Eclectic, Junk, And Vintage Christmas Decorating Ideas

Christmas decorating ideas featuring vintage and junk treasures from yours truly 2013-2019 all in one post. Looking at my past Christmas decor I can see how my decorating journey has evolved. I think it has evolved for the better but maybe you are a better judge of that. My Christmas mantel displays from from 2014-2019 are listed in order below.

7 Years of Christmas Decorating Ideas

Each post is basically as it was written at the time so I may repeat myself in some of the posts. I hope you guys enjoy and get some ideas from these. Thanks for being here!

2013 Silver Christmas Mantel Decor

Welcome to my first ever Christmas Home Tour. I should have none better! These things are a lot of work. I will say one thing though….this tour made me get myself in gear and get the decorating done. It seems I finish the decorating up later and later every Christmas.

Christmas Decorating Ideas

If you’re new here there is one thing you need to know. I love bold colors, the bolder the better.

I painted those house numbers and put them on the front door several years ago. I didn’t want to cover up my handy work so I added a Christmas arrangement to my favorite chair.

Starting the tour in our den. This is my favorite room in the house. At some point before we purchased our home which was built in 1967, someone enclosed the two car garage and made this large, large space.

You guys may recognize the large rusty metal piece leaning on my mantel. I purchased it at the Nashville Flea Market last month thinking it would look great on the mantel. It has little diamond design cut-outs and it’s perfect for hanging things…..like the wreath!

My fireplace mantel is the favorite part of my décor this year. I had ideas for the mantel running through my head but I never know what look I will end up with. I used vintage lamps from my junk treasure stash and a few cut glass dishes from the house as accents.

We broke down and purchased a new tree this year because all the lights in the middle of our old one died off over the years. We have this running debate (argument) over clear lights vs colored lights. This tree has both. You can turn on all white lights, or all colored lights, or have both types of lights alternate blinking! Now everyone in the family is happy. (I plan to do a whole post on the Christmas tree sometime soon)

A little bit of glitter with the tree from TJMAXX and my Christmas stamps for projects showcased in the vintage glass jar.

As I mentioned this room is really large and the early American hutch is one I purchased a number of years ago just because I loved it. The décor changes with the seasons or on a whim! The small table is where my granddaughter and I play card games. She usually beats me.

More bright colors. I just throw in a few touches of Christmas with my vintage finds and painted furniture.

A pair of pretty angels on my rusty vintage kitchen scales and a candle holder circled with faux peppermints.

Not too much decorating in the kitchen area. I like to keep the countertops clear…ok, mostly clear.

The dining area is adjacent to the kitchen. I like using a lot of white or neutrals and add a bit of color here and there.

 

The little white Christmas village houses are sitting on vintage cake stands.

This is our spare bedroom that we refer to as the grandsons room. It used to be our son’s room.

I love this tacky snowman.

From my quilt collection I selected a favorite of mine with greens and reds to throw across the bed. A few burlap stockings and a touch of green add the finishing touch.

And this over-the-top girly room is what we call the granddaughters room.

You see the Santa hat with the word “spoiled”….that says it all.

 

2014 Green Christmas Decorating Ideas

Simple Christmas mantel display. I went for neutral and rustic this year. I tossed around colors and ideas for a month and finally decided not to go bold this year…understated all the way.

 

my vintage snowman

You guys probably recognize the Partridge in a Pear Tree wall décor and the wreath. I separated them for the mantel display. I like that the project can be displayed multiple ways.

 

The wood glove and snowman are thrifty finds from long ago. I hope ya’ll aren’t tired of seeing the glass doors and rusty backdrop from the Nashville Flea Market. They  look great on the mantel and work with a wide variety of themes…and I’m not tired of them yet.

I’m assuming you guys realize that our homes do not always look like what you see in the photos. There are a lot of behind the scenes things that are just that….behind the couch…behind the doors…under tables..etc…..etc… This is what my home looked like while taking the mantel photos and writing this post…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These photos don’t include the boxes of stuff in the workshop that never make it into the house.

