Christmas Around the Poplar Cottage, 2025
THE POPLAR COTTAGE
Happy holidays! Today we wanted to show you around the Poplar Cottage, all decked out for Christmas. Well not decked out so much as lightly dressed. If you’ve ever decorated a small house for the holidays, you know it’s a balance: festive, but not crowded. Cozy, but not cluttered. This year we leaned into simple decor with just enough detail to make the house feel special for our family of 5… without overwhelming it. Have a look around our holiday home…
That snow came straight from my imagination (added in post ;). We’re still waiting for more than a sprinkle to arrive here in central Washington. Here’s what the cottage actually looks like right now…
door mat, garland + oliday trees, pots (kindly gifted from Pottery Barn!)
A Simple Holiday Exterior
This year we went for a woodsy look on the front deck. A few small trees flank the front door, some tucked into simple pots, with a soft garland draped overhead to contrast the cedar shake siding. No big lights, no fuss, just greenery and texture. Even without real snow (fingers crossed it comes before Christmas!), it makes for a quiet holiday welcome. It’s simple, classic, and easy to repeat year after year. Which is good because if you’re going to store decor for 11 months a year, it better be good ;)
Let’s head inside…
You may remember that the Poplar Cottage is just 1,000 square feet, and we use every room every room. So for the holidays, we wanted decor that added to the festive vibes without detracting from the function of the spaces. Simple, light, and intentional decor that lends a sense of home during the darkest weeks of the year.
couch (details here), rug, tall lamp, table lamp, roman shades
Dining Room: Subtle and Seasonal
Just inside the front door, is our simple and cozy combo dining/sitting room. We festive-ed up the space with a simple candle centerpiece, a couple brass bells, cozy maroon pillows, and faux green wreaths in the windows. We use this space ALL the time, so we wanted the holiday decor to gently layer on top of the existing furniture and decor and not add too much. This space is ready for a slow breakfast, an afternoon puzzle, or a cozy dinner without needing to be “styled” at every turn.
Red pillow, embroidered pillow, wreath
(And yes, all the greenery is faux this year. I simply couldn’t handle needles in a house this size - and honestly, I don’t regret it one bit.)
Let’s head over to the kitchen…
Simple Kitchen touches
In a small kitchen, less is more, and that’s especially true during the holidays. We added a couple small seasonal touches here and there, but kept counters clear and surfaces functional. Our everyday mugs were swapped for our Christmas mugs. The kids’ school centerpiece project sits on the backsplash shelf. And our favorite fir candle burns on the counter every day.
Let’s move on to the main floor bedroom…
Our Bedroom
In years past, I’ve loved decorating the bedrooms with natural greenery. But this small space just didn’t feel like it needed anything more…besides layers of the coziest cotton and linen bedding. I picked out these brushed cotton sheets for Garrett and they’re probably the softest we’ve ever had. Add on a cotton blanket, cotton quilt, and linen-covered duvet and it’s amazing we ever get out of bed ;) The velvet lumbar pillow adds just a touch of subtle holiday lux.
velvet pillow, brushed cotton sheets, cotton blanket, cotton quilt (dune), linen duvet cover
Let’s head upstairs to our living room…
stockings, garland, staircase details
Living Room: Cozy Layers + a Skinny Tree
Our upstairs living room is where we gather as a family at night. Watching holiday movies, playing games, reading, working… this is our hang out room. With no fireplace, we decided to hang our stockings on the stair banister. A simple garland runs along the banister, paired with a strand of small gold bells for warmth and tradition.
Christmas tree (7.5’ tall), suede pillow, plaid pillow, throw, rug, curtains, TV
The room is anchored by our skinny Christmas tree that tucks neatly in the corner (it’s only 34” wide!). This is our very first fake tree, but with such a narrow space, a real tree just wasn’t going to fit. So I went down the ‘skinny tree’ rabbit hole online, and it turns out we’re not the only one’s with a narrow space for a tree! We kept the ornaments minimal and nostalgic and flipped on the tree’s lights.
Our TV and IKEA sectional get plenty of use this time of year with holiday movies :)
With no fireplace, we decided to hang our stockings on the stair banister. A simple garland runs along the banister, paired with a strand of small gold bells for warmth and tradition.
And that’s about all the holiday decorating this little cottage can handle 😉 Just enough to make the house feel special for our family of five, without tipping into overwhelm. Decorating a small home reminded me again this year that simplicity isn’t a limitation - it’s a gift. By choosing less, hanging less, and doing less, there’s more room for the feeling of the season and more time for the people that matter most.
Wishing you the happiest of holidays!
xx
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