Right at Home: decor with a rustic vibe
The ANNBRITT collection from Ikea that includes comfy plaid bedding ensembles and chunky knit throws. They reflect the cabin theme that’s popular this holiday season.
A framed vintage art ski poster from Pottery Barn featuring Lake Tahoe. Vintage art ski posters can be used to bring winter and holiday themes into the house.
This bronzed ski motif door knocker from Pottery Barn gives a chalet look to the outside of the house for the holidays.
A retro-styled image of an alpine ski tram on the cover of a throw pillow from Pottery Barn.
A ski lift sign from Pottery Barn used as home decor. Vintage outdoor sports imagery decorating a private residence is a different way of evoking the holiday season.
These homespun plaid ornaments from Target evoke a rustic, cabin theme that is popular in holiday décor in 2013.
Ride’s Machete snowboard is printed with retro-style typography. The graphic art on many snowboards make them an option for wall art, even for those who aren’t enthusiasts of the sport.
K2’s Slayblade which features modern typography in bold red, black and green. The graphic art on many snowboards make them an option for wall art, even for those who aren’t enthusiasts of the sport.
The ANNBRITT collection from Ikea includes comfy plaid bedding ensembles and chunky knit throws. They reflect the cabin theme thatís popular this holiday season.
Stores are full of colorful ornaments and sparkly décor that set the holiday tone with glamour and panache. But there’s also decor for those who prefer to welcome the season with more homespun serenity.
Many of these items reference nature with quiet wintry hues and rustic textures. You can imagine fireplaces ablaze, skis and skates at the ready and cozy lodges set up for holiday gatherings.
“We love all the adorable woodland-themed decorations on everything from pillows and throws to ornaments and tableware,” says HGTV Magazine’s Sara Peterson.
Collections of these creatures – deer, foxes, bears and so on – are available in any number of crafted forms: bottlebrush squirrels, raccoons and hedgehogs at Pottery Barn, faux fur and fiber owls and moose at West Elm. (www.potterybarn.com ; www.westelm.com)
Plaid mitten, heart and tree ornaments are part of Target’s Smith & Hawken holiday collection. (www.target.com )
“Advent garlands are popular this year too. Garlands with fabric pouches that count down to Christmas, or a string of colorful envelopes,” notes Peterson.
German designer Irmi Black makes a knitted-mitten Advent garland; small treats can be tucked in each mitten and the garland can be used as an organizer after the holidays. Target’s Threshold Rustic Advent Calendar is a veritable mini-cabin, complete with tiny drawers printed with snowflakes, trees and seasonal patterns. (www.etsy.com/shop/irmiblack )
If you’re crafty, consider making your own garland. Stamp kits, swatches of fabric and felt, and a ball or two of wool will set you on your way. (www.michaels.com; www.joann.com )
A collection of wooden trees to decorate a tabletop or mantel can be found at Homegoods, as well as some cozy Fair Isle-patterned throws with a ski chalet vibe. (www.homegoods.com )
Fill large clear hurricanes with tin jingle bells, birch branches or white painted twigs, or make a non-edible version of holiday trifle with layers of faux snow or moss and tiny red ornaments.
Arhaus has pillar candles in cream and dove gray that are carved to look like cable knit sleeves. Felted throw pillows embroidered with deer, rabbits and other forest friends add charm. Find chunky knit throws here, too. (www.arhaus.com )
North Pole flannel bedding from Garnet Hill depicts Santa’s snowy home complete with cocoa stands, reindeer barns and sled shops. Ikea’s Annbritt collection includes woolly blankets, plaid cushions and duvet covers in rich reds. (www.garnethill.com ; www.ikea.com )
Or evoke the chalet vibe with canoe and lumberjack ornaments. The old camp standard Stanley Thermos is updated in green, red or ivory – perfect for skating or sledding parties. (www.westelm.com)
Artist Rachel Kozlowski’s imaginative plates have found a following beyond her Etsy.com fans; she’s featured at West Elm this season with a collection of Dapper Animal plates: bears with trapper hats, owls in plaid shirts and other whimsical designs. At her Etsy shop, a plate features a moose emerging from a woodsy plaid background. (www.etsy.com/shop/RKArtwork )
If you’d like to take the chalet theme in a more literal direction, consider decorating with actual skis and snowboards. The artwork on many snowboards has great graphic oomph. Use a board as the focal point for a mantel display, adding ornaments or pine rope to reference the holidays. (www.ridesnowboards.com ; www.k2snowboarding.com )
Or consider a bronze-finished ski door knocker or a retro-style “Ski Lift” sign, as well as ski tourism posters and throw pillows with 1940s-era, ski-resort postcard art. (www.potterybarn.com )