I just riffle through them and get the good stuff.

 

2015 Rustic Mantel Decor

If asked I would probably say this is my least favorite of my Christmas mantels. Probably because the colors are not bold and in your face.

I went with neutral colors. Those amber glass lamp bases got me thinking about browns and tans with a bit of gold thrown in for a subdued but warm look.

 

Then I decided to go rustic with the decorations.

Notice how I have a clash of holidays here. The pumpkins have made it through Halloween and Thanksgiving and are still hanging out for Christmas. However, they will be gone this week. This angle of the fireplace is what I see when I’m sitting in my favorite comfy spot on the couch (country word for sofa, I’m a little bit country as the song says).

 

I found the vintage amber glass oil lamp bases at My Favorite Junk Shop and I got them for a song. The star baskets, the amber Purex bottle, and the warped gold frame came from the same junk shop. The Merry Christmas sign is a DIY from a few years ago.

 

I found the “cork” poinsettias at Old Time Pottery in Nashville. I love the natural look and they go well with my rustic theme.

 

I got the grapevine wreath and all the goodies to put it together at Old Time Pottery. Wreath tutorial coming  later this week. What do you think of my amber, rustic, neutral, junky, mantel decor?? Leave me a little note and take the Mantel tour by clicking the “pink links” below.

2016 Christmas Mantel And How To Repurpose Home Decor

My Christmas mantel decorations and the ways I remake and repurpose home decor.

 

Loving the red and turquoise together. Every time I change the mantel décor I try to do something different. Hate to fall back on a past look. This year I decided to work with turquoise and red. I love that color combo. I didn’t add as much turquoise as I would have liked but it works. I put the game board on the mantel for my  fall display and liked it so much I left it up.

The glittery gold deer is a Goodwill find from a few years ago. Santa in his sleigh with reindeer ( flying off the photo to the left) is a gift the JTS sent me when he was stationed in Korea almost 30 years ago. The candle lantern filled with ornaments is ever changing. The $3 poinsettias I picked up at Lowes are beautiful. The Christmas tin contains a jigsaw puzzle and gives a boost to the poinsettia, adding height to the hearth display.

 

You guys know I just pull stuff out of my workshop and go crazy with it. The two wood pieces in front of the game board are from my wood stash. Also notice I forgot and left the remote to our led heater on the corner of the mantel. It almost looks like the snowman ornament is saying “Hey, what’s this thing doing here??”,  hahaha.

The vintage thermos with the red top was a thrifty find I couldn’t resist. The snowman ornament is just too cute, There was something off balance about the whole mantel look so I placed the little welcome hanging thingie at the corner of the game board.

 

It’s all a balancing act. I moved and placed things in various spots for an hour or two. I also had other items I tried out on the mantel but this is what I ended up with.

2017  Christmas Mantel Rust And Red Color Scheme

We’ve talked about choosing a color scheme when decorating the mantel….or anything else for that matter. Once I decide on a color scheme the decorating goes pretty fast.

The color scheme for this year’s Christmas mantel is rust and red with a little glitter thrown in. I can hear most of you going….”rust is a color”? For my purposes here I’m calling it a color.

Once I pick the color scheme I shop my house, workshop, shed, everywhere, for stuff in those colors…..or close anyway.

S ee all the stuff in this photo! I gathered all of that and through trial and error, placing and removing, I came up with the perfect look.A lot of times I just know something will work in a certain place….and it doesn’t. When I was decorating the mantel the sun was shining bright. That’s why the photos look like they do.

 

Another must-have for any of my decorating is something whimsical. I saw the stuffed rooster (?) at the local thrift store and had to have him. Look at those colors…..and that face. Who could pass that up.

I put two poinsettia plants in a reclaimed wood box and set them on the hearth. The green wreath was a last minute addition. I found it at Bargain Hunt. I laid it against a stained glass window my daughter bought me a few years ago in Pensacola Florida.

The rusty green scale was sent to me by a reader. You guys are the greatest. You show me a lot of love. The red beetle with the tree topper is making another showing this year.

