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Which rustic Christmas decor is best?
Modern minimalist designs have their appeal, but rustic Christmas decor has a charm other styles can’t match. You can easily incorporate a rustic look throughout the year, but at Christmastime, it really shines. On shivering winter nights, there’s nothing better than entering a room with a plate of freshly baked cookies. It’s even better when rustic Christmas table decorations enhance the holiday mood.
The best versatile decor that completes a rustic look for the holidays is Rustic Christmas Ornaments Set of Four. It not only looks perfect hanging on your tree, it can also be used as a complementing addition to your rustic Christmas wall decor.
What to know before you buy rustic Christmas decor
Rustic vs. vintage
Rustic design and style often are confused with vintage and farmhouse designs. The main difference is that vintage refers to a time, and rustic refers to a place.
Typically, rustic designs feature an outdoorsy look. That’s because the style tries to incorporate outdoor elements, keeping them as natural as possible. Rustic Christmas decor also often incorporates plaid in the design.
Consider a rustic coffee table for a moment. These tables incorporate distressed wood and some form of metal, such as iron. They don’t have a polished finish like marble; instead, one look at the table can create a sense of warmth. Rustic Christmas decor should induce similar feelings of warmth, as if you’re in a cabin deep in the woods.
Similarly, rustic Christmas wall decor uses natural texture, unfinished wood and earth tones. In contrast, vintage decor emphasizes the past with elements such as an old suitcase, antique typewriter or mid-century pickup truck.
Purpose and placement
Before purchasing your decor items, strategize which areas of your home need decorating. You’ll want to create a balanced room that pops and has the perfect ambiance. Strewing too much rustic Christmas decor around can reduce its impact and make a room feel cluttered.
However, unlike modern, minimalist approaches, a rustic theme gives you wiggle room regarding how much is too much. For example, you can hang handmade twig ornaments, wrap a plaid garland with pinecones around your Christmas tree, or drape a garland with pine cones, ribbons and branches above your fireplace.
If you have stairs, you can also wrap a deep green garland around the rails and add a splash of color by securing it with burgundy colored ribbon.
Budget
Your Christmas budget isn’t just for decor, but also food, gifts and the Christmas tree. So you’ll want to be strategic about rustic ideas.
For instance, you can use budget-friendly garlands, pinecones and ribbons to create a Christmas log. Simply take a long, decently thick log and use a drill to cut out shallow holes so you can secure tea candles in place. Then take the items you bought and artistically wrap them around the log.
Even without decorating the rest of your home, you’ve got a beautiful piece of affordable rustic-themed Christmas decor — and it looks like it sells for hundreds of dollars at your local hobby store.
What to look for in quality rustic Christmas decor
Material
Holiday decor shopping can blow past even the most generous budgets. With trends and styles constantly changing, you might end up with new holiday decor every year. But if you love the rustic look, your purchases will stay in style for quite some time.
Look for decor items made of quality materials that can withstand several years in storage. For example, anything made from unrefined wood creates a perfect rustic look and is durable enough to use time and time again.
Size and storage
Lots of little decorations can rapidly turn into several boxes that can take up significant amounts of space in your garage or attic. This is especially true if you use large lawn decorations or inflatables. The best rustic Christmas decor can typically be stacked to minimize space when it’s time to pack it away.
Colors and design
Unlike farmhouse and vintage styles, rustic decor uses a color palette reflecting the warmer side of nature. Many rustic decors use deep greens, oranges, reds, blues and warm browns, while a farmhouse palette uses muted neutral hues like cream or a soft grey-blue. The colors can be slightly interchangeable, but the best decor follows the warmer tones.
How much you can expect to spend on rustic Christmas decor
Depending on an item’s size and materials used, you can expect to spend between $8-$100 for quality rustic Christmas decor.
Rustic Christmas decor FAQ
Which colors best represent a rustic Christmas?
A. Search for colors that reflect the warmer tones found in nature. Earthy, deep greens, warm browns, and shades of gold, orange, red and blue work well together. Rustic Christmas decor should make you feel like you’re sitting in a cabin by an open fire as it snows outside.
Does rustic mean the same thing as farmhouse?
A. Farmhouse and rustic decor are similar — for instance, both styles heavily incorporate wood. However, rustic decor seeks to keep the wood as natural as possible, using its natural shape and imperfection to make a visual impact.
What’s the best rustic Christmas decor to buy?
Top rustic Christmas decor
Rustic Christmas Ornaments Set of Four
What you need to know: These handmade wooden ornaments fully embrace the rustic style.
What you’ll love: Each wooden slat in this set of four is approximately 9.5 by 3.5 inches and say joy, noel, peace and merry. The thick walnut stained ornaments have distressed edges that emphasize a rustic, natural look. There’s also beautiful hand-painted lettering, making it Instagram- and Pinterest-worthy.
What you should consider: There are no returns or exchanges, but reviews show that the seller goes above and beyond to ensure you’re satisfied.
Where to buy: Sold by Etsy
Top rustic Christmas decor for the money
Set of 3 Wooden Christmas Gift Boxes
What you need to know: This set is perfect for bringing holiday cheer to your dining or side tables.
What you’ll love: The handmade boxes are created to resemble the distressed look you’d find in nature and come in various ribbon colors and greenery. Also, because it’s a natural product, the wood contains the imperfections that make each piece one of a kind.
What you should consider: There are no returns or exchanges, but customers have received stellar customer support and fast shipping.
Where to buy: Sold by Etsy
Worth checking out
Holiday Lane Cozy Christmas Fabric Santa
What you need to know: This jovial Santa sits on an iron sleigh carrying a bag filled with branches, greens and pinecones.
What you’ll love: This is the perfect addition to bring a smile to everyone’s face. Forgoing the traditional red sack of toys, this forest-themed Santa embraces warm, earthy hues and complements any other rustic decor that surrounds it. It’s made from high-quality material to ensure it will last at least several years.
What you should consider: It’s on the more expensive end of Santa figurines.
Where to buy: Sold by Macy’s
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Christopher Lee writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.