Welcome to my 2025 Moody Christmas Cottage Tour! This year’s holiday decor feels like the perfect mix of old favorites but takes on a slightly different “moody” direction with deeper colors, natural textures, and cozy layers.

Instead of my usual brighter holiday palette of coastal greens and blues, I went with a mix of chocolate brown, burgundy, navy, black, creamy neutrals, olive, and moss. These softer, deeper colors flow from the living room to the kitchen, giving the entire open space a calm, collected feel that just feels right for the season.

And while I originally planned to keep the kitchen more traditional, things took a delightful turn — I was able to carry the moody vibe into the kitchen too, using layered ribbons, richer shades, and even a few florals and greens that tied everything together beautifully.

Be sure to scroll all the way to the end of this post. I’m sharing links to more beautiful holiday home tours from my blogging friends. There’s so much inspiration you won’t want to miss!

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What Is Moody Cottage Decor?

Before we get into the tour, let’s take a quick moment to talk about what moody décor actually is — because I promise, it’s not as dark or dramatic as it sounds.

Moody cottage décor is all about creating spaces that feel warm, layered, and full of atmosphere. Instead of bright whites and sparkles everywhere, think soft lighting, deeper colors, natural textures, and cozy shadows.

It’s cottage style, just a little more grown-up — less whimsical pastels, more earthy warmth. You’ll see dried hydrangeas, velvet ribbons, aged metals, layered greenery, and a mix of vintage pieces with more modern touches.

It’s calm, it’s collected, and it feels like a quiet evening with candles flickering and your favorite Christmas playlist in the background.

What are Moody Christmas Colors?

Moody Christmas colors lean deeper and softer than the traditional red-and-green combo.

They usually include:

These colors are layered together to create depth, warmth, and an old-world charm that still feels fresh and modern.

The Living Room: A Moody, Nature-Inspired Christmas

This year’s living room decor is all about cozy layers and contrast.

Moody Christmas Trees with Garden-Inspired Charm

I ended up styling three Christmas trees in the living room this year — all a little different, but all sharing that moody cottage vibe I’m loving. Here’s a peek at the details.

My main tree — the one closest to the kitchen — is dressed in chocolate brown, navy, burgundy, black, cream, and a few soft touches of olive green.

It’s warm and dramatic, but still feels inviting and perfectly at home in this little cottage.

I tucked in plenty of dried hydrangeas (one of my favorite things to do) to give it that garden-to-holiday feel. They soften the darker tones and add a bit of the outdoors — a reminder of summer blooms now dried and resting until next year.

Velvet ribbons in rich, coordinating shades add warmth and texture, while a few faux branches and leaves give the tree that natural, just-picked look I love.

It’s that “between fall and Christmas” feeling — when there’s still a hint of autumn outside, but twinkle lights are starting to glow inside.

I tucked a plaid burgundy throw inside the woven tree collar for a little extra color and texture.

The wooden horse in front of the tree got a big velvet bow this year — such a simple touch, but it adds so much charm.

And for the gifts, I wrapped everything in black and cream paper with matching ribbons and tags I picked up at Target last week.

Classic, cozy, and just a little bit moody.

Across the room is another flocked pencil tree, with its own twist on the same cozy color palette.

This tree has a similar cozy, moody feel as the first one, but with its own little personality.

I added a few pink vintage ornaments since I didn’t have as many burgundy ones for this tree, and they brought in the prettiest soft shimmer.

I also mixed in white balls, a couple of sweet little birds, a few burlap poinsettias, and some mini faux pinecone branches at the top to give it that natural, collected look I love.

And then there’s the little tree in the hanging basket on the wall — proof that you can truly tuck a Christmas tree just about anywhere. It’s a small detail that always makes me smile. (Yes, this tree does have twinkle lights, but it did not photograph well with them on.)

A Cozy Christmas Vignette on the Coffee Table

And because the trees aren’t the only stars of the room…

I also had fun styling the coffee table this year.

I tucked dried hydrangeas into a Portuguese fishing float I found at Red Plantation in Poulsbo this month, then added a glass cloche filled with a wooden house and bottlebrush trees.

Moody Little Christmas Vignette

There isn’t a ton of extra space in the living room for Christmas vignettes, but this little area always has room for a couple of cozy moments.

I kept things simple with candles, vintage books, bottlebrush trees, and an old tin filled with greenery — such an easy way to add charm without crowding the room.

I also brought in a bit of greenery from the garden and tucked extra ornaments into my favorite wooden dough bowl.

And of course, I had to add a brown and black nutcracker… the perfect little touch for that moody vibe.

Cozy Textiles & Moody Layers

One of my favorite ways to warm up the living room for Christmas is with soft, cozy textiles. This year, I kept things simple and neutral to match the moodier palette.

Chunky knit throws are draped over the leather couch, chairs, and the window seat — they add so much softness and texture, especially with the deeper colors in the room.

