A Big Christmas in a Small House

An open concept renovation at Christmas time. How to decorate a small home over the top for Christmas. 

Thank you to raymourflanigan.com for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.

I love going over the top for Christmas but having a small 2 bedroom ranch style home hasn’t always allowed for that. The rooms were very sectioned off and not perfect for entertaining or decorating. That is why midway through the open concept renovation I am halting to embrace all the progress we have made and deck it out for Christmas. 

It’s not about the size of your home it’s about how you use the space. By removing a wall and creating an open concept living room, dining room and kitchen we have created a more functional home. 

Raymour and Flanigan has delivered furniture, Christmas trees are up and it’s time to take you on a tour of a big Christmas in a small house! 

Scale of furniture

To make this space truly functional it was all about the scale of the furniture. While it is all open concept it is still cozy, a nice way of saying small. I started by figuring out the need for a smaller sectional. I was looking for grey with more of modern clean lines that would not exceed the width of my picture window. This would allow more room for a dining table, which I never was able to have before. 

The Daine 3 piece sectional is perfect. To be honest I think when I walked into the store the buffalo check pillows drew me to it. There are so many configurations to chose from I was able to find one that worked perfectly. I love the low back on this couch which is something I had never considered before. It make the room feel less weighted down by furniture. 

The whole intent behind renovating was to create a space I could entertain in comfortably. When choosing a dining set I knew in order entertain and also be functional for the space I needed a smaller table that had an extension leaf. The Aberdeen 7 piece dining set is perfect. It has the farmhouse feel that matched existing furniture and had the option of an 18 inch extension leaf. 

For everyday use I have it set for 4 and when company comes over I will add the leaf and the two additional chairs. Now the chairs are my favorite part. They don’t look matchy matchy with the table they look curated. The padded seat allows comfort that invites your guest to stay longer. 

Raymour and Flanigan made it easy to pick out furniture in my style while also staying on budget. 

Furniture Source List

Aberdeen 7 piece dining set | Daine 3 piece sectional
Dawson cocktail table | Daine Accent Chair

Function

Now they always say to live in your house get to know the space and then start to plan renovations and buy new furniture that fits your needs and the homes. Well it’s been 4 years and I know that living alone I spend a lot of time on the couch. It can function as a couch but also my office and dining room (who doesn’t eat at their couch). 

When I locked eyes on the Dawson cocktail table it was love at first sight. It is every single girls dream. The coffee table lifts to table height which allows it to function in so many more ways than just a normal coffee table. Did I also mention it has tons of storage?

Embracing my style

I love grey if I could paint every room cotton grey I would. I planned my whole color palette for the room and furniture around it. A neutral cool color palette with a more traditional rug to add some softness to the space. 

If you have been around here for a while you will know I have a strong affinity for buffalo check. Can you tell from my Christmas decor or my Daine accent chair? When I had told people I wanted to do an accent chair in buffalo check there were mixed opinions. That the trend was on its way out or would I regret it in a few years. If you truly love something embrace it. Also in my opinion plaid is pretty timeless but I may not be impartial.

Christmas decorating ideas for small spaces

So I have talked a lot about furniture and space planning. What about decorating for Christmas in a small house? Here are some of the tips and tricks that have worked for me the past 4 Christmases.

• A pencil tree or a skinnier tree can tuck into the corner of a room.
• Decorate surface you already have. 
• Switch out pillow covers.
• Add some Christmas potpourri 
  
• Bring your decor onto the walls.
  • Add garland and a wreath to your window treatments
  • Switch out artwork in frames
  • Decorate on shelves
• Add a pop of color to a neutral palette for a big impact
• Add textures and layer to create depth
  • Faux fur pillows
  • Throw blankets
  • Table Runners
  • Mix metals with wood and glass.
  • Use a cake stand to prop some smaller decor
  • Add natural elements like live plants, red berries or pinecones. 

Two Christmas Trees in One Living Room

If you want two Christmas trees get two Christmas trees and make room. This year because I chose a smaller sectional I was able to put my buffalo check flocked Christmas tree next to the couch and nuzzle my new pencil tree into the corner. 

Now I have alway dreamt of having a house full of Christmas trees and every time I walk into the new open concept I can’t help but smile. It’s like this weird nonsensical dream actually happened in my small house. 

Sneak peek of what’s to come

Now don’t let these pictures fool you we are still in full on renovation mode in the kitchen. In fact we still need to add recessed lighting and a chandelier over the dining room table. Not to mention backsplash tile, drywall, window casings, crown molding and much more I can’t even think about. But I am so proud of this space I couldn’t keep it to myself any longer. 

You’ll just have to see it twice. Once with Christmas decor and then again with a kitchen. Notice anything different in this picture below? We may have strayed from the original plan and added a peninsula! It might just be my favorite part of this entire renovation. Well besides the floors. Have you noticed the floors?!

Why I love working with Raymour and Flanigan. They will always have a soft spot in my heart. We have done so many projects together. Including two Habitat for Humanity houses and the Amo’s House project. Their philanthropy in the community has truly made an impact. 

A huge thank you to my dad who always thinks I have crazy ideas but will bring over the sledgehammer and help me make my home dreams a reality. 

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