I don’t know why I love that green bottle so much….I just do. It came from my favorite junk shop and was about half full of liquor or what I guess was liquor. I opened the bottle and poured it out. The smell was awful and the liquid was dark brown. I washed the bottle on the inside and tried not to mess up the label any more than it already was.

The antique frame is one of a pair I bought at an antique shop in Arkansas. The pretty bold red wreath is from T.J. Maxx. I couldn’t resist it either. Red is my favorite color.

The angels were a last minute addition and the hardware Christmas tree I made this season is sold. I enjoy making the hardware trees and would love to get another one made this Christmas season but I don’t think it’s going to happen.

My Christmas tree is full of vintage glass ornaments, see it here…..Kathy’s Christmas Tree.

2018 Home And Mantel Christmas Decorating Ideas

Shiny Brite ornaments. Can you believe at one time I thought they were lame? Maybe you did too. The ornaments went out of style for a while. At least where I lived.

Well, now I had to investigate the demise of Shiny Brite. From what I can gather plastic ornaments began being produced in the 1950’s and they were cheaper than the glass ornaments. The Shiny Brite company closed in 1962. There is an interesting article about the founder of the company and the history of Shiny Brite ornaments here.

I have dozens of Shiny Brite ornaments mostly thanks to hubby. I started collecting them a few years ago and last year the JTS bought a bunch of the ornaments at several auctions he went to. Thanks honey. I don’t have all of the original boxes. I think I like the boxes almost as much as the ornaments.

Along with the Shiny Brite I have ornaments made in Germany and Poland and I’m not sure where else. In some cases the ornaments have faded or been scratched but a lot of them are in perfect condition.

 

I decorated my mantel and hearth the same day I did the tree. You might remember I bought the horse farm picture before Thanksgiving and decorated the mantel around it. I used the picture as the base for the Christmas décor. It took no time at all to find red and green junky décor to go with the picture. The plaid lunch boxes are fun and the vintage scales make a showing again.

I bought the fancy burlap stockings at an after Christmas sale a number of years ago. They were highly discounted. The iron reindeer and Santa candle holders came from my favorite junks shop. I don’t know if they are handmade, old or new. or what. The little brown deer were in a box lot of stuff the hubby bought at an auction last Christmas season. I sorted through the box and kept some of the stuff and the rest went to Goodwill or the Salvation Army.

I bought the red wreath at TJMaxx last year. I love red. Have I ever told you guys that? The stained glass window was a gift from my daughter many years ago.

I don’t remember where I got the little plastic house but it’s a favorite of mine. Sometimes it’s the littlest of things that makes you smile. The Santa Hat pins with our names were a gift from a neighbor. She made them!

 

 

Fancy silver plate dishes are great for displaying ornaments.

I think I got the vintage (new?) mistletoe bell at a flea market but can’t remember.

I put some of the Christmas dishes in the kitchen cabinets with the glass doors.

My Christmas dishes make it to the china cabinet every year. I used to spend hours setting up things just perfectly….or so I thought at the time. Now I put them in the cabinet along with any thing else that catches my fancy and it takes less than an hour.

The Christmas houses look great displayed on vintage cake stands. I didn’t even try to come up with a new idea for a centerpiece this year. The houses work.

There is that black and white stripe planter I just finished…..also a dropped poinsettia leaf. I really do like the planter, patting myself on the back. I’m wondering what type of plant or flowers I will find to put in the planter after the holidays?

I need my whimsical touches too….like the Mistletoe and Margaritas napkins.

Trees in an antique cheese box.

 

The red gumball machine I repurposed a few years ago into a winter snow scene is on the coffee table. The snowman is resting. He fell over at some point and I’m not taking the globe apart to stand him up.

 

 

 

Hubby taking a break while I’m taking photos. I can’t resist getting a few pictures of him when I have the camera in hand.

 

2019 Red Wreath And Polka Dot Ribbon Mantel Decor

Polka dot decor may be out of style but not for me. I bought the black and white polka dot ribbon at the same time as my buffalo check ribbon.

