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Thursday, December 9, 2010

Branch Out With Your Holiday Decorating!

Pinecones, branches and fresh greens are always a part of any holiday decorating scheme at the A&A house. I don't think I'd know where to start without these basics. I use them regardless of whether I am going with a rustic or more polished holiday look. It's what I add to these elements that change the design direction for me.



This year, two photos provided some inspiration for a space that is a hallway that separates two rooms in our house. The first was from the November/December issue of Veranda and this gorgeous aqua Chinoisere wallpaper in a bedroom done by Miles Redd.


The other came this past week from a foyer table from the December issue of Country Living. I loved the hand printed green toile wallpaper! It was a beautiful backdrop to the gold painted walnuts and chandelier prisms the homeowners used to decorate their tree branches. It must have taken a lot of patience to get those walnuts drilled or hot glued to hang up...maybe a project for my glittered nuts to try next year!


We've had several very windy days and fallen tree branches are all over the yard and deck...gotta love nature for doing the work for you!  I used 2 Beech Tree branches, tied them together at the base and put them in a French style galvanized planter. I've used urns and a champagne bucket before for branches and they are great alternatives if you want to give this a try.




I  hooked several mini Christmas balls using the colors in both wallpapers as a guide, teeny-tiny glass drops along with 3 pale green birds with teal and brown feathered tails. The best part of this project is that it requires no special skills or tools and it only took about 30 minutes to assemble!



A few other branch trees to inspire you!







19 comments:

  1. You must have read my mind! I was thinking when I woke up this morning, that I have to get some branches etc to decorate with! That first wallpaper is stunning!

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  2. Love this look - spartan and wintery! I don't have plain branches in the house - but I have the ones with the red berries - simple and fun.

    Love what you've done with yours!

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  3. I absolutely love your branches and your inspiration photos! I used some fallen limbs to create the tree in my living room this year...great minds...and great winds of course!

    Kat :)

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  4. branches are my absolute favorite holiday time and off season.. so much that my home may risk turning into a forest :) I love their unique elegant shapes and the touch of natural they add to Christmas decor. Your pictures are beautiful!!!

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  5. Love all these branch trees - but I love yours the best - so charming and fresh yet still festive!

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  6. I love simple branches used in design year round., though I must confess I'm not the best at arranging them. You just have to let them do their thing. Maybe that's the problem. I must be a tad of a control freak!

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  7. Love this look and it is so perfect for you home. Living in calif suburbia we don't have to many branches laying around but I can find small stuff in the park behind my house. Love the little birds perched on the brances, so cute!! Have a great day,Kathysue

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  8. I have birds all over my tree and love it! Thanks for the compliment of my pottery :)! xxDanielle

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  9. Oh my gosh!!! I just left an abusive husband with just my clothes and all my decorations behind... can live with out the small stuff honestly but I've been longing to decorate my new place on a tight budget and these ideas are brilliant!!!! see - there's an idea around every corner - thanks so very much! Jennifer jennsthreegraces blessings!

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  10. These are so pretty! I love the whimsical enchanted forest feel to your branches...great job yet again! Just lovely!!!

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  11. R, you could seriously
    be styling for Pottery
    Barn!!! I also loooove
    branches and I think this
    next year I will look for
    chandelier crystals at
    estate sales, etc. to
    jazz up branches for
    Christmas of 2011. Thanks
    for all of these great
    images; for this branch-
    lover, it is wonderful
    inspiration. Have a
    lovely, Christmas-y weekend!
    xx Suzanne

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  12. R~

    I just did the very same thing today...it must be in the wind! hehe

    ~R

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  13. Love mossy branches...need a few more storms around here or I might have to do a bit of tree climbing! Trish

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  14. Love your branch decoration...simple and festive!!

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  15. Happy to have visited your site.

    I too have done some Chrismas decor with branches, I have created a place for the birds to rest.

    Come for a visit!
    I just love the simple feeling branches give to a Joyeux Noel!

    xx
    Dore

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  16. I love this look. I have an arrangement of white birch branches that I do this time of year and love the simple clean lines. Best, Kate

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  17. Reggie loves your branches with birds and ornaments (and no red!). Wonderful!

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  18. Love branches- wish I would have decorated some earlier in the month.
    Drats - next year.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment!