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Holiday Decor In This Festive Farmhouse 

Holiday Decor In This Festive Farmhouse 


Blogger Sarah Wagner uses her holiday décor to make the space seem larger than it is.

Christmas is a charming affair in this Pacific Northwest home with subtle holiday décor and modern farmhouse touches.

Blogger Sarah Wagner uses her holiday décor to make the space seem larger than it is.

When it comes to holiday decor, many times the strategy is to stuff every nook and cranny with as much red and green as possible. But how do you adorn your home when dealing with the restrictions of a smaller space? This is a question dear to the heart of blogger Sarah Wagner of Dreaming of Homemaking.

Her large and rambunctious family of six has had to learn how to live and decorate within the constraints of their cozy 1,200-square-foot Seattle home. Here’s how they do it at Christmastime.

Blogger Sarah Wagner uses her holiday décor to make the space seem larger than it is.
The outside of the home isn’t restricted by limited space like the indoors. An abundance of wreaths, frosted greenery and red touches leave visitors with no doubt that Christmas is here.

Also Read: Festive Farmhouse Wish List

Love What You Have

Sarah and her husband have spent the last 11 years renovating and perfecting their quaint space. With time, they were able to turn it into a dream home that’s not only gorgeous but also functional.

Blogger Sarah Wagner uses her holiday décor to make the space seem larger than it is.
Taking advantage of the outdoors is a great way to enhance limited living space. A roaring fire and cozy patio furniture make for the perfect holiday hangout.

Sarah’s homemaking has centered around one crucial concept: Love what you have. “I want to teach people to love their home no matter the size or situation,” she says. This clear focus helped her utilize her space wisely and document projects she’s shared with her blog readers and followers.

Sarah shares her unique holiday décor and DIY projects, constantly encouraging others to work with what they’ve got and love what they have.

Blogger Sarah Wagner uses her holiday décor to make the space seem larger than it is.
As the designated kid zone in the home, the mudroom is full of fun and festive decorations along with functional items like the chalkboard and wire baskets used to organize the kid’s school supplies and schedules.

Sarah’s journey began with a lot of remodeling in their small Seattle home to make it as functional as possible. “The house has been completely redone,” she says. “The kitchen used to be mauve. We’ve redone every room since we’ve lived here.”

The renovations have allowed Sarah to create rooms that serve a very specific function for her family, utilizing all her small space as much as possible.

Blogger Sarah Wagner uses her holiday décor to make the space seem larger than it is.
Muted colors keep from overwhelming the living room. Presents and a centerpiece of ornaments dress up this more formal space.
Blogger Sarah Wagner uses her holiday décor to make the space seem larger than it is.
The combination dining room and living room is the first space you see when entering the Wagner home. Ultimately, Sarah chose white and green holiday décor to keep from clashing with the navy color of the fireplace.

Subtle Charm With Holiday Decor

Sarah’s homemaking philosophies are front and center when it comes to her Christmas holiday décor. Subtle and charming, each room of the house has its own unique touches. She always starts with what she has in front of her and lets the function and existing décor of her rooms dictate where her holiday touches will go. “I started trying to do red and green in the front room,” she says, “but it really clashed with the navy fireplace.”

Faced with this dilemma, Sarah switched tactics and chose subtle hints of green. The mantel is adorned with a pine garland, and green-and-blue plaid throw pillows incorporate the existing blue tones of the room. These holiday décor pieces tie Christmas cheer in with the existing color scheme.

Blogger Sarah Wagner uses her holiday décor to make the space seem larger than it is.
A cabinet with glass doors is the perfect place to store holiday décor and other items Sarah isn’t using at the moment but still wants to be seen and appreciated.
Blogger Sarah Wagner uses her holiday décor to make the space seem larger than it is.
Utilizing space well is a main priority in the Wagner home. A stackable washer and dryer with minimal décor help keep the laundry room usable, while light touches of greenery make sure the room isn’t bare of Christmas cheer.

Functionality and décor have to coexist, especially in small homes. With only 1,200 square feet, Sarah strives to use her holiday décor in a way that makes the space seem larger than it is. “It’s easy to overdecorate,” she says. “I have to have the space be not just livable, but also seem larger than it is.”