One of my favorite pieces is the ’Twas the Night Before Christmas canvas hanging from the mirror above the sofa. It adds the perfect nostalgic touch and ties in beautifully with the warm, cozy feeling of the room.

I didn’t end up using a lot of pillows this season (I just never found any that matched the look I was going for!), but a few small touches still made the room feel festive.

I added a cream pillow with a Christmas tree design on the vintage chair in the corner, and pulled out my long “Ho Ho Ho” lumbar pillow for a little playful holiday charm.

Vintage Christmas Treasures on Display

Right next to the kitchen, I have a black cabinet with glass doors that becomes extra special during the holidays.

It’s the perfect place to display my Spode Christmas dishes — a collection originally owned by a good friend’s grandmother. This is the first year I’ve shared them here.

There’s something so nostalgic and charming about seeing these vintage pieces tucked behind the glass, adding a soft pop of red and a little timeless Christmas magic to the room.

SHOP SPODE CHRISTMAS DISHWARE

Where the Moody Cottage Look Continues

Even with all the deeper tones and layered trees, the living room still feels relaxed and welcoming — the kind of space where you can sit down, kick your feet up, and enjoy the twinkle lights for a while.

Now, if you’ve taken it all in, you can wander right into the kitchen, where the cottage Christmas charm really shines.

The Kitchen: Cozy, Collected, and Unexpectedly Moody

Originally, I thought the kitchen would stay more traditional this year — but once I started decorating, the moody colors made their way in and I couldn’t resist leaning into them.

The kitchen still feels cottage-y and nostalgic, but now it has this deeper, cozier vibe that complements the living room beautifully.

It’s a mix of old and new… and honestly, I love it even more than I expected.

A Moody Garland to Connect the Rooms

Between the two rooms, I added a faux Norfolk and bay leaf garland each, draped across the transition area, with moody-colored ornaments tucked in.

Layering in Moody Transferware

To bring a little more depth into the kitchen, I mixed some of my brown and white transferware onto the open shelves. It was such a simple change, but it instantly made the space feel richer and more in line with the moody Christmas vibe in the living room.

I mixed browns from the fall season into my red and white transferware, and added colored ribbons for that soft, layered look.

I love the way the darker tones balance out the classic red and white pieces — it feels collected, cozy, and just a little unexpected.

Ribbons, Greenery & Moody Layers

To carry the moody cottage palette into the kitchen, I added a few simple ribbon and greenery touches that made a big difference.

I tied burgundy ribbon to the pendant lights above the dining table and tucked in a bit of greenery, instantly softening the space and bringing in that deeper Christmas color I used in the living room.

I also added ribbon to some of the dishware on the open shelves and around a few serving pieces. It’s amazing how just a little bow can pull everything together.

The combination of ribbon, greenery, and the layered transferware made the whole kitchen feel cozy, collected, and perfectly connected to the rest of the cottage.

Adding Cozy Plaid to the Mix

I draped red, green, black, and cream plaid throws over the chair backs to bring in a little more color and pattern.

I’ll be honest — I wished they leaned a bit more toward deep burgundy instead of true red, but they still worked with the rest of the room once everything was styled.

They add that cozy, layered cottage feel I love, and the pattern helps ground some of the moodier tones in the space.

A Pop of Poinsettia Color

One of my favorite additions to the kitchen this year is the prettiest poinsettia I picked up from Trader Joe’s.

It has a mix of red and soft pink tones — subtle in photos, but so gorgeous in person. Even with the deeper, moodier palette in the kitchen, this little plant brought the perfect pop of color to the space.

It brightened up the table just enough while still blending in beautifully with the ribbons, greenery, and transferware. It’s amazing how one simple poinsettia can pull everything together.

Layered Greenery for a Moody Christmas Look

I also put together a simple arrangement on the kitchen island using greenery I picked up from Trader Joe’s. I layered in different textures and shades to bring even more color and life into the room.

The mix of soft greens and deeper tones worked beautifully with the moody ribbons, transferware, and poinsettia, and the whole arrangement made the island feel like its own little Christmas moment.

Final Thoughts

This year’s Christmas decorating felt like the perfect blend of old comforts and new ideas. I loved leaning deeper into moody colors, mixing textures, and letting both the living room and kitchen take on their own personalities while still feeling connected. It reminded me that decorating doesn’t have to follow rules — it just has to feel like you.

Whether you’re drawn to moodier tones, classic cottage charm, or a mix of both, I hope this tour gives you a few ideas and a little inspiration for your own holiday home. If you found it helpful, feel free to share it with a friend who loves cozy Christmas decor as much as we do.

Wishing you a warm and peaceful holiday season from our little cottage by the water.

Until next time,

Happy decorating,

More Holiday Inspiration from My Blogging Friends

If you’re looking for even more Christmas decorating ideas, you’re in for a treat. A group of my talented blogging friends is sharing their holiday home tours this week, each with their own unique style and inspiration.

There are seven tours every day, so be sure to check back throughout the week—you won’t want to miss a single one!

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WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY