How to Make Maximalist Christmas Decor (Tips + Ideas)

There is something magical about the holiday season when the decorations come out, the fairy lights start glowing, and every corner of the house gets a little extra sparkle. And if you love Christmas as much as I do, why stop at one tree, a single garland, and a few ornaments?

Welcome to maximalist Christmas decorating!

Maximalist Christmas decor is all about embracing abundance, layering colors and textures, displaying meaningful collections, and letting your personality shine. Think oversized bows, jewel tones, gold ornaments, lush greenery, colorful handmade decorations, and Christmas trees filled with personality. It's the perfect antidote to a minimalist Christmas tree and a wonderful opportunity to create a home that feels collected, cozy, and completely your own.

You don't need to hire an interior designer or spend a fortune to get the maximalist look. In fact, some of my favorite holiday decorating ideas involve handmade ornaments, upcycled treasures, vintage-inspired decorations, and things you can create yourself.

Let's explore some maximalist Christmas decorating ideas using projects and inspiration from Doodlecraftblog.com!

What Is Maximalist Christmas Decorating?

Maximalism is an interior design style that celebrates abundance, personality, and visual interest. Instead of keeping everything sparse, maximalist designs embrace layers, patterns, rich texture, collections, and unexpected combinations.

For Christmas décor, that might mean a tree overflowing with ornaments, a mantel covered in greenery and ribbons, or a collection of festive decorations displayed together instead of scattered throughout the house.

The goal isn't to make everything match perfectly. It's to create a maximalist space that feels joyful, intentional, and full of character.

Think layers, textures and a wide range of classic nostalgia to modern elements.

In recent years, maximalist decor has become a fun alternative to the clean lines and restrained color schemes often associated with minimalist decorating. Social media has also made it easy to discover all sorts of decor trends, from traditional red-and-green Christmas decorating to vintage-inspired displays and bold, colorful holiday rooms.

Younger generations may be discovering festive maximalism through these online inspirations, but the idea of filling a home with cherished Christmas ornaments, heirloom ornaments, and decorations collected over the years is a tradition that many families already know and love.

And honestly? There is no better way to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year than by decorating in a way that makes you happy.

Royal Fir Collection

1. Embrace a Maximalist Christmas Tree

Your Christmas tree is the perfect place to start when creating a maximalist Christmas display.

Rather than limiting yourself to a small number of coordinated ornaments, think about layering different shapes, sizes, materials, and colors. Mix handmade ornaments with treasured decorations, metallic finishes with natural elements, and sentimental keepsakes with new additions.

Alpine Fir

A maximalist Christmas tree doesn't have to follow a strict color palette. You can choose a traditional combination of forest greens, red, and gold, or experiment with bold colors, jewel tones, and unexpected combinations.

Rushmore Fir

For inspiration, check out these Doodlecraft projects:

Cardinal-Themed Christmas Tree

How to DIY Cardinal Themed Christmas Tree Decorations

This tree combines red cardinal decorations, natural elements, gold bead garland, and gold ornaments. It's a beautiful example of building a cohesive theme while layering different materials and meaningful decorations.

The cardinal theme also shows how you can build a Christmas tree around a personal story or a favorite motif rather than simply choosing ornaments that happen to match.

DIY Marbled Christmas Ornaments

DIY Marbled Christmas Ornaments with Easy Marble

These colorful ornaments feature swirls of teal, black, white, and gold. They're a great way to introduce bright colors and interesting patterns to your Christmas decorations.

You can also use this project to refresh existing ornaments and make them coordinate with a new color palette. There's no need to buy an entirely new collection every time you want a different maximalist look!

Honeycomb Paper Ornaments

How to Make Honeycomb Paper Ornaments DIY Tutorial

Honeycomb ornaments bring a dimensional, sculptural element to Christmas decorating. Experiment with different sizes, bold brights, pastels, or metallic paper to create a tree with plenty of visual interest.

Mixing different ornament shapes and sizes is a great way to make a maximalist tree feel full and interesting.

Make a Ribbon Backdrop for added texture!

2. Go Big with Oversized Bows

If there's one decorating detail that can instantly make Christmas décor feel extra special, it's a beautiful ribbon bow.

Oversized bows are a natural fit for maximalist Christmas decor. They add volume, color, and softness, and they're an easy way to bring a little drama to a tree, wreath, staircase, or front door.

Velvet ribbon is especially lovely for a rich, traditional Christmas look. Try deep red, forest green, gold, or jewel tones for a festive combination, or choose a contrasting ribbon to make each bow stand out.

Start with this tutorial:

How to Tie a Bow with Velvet Ribbon: Perfect Easy DIY

Once you know how to tie a beautiful bow, you can use the technique throughout your home. Add bows to Christmas ornaments, tree topper, make a bow garland, decorate banisters and railings, or hang a large bow on the front door in place of a wreath.

Then check out this Tartan Plaid Oversize Bow Tree Topper:

How to Make Plaid Bow Tree Topper

You can also coordinate the ribbon on your tree with your gift wrapping for a pulled-together look without making everything identical.

The trick is repetition. When you repeat a ribbon color or material in several places, the decorations feel connected while still allowing plenty of variety.

3. Layer in Natural Elements and Rich Textures

Maximalist Christmas decorating doesn't mean everything has to be bright, shiny, or covered in glitter. Natural materials add warmth and contrast to an abundance of festive decorations.

Think wood slices, pine greenery, rustic ornaments, twine, beads, and handmade pieces with interesting textures. These materials work beautifully alongside metallic finishes, velvet bows, and colorful decorations.

For example, the cardinal-themed Christmas tree combines wood ornaments, natural-looking macrame decorations, red accents, and gold bead garland. The different textures make the display interesting without requiring every ornament to be the same style.

