The holidays are all about welcoming loved ones, family members and a few randos (there’s always a few) in from the cold. And nothing provides a more cozy and welcoming jump-off to your festivities than a perfectly styled exterior to set the tone for what is sure to be the most Christmassy Christmas party you’ve ever thrown. We’ve gathered some chic examples of exterior decor to get you in the mood just in time for that eggnog rager you’ve been planning.
At KDI, our Christmases are less red and green and more…black and white, with lots of hot pink, green, and gold. We love Christmas, but we hate a lot of the cheesiness that comes along with decorating for it. As far as Christmas decorating goes, we always, always advise to start with greenery and add some of your own style to finish off the look. If that means telling your mom you don’t want all her multi-colored lights (GASP!!!) or her little Santa statues, then so be it. Sorry, mom.

Dame Manor’s decor didn’t require any getting up on ladders to string the roof-line with lights, but it did require wrapping up some boxes…

All these “presents” are boxes that were ready to be recycled, or shall we say were waiting to be wrapped up and used for decor. We filled them with some heavy things (i.e. empty wine bottles) to make sure the wind didn’t blow them away.

We filled our planters with yard clippings entirely from our yard (okay- the snowy pine cones weren’t from our yard, but everything else was!) No need to go out and buy anything when you have a yard full of goodies!

One of our favorite ways to decorate for Christmas is using vintage ornaments. We can’t get enough of them! No tree is complete without at least a handful of these beauties.
If you’re not all about a pink Christmas, we’ve gathered up some other simple exterior decorating ideas that might just strike your fancy…

Drama doesn’t stop for the holidays. Those of us obsessed with the chicness of black can deck our dark halls too!

Consider non-traditional colors. Cuz…We all get it. It’s Christmas time. The red and green can get a little redundant, no?

Rustic done right. No bells and whistles. Just natural colors and materials being their beautiful selves. Note the galvalized buckets that add variety in material and levels for interest.

This is a beautiful example of less is more. The door is already a beautiful cherry red. It perfectly lends itself to some snowy swag. One garland and a few candles and this entry is instantly inviting!

Lemons? The green and yellow pops off this black arched doorway in a whimsical way that manages to still be elegant. What a great shake-up to traditional holiday cheer!
We want to know about your holiday decor! What are your go-to rules for making your exterior feel merry and bright?