. This year I have been feeling very much under the winter weather with chronic health issues, so I have been spending a lot of time in the recliner with a warm throw blanket (no need to make a fuss over pillow styling in this chair right now!)

 

 

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I have several vintage fuzzy and celuloid deer that I like to use creatively in Christmas and winter vignettes.

 

 

 

 

I have been collecting deer antlers and sheds for many years and I keep them out year round.  I think they are especially perfect for winter vignettes. 

 

 

In addition to antlers and greenery, I always keep plenty of cozy and cuddly pillows, blankets and throws on hand for the cold winter months. I love mixing my dark green velvet pillows with animal print and neutrals for winter.

 

Cozy candles are a must for winter too!

 

 

On the large antique buffet behind our sofa, my vintage concrete garden doe always beds down for the winter in a dough bowl filled with greenery, birch logs, pine cones and white lights. A few vintage chair spindles add an extra bit of vintage charm.

 

 

 

 

The rustic, woodsy winter theme continues in our dining room this year. A medium-sized dough bowl is perfect for a simple winter centerpiece made up of three battery operated pillar candles, mixed evergreens, pinecones, moss spheres and deer antlers.

 

A beautiful new buck tapestry pillow and my favorite olive green velvet pillows on the church pew tie the rustic-woodsy deer theme together.

 

It just wouldn’t be winter in our home without plaid!  With all the dark woodwork in our home and a bit of the English country style I have been working to create, I think I can get away with using this neutral pillow year round.

 

Every year I beat the after-Christmas blues by keeping my flocked winter tree in the dining room through late January. The lights on the tree along with flickering candles around the room add a bit of winter magic to ordinary, dreary, January days.

 

After Christmas I remove any red, gold, or vintage Shiny Brite ornaments from the flocked tree. I leave moss green bulbs, rustic-shabby icicles, prisms, tarnished silver bead garland and light weight faux antlers, all inspired by the woodsy-winter views out our front window.

 

I still can’t believe we had such a perfect White Christmas this year (the one amazing memory from 2020!)

 

We haven’t had a bit of snow since! I am still hopeful, as I love the quiet stillness of a January snow. For now I will have to get my snow fix from my flocked trees indoors.

 

Here is an older photo of another view across the street from a few winters ago. The deer are out year round here, but they seem to love snow days!

 

I have two little flocked mini-trees that I will keep out for through the end of January. They seem to look cute no matter where I put them!

 

 

 

The faux fireplace and mirrored antique buffet piece behind our farm table are adorned simply for winter. I love the look! 

 

Easy juniper candle rings and flickering candles look so pretty in my beloved French petite urns on each side of an old thrifted mantel clock that I shabbied -up with white paint many years ago.

 

 

After using this pillow for a couple of winters in the living room, I am really loving here in the dining room on my vintage French cane-backed chair. It’s always nice when you can create new seasonal looks with what you already have on hand!

 

 

Winter can seem a bit depressing and you might actually find yourself grumbling and sighing, “Oh Dear…it’s winter!” Nevertheless, creating a cozy home with rustic and woodsy winter touches can help make the season a bit more special! I hope you have enjoyed seeing some of the ways I incorporate rustic winter touches in my home and that you are feeling inspired to try something similar!

 

Now it’s time to continue checking out all the other beautiful ideas for welcoming winter on today’s mini-hop. Next up is Open Doors, Open Hearts. I know you will be inspired! Don’t forget to visit all the other blogs on via the links below.

Thanks for visiting today!
Amber

 

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Welcoming Winter Mini-Blog Hop Participants: