Simple Christmas Decorations for a Coastal Home

Last Updated on October 22, 2024

Get inspired with simple Christmas decorations to make your coastal home merry and bright this season.

Christmas is easily becoming my favorite holiday. Fall was always my favorite growing up, but there is just something about Christmas in the mountains that brings so many nostalgic feelings. Growing up in Texas, we had 3 seasons: not so hot, hot, and boiling hot. But now my husband and I live in the Rocky Mountains, full of pine trees and mountain views, so Christmas is a gorgeous time of year!

Even though I live in the mountains, I love coastal style. While I love to decorate, I don’t like to go over the top. I like to keep things simple and uncluttered, but it’s still fun to decorate season to season. You can bring the joy of Christmas into your coastal home so easily with a few simple updates. 

Check out my simple Christmas decorations to bring the holiday spirit into your home this season!

Easy Christmas Decorating Ideas for Your Coastal Home

Denim Blue Solid Pillow Cover | Navy/White Striped Pillow Cover | Plaid Lumbar Pillow | Nutcracker | Navy Throw Blanket | Candle | Cranberry Stems | Striped Rug | Christmas Doormat

Layer in Christmas Pillows

Sofa | Rug (similar) | Navy Pillows | Striped Pillow Case (similar) | Christmas Pillow (similar) | Floor Lamp | Charcoal Throw Blanket

Swapping in a Christmas throw pillow or two is a really easy way to add a touch of holiday to your home. I found the cutest throw pillows at Kohl’s (and I don’t hardly ever go there). You can actually find some pretty cute ones there. I was able to find an adorable tartan plaid lumbar pillow with a vintage red truck and Christmas tree. The tartan plaid (which has navy in it!) not only matches our tree skirt but it also fits right in with our navy striped pillows.

I also added a nutcracker pillow to one of our living room chairs to bring in some holiday style. The exact pillow I bought are sold out (I bought them years ago!), but I linked some similar ones. If you see a pillow you love, BUY IT IMMEDIATELY! Pillows are like Forever 21 clothes – they sell out and are gone for good!

In addition to pillows, adding chunky knit throws helps your living room space feel cozier for the holidays. I put our lighter summer blankets away during the Fall and bring out thicker blankets, perfect for lounging by the fire! Place them on the arm of your sofa, across the back, or in a woven basket. Even though it’s Christmas, I opt for more neutral colors like cream, gray, and navy to match our coastal style.

Rug (similar) | Cane Chairs | Nutcracker Pillow (similar)

Decorate Your Mantel with Garland and Stocking Holders

First off, if you are lucky enough to have a mantel, you should definitely be decorating it! Our old house didn’t have one, so we added it (made such a difference!). You can read all about it HERE.

Adding garland to your mantel is a perfect and easy way to bring loads of Christmas cheer to your space. I found ours at Target (Hearth & Hand) years ago, and it’s still going strong. It has pinecones and berries already in it. I just throw it across the top, and it’s good to go!

You can find a ton of options on Amazon or even pricier ones at Pottery Barn or Crate & Barrel. I don’t like to spend a ton on Christmas decorations, so Target is usually my go-to. I linked a similar one to mine that’s flocked and really pretty. 

Who doesn’t want to hang stockings over the chimney with care? Sure, you can use hooks or nails to hang your stockings but opt for cute stocking holders instead. It really makes your mantel look festive! I’ve been using these PEACE metal stocking holders from Target for the last several years. I did have to super glue the bottom on one of them that came apart, but for $30, I have more than gotten my money’s worth!

Our stockings came from Target too! I love a good monogram and at $10, these are pretty hard to beat!

Red Stocking | Red & White Striped Stocking | White Stocking

I chose stockings in traditional Christmas colors, but there are lots of options if you want to really embrace your coastal style. I’ve linked a few below!

1. Blue Farmhouse Stockings | 2. Navy & White Stockings | 3. Assorted Blue Stockings | 4. Personalized Stockings | 5. Quilted Stockings

Display Your Christmas Cards

Displaying your Christmas cards not only brings more holiday cheer to your home, but you can be reminded of loved ones near and far every day during the season!

There are so many cute ways to display your Christmas cards. In fact, I wrote an entire post about it! You can find it HERE.

Place Christmas Decor in a Tray

Tray | Tree (similar) | Vase | Cranberry Stems | Candle (similar)

A tray is the perfect way to display decor year-round, and it’s so easy to swap out pieces during the year to give it a fresh seasonal look. I found the perfect tray from Hearth & Hand at Target that would work perfectly on a kitchen counter, dining room table, or coffee table.

For Christmas, I picked up a glass vase at Target and filled it with cranberry stems. I mixed in a flocked pine faux plant and a pine-scented candle. I have another round tray on our bar that I placed a vase with candy canes, a nutcracker, and a candle in. You can really get creative with your tray!

For visual balance, choose a couple taller pieces and a smaller item. Follow the rule of decorating in groups of 3 to ensure your tray doesn’t look too busy. For more tray decorating ideas, click HERE. 

Add Christmas Decor to Your Porch

A simple holiday doormat and festive wreath will add just enough Christmas cheer to your front porch to make it more welcoming. I also have planters that I keep on the porch all year that I love to decorate, especially for the holidays. I’ve gotten it down to such a science, I can flip the front porch seasonally in less than 10 minutes! For tips on how to create an adorable front porch for the holidays with coastal style, click HERE. 

Coastal Christmas Tree

If you do nothing else this season, decorate a Christmas tree. I know, I know, this is captain obvious! But I actually went a couple years without decorating a Christmas tree to not have to hassle with it, and it was pretty depressing. I have committed to never doing that again! We get a fresh cut tree every year and recycle it after Christmas. Even when you keep the same ornaments, a real tree is a little different every year, which is exciting!

Whether you choose a big tree, a small tree, a real one or a fake one, this is the ultimate Christmas decoration, even if it is time consuming. Turn on the Christmas tunes, light a holiday candle, bake some cookies, and decorate a tree! Get inspired by my preppy Christmas tree to complement your coastal home. 

I hope decorating for Christmas is a tradition you’ll look forward to you every year! Merry Christmas! 

This post is about simple Christmas decorations for a coastal home.