 

Black and white ribbon with any design is a winner with me. The polka dot ribbon looks nice dressing up the vintage thermos and silver plate candle holder. You might not believe it when you see my all of my vintage Christmas decorations but I went simpler this year. There are 6 totes of stuff I didn’t unpack completely. I took my favorite things out of the totes and that was it.

I went back and sorted through the totes after the decorating was done and I have two big bags of stuff for Goodwill. No need in having so much stuff just taking up space. Now I’ll have 3-4 totes to put back in the attic after Christmas.

A look at the complete mantel and hearth decorations shows I have a mix of vintage and newer stuff. Red poinsettias are a staple of my Christmas displays.

This little train is the only new Christmas thing I bought this year. And it’s not new, it’s vintage. Each piece of the train has a hole in the top for a candle. No candles for me but those colors….oh-la-la! The plastic train is covered in glitter and fabric trim. I paid $14 for it at my favorite junk shop. The price was a bit over my budget but I was in love.

The red wreath was hanging on the front door but I swapped it out with a faux magnolia leaf and red berry wreath from the thrift store. The “Wow” Santa in the silverplate frame is on the inside of a Christmas card. The card is vintage and oh so naughty because on the opposite page of the card is a girly in a red negligee.

The antique wrought iron tree stand is one of the best find the JTS has ever bought at an auction. It was in a box of stuff and I think it was less than $5.

No holiday is complete without Hershey’s Kisses. The silver bowl with etched glass bowl insert is from the Salvation Army thrift store.

 

The folk art candle holders are part of a set of 5. Not sure if these are old or new. I bought them last year at the junk shop.

 

Just a house ornament but it’s cute. I have ornaments sitting around the house. They don’t have to hang from the tree.

Whimsical little pooping (candy) reindeer that makes Sofi laugh.

The tree decorated with shiny brites and other glass ornaments. As you can see there is a lot (two bags) of  fake plastic snow on the tree branches. I love it but I think the JTS hates it. I wouldn’t know why. I bought several of the shiny brite bell shaped tree ornaments in Texas a few years ago when the JTS was working out there.

This china cabinet is in the den. I bought it about 25 years ago at a flea market. It gets decorated with Christmas dishes or other things every year. The little spaghetti angels are some of my favorite vintage figurines. The green metal tool box is a purchase from one of my favorite vendors at the Nashville Flea Market.

 

 

More vintage goodness with the kitchen scale and Hartmann briefcase.

 

 

Moving on to the kitchen and dining area. I pulled out my Christmas dishes and all the red stuff I could find.

Ths china cabinet is lighted and I leave the light on all day until bedtime. I have a vintage red recipe holder and vintage red cups.

The Christmas houses are from a local home decor store. I bought them several years ago. The Spode Christmas dishes have been collected over the years mostly at after Christmas clearance sales and as gifts.

 

The Santa plate in the plate holder cabinet is vintage and I don’t remember where I got it.

My son made the handprint wreath at daycare. It has a handwritten date of 1990 which means my son was 7 years old. Hard to believe he is 36 now. I love these keepsakes. He also made a reindeer sweatshirt and his handprints are the antlers.

Santa cookie jar I bought at the junk shop recently. I guess I told a fib. I bought 2 or maybe 3 vintage Christmas items this year to add to my stash.

 

At one time the snowmen light up but not anymore. Still pretty. The blue house is a Hallmark ornament. It winds up and the man and woman pop in and out of the window.

I placed the vintage nutcracker childs squeeze toy in the plant pot. Genius.

 

A couple of old world Santas from Home Interior. The other Santa is still packed away.

 

 

Another vintage angel and a plastic house. Not sure if the house is vintage or new. I’m thinking vintage and I love the tree behind the angel. Not sure what you call that style of tree.

I know that was a ton of photos and decorations but maybe you have time to tell me your favorite mantel and which of the house decorations did you like the best.

I may not get a tree up this year or any Christmas decorations up at all but that doesn’t matter. I can’t wait to get back home and spend Christmas with my husband and family in Tennessee. Thanks for being here, Kathy