To accomplish this, all that’s needed are simple, subtle touches of décor. For example, in the smallest room of the home, the bathroom, Sarah adds only a single miniature pine tree as a holiday decoration.

See Also
blue cabinetry on island in modern farmhouse style kitchen

Blogger Sarah Wagner uses her holiday décor to make the space seem larger than it is.
In lieu of more traditional family portraits, silhouette wall hangings of the children decorate the wall in the family room. More greenery with a touch of red brings Christmas to the dinner table.
Blogger Sarah Wagner uses her holiday décor to make the space seem larger than it is.
Frosted greenery throughout the master bedroom heralds the coming holiday. Warm slippers and large comfortable blankets beg for a cozy breakfast in bed on a crisp winter morning.

Small Spaces, Big Ideas

A smaller home doesn’t have to mean less holiday cheer. If you have a section of free space, don’t be afraid to up the décor. For example, the Wagner home boasts a small but festive hot cocoa corner. A nutcracker, mini Christmas trees and plenty of holiday mugs dress up the otherwise empty space.

Compared to the minimalist holiday décor of the rest of the home, this charming nook ups the ante and reminds visitors that while the decorations are subtle, Christmas cheer is always front and center during the holiday season.

Christmas cheer is always front and center during the holiday season.

Blogger Sarah Wagner uses her holiday décor to make the space seem larger than it is.
Blogger Sarah Wagner uses her holiday décor to make the space seem larger than it is.
A Christmas tree is all that adorns the kids’ room, leaving them plenty of space to play while still enjoying the festive vibes in the rest of the house.
Blogger Sarah Wagner uses her holiday décor to make the space seem larger than it is.
Frosted greenery goes with almost any color scheme and is the perfect way to add a dash of cheer to even the smallest spaces.

DIY AdventCalendar

Put your own spin on traditional décor with a fun DIY Advent calendar.

Blogger Sarah Wagner uses her holiday décor to make the space seem larger than it is.
While décor in the rest of the home is subtle, this corner in the kitchen was deemed the “Christmas Corner.” It’s a fun space full of Christmas cheer, where the family can participate in the DIY Advent calendar and enjoy a steaming cup of hot cocoa in cheery Christmas mugs.

What You’ll Need:

  • Cricut machine and vinyl, or iron-on numbers
  • Iron and ironing board
  • Small fabric gift bags
  • Large chalkboard
  • 26 small Command™ hooks
  • Treats or other items to fill the bags
  • Chalk
  • Small premade wreath

What You’ll Do:

  1. If using a Cricut machine: Create a design for numbers 1–25 on the Cricut design page. Make sure you indicate that you’re doing an iron-on design.
  2. Load your vinyl into the Cricut. Make sure you put the vinyl right-side down; then print and watch as your numbers are cut. When the cut is complete, remove the negative pieces, keeping the clear liner intact.
  3. Preheat your small bags to prepare for ironing on
    the numbers.
  4. For iron-on numbers, follow the manufacturer’s directions to affix numbers onto each bag.
  5. If using a Cricut machine, place the number on the bag with the shiny side up and apply heat with the iron set on Cotton; then flip the bag over and apply heat to the other side of the bag. Remove the liner.
  6. Once you have numbers on the bags, affix the set of Command™ hooks to your chalk board in rows of five.
  7. Fill the bags with small treats or other items, and hang them on the Command™ hooks.
  8. Use the last Command™ strip to place the small wreath around the correct day.
  9. Use chalk to decorate your chalkboard with a Christmas Countdown title or any other way you please. Feel free to add more greenery on top of the board or even string some festive lights.

Blogger Sarah Wagner uses her holiday décor to make the space seem larger than it is.
It’s a white Christmas in this kitchen. The color of the kitchen creates the appearance of more space, while the rustic wooden beams give a border to the open room.

For more family friend Christmas homes, see A Pennsylvania Christmas Home and A Metallic Christmas For This Idaho Home. Of course, don’t forget to follow us on InstagramFacebook and Pinterest to get your daily dose of farmhouse inspiration! 

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