Here are a few more projects to explore:

Paper Chains and 3D Snowflakes

How to Make Paper Chains and 3D Snowflakes Tutorial

Adding layers of elements is the key to a rich, maximalist feel. Make a bunch of paper chains and 3D snowflakes to add to the ceiling and entry ways.

PLUS, you can make a paper chain with RIBBON for a luxe and reusable richness--WATCH THIS INSTAGRAM REEL!

Clay Cardinal Christmas Ornaments

How to Make Clay Cardinal Christmas Ornaments DIY

These air-dry clay ornaments have a handmade, ceramic-like finish, with painted cardinal details. They're a lovely addition to a tree filled with natural materials and meaningful decorations.

Jingle Bell Cork Ornaments

How to Make Jingle Bell Cork Ornaments for Christmas

Wine corks, twine, jingle bells, and small decorative accents come together to create charming ornaments. The cork adds a rustic texture, while the bells, ribbon, and beads can bring in more traditional Christmas details.

Wine Cork Bead Garland

How to Make Wine Corks Bead Garland DIY

This garland has a relaxed, rustic feel and can be draped over a mantel, wrapped around a tree, or displayed on a coffee table. Its texture makes it a fun contrast to shiny ornaments and lush greenery.

Mixing natural elements with glimmering accents is a great way to create a layered maximalist space that feels warm rather than overwhelming.

Gold Frame Photo Ornaments DIY

4. Create a Colorful Collection of Christmas Ornaments

One of the best things about maximalist Christmas decorating is that you don't have to retire all your favorite decorations just because you want to try a new color scheme.

Instead, build a collection that includes different styles, colors, materials, and memories.

Maybe you love gold ornaments, silver tinsel strands, colorful lights, vintage-inspired decorations, or handmade keepsakes. You can bring them together by repeating a few colors throughout the display.

If you love bright colors, experiment with teal, pink, red, green, and gold. If jewel tones are more your style, try rich greens and deep reds with metallic accents. Or create a traditional look with forest greens, natural wood, and gold.

You can even change your color palette from one year to the next while keeping your favorite ornaments.

Here are some Doodlecraft ornament projects that offer different ways to add personality to your tree.

Sublimation Ceramic Ornaments

How to Make Sublimation Ceramic Ornaments!

Personalized ceramic ornaments are a lovely way to display custom artwork and family memories. They can become meaningful keepsakes that return to the tree year after year.

Watercolor Christmas Ornaments

How to Make Watercolor Christmas Ornaments Easy DIY

Hand-painted watercolor ornaments bring an artistic touch to your Christmas decorations. You can use different designs and colors to complement the rest of your holiday decor.

Seashell Christmas Ornaments

How to Mod Podge Napkins on Seashells (Ornaments DIY)

These floral seashell ornaments combine a little beach-inspired whimsy with holiday decorating. Their botanical patterns and soft velvet bows are a fun reminder that Christmas decorations don't have to follow a single traditional theme.

Vintage Button Christmas Tree Decor

Vintage Buttons Christmas Tree Decor DIY

This framed Christmas tree uses green and brown cardstock, burlap, and an assortment of buttons, including colorful and jeweled buttons. It's a charming way to turn a collection of small treasures into a festive piece of art.

You could display this type of framed decoration alongside other Christmas artwork, on a shelf, or as part of a larger holiday display.

5. Decorate Every Corner, Not Just the Tree

One of the easiest ways to achieve maximalist Christmas decor is to expand beyond the Christmas tree.

Instead of concentrating every decoration in one spot, look at your home as a collection of smaller decorating opportunities. A mantel, a shelf, a tabletop, window sills, and an entryway can each become part of your overall Christmas decorating plan.

This doesn't mean every surface needs to be covered. It means looking for places where a little festive layering will make your home feel more connected to the holiday season.

Try these ideas using projects already featured on Doodlecraft.

Make a Festive Wreath

Dollar Tree Garland Wreath with Poinsettia Hair Bow DIY

This wreath combines green garland, a large ribbon bow, and a poinsettia accent. It can be decorated with additional ornaments, lights, flowers, or handmade decorations.

Display a wreath on your front door or use it as inspiration for a festive arrangement elsewhere in your home.

Add a Christmas Statement Sign

Wise Men Still Seek Him Vinyl Sign Decor

This red wood sign with white vinyl lettering offers a bold, colorful accent for a Christmas display. It also pairs with a Nativity set, making it a meaningful addition to a faith-centered holiday arrangement.

Display a Handmade Christmas Tree

Vintage Buttons Christmas Tree Decor DIY

The framed button tree is another great example of Christmas decorating that doesn't require a full-size tree. Use it as a standalone decoration or combine it with other holiday pieces to create a layered display.

You can also incorporate ceramic trees, favorite collectible decorations, and other treasured pieces you already own. The goal is to make your collections part of your Christmas décor instead of hiding them away for the season.

Stocking Tags cut from Acrylic

6. Give Your Mantel and Coffee Table the Maximalist Treatment

A mantel or coffee table can be a wonderful place to bring together several different decorating elements.

Think of your display as a small composition. Combine different heights, textures, shapes, and finishes so the eye has plenty to explore.

A garland can provide a foundation, while bows, ornaments, decorative signs, and small seasonal pieces add layers. The same idea works on shelves, console tables, and other surfaces.

For a rustic look, use the wine cork bead garland as a textural accent. For a more traditional style, take inspiration from the Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic, with its deep greens, jewel tones, tartan patterns, brass accents, velvet ribbons, and layers of greenery.

You can find more inspiration here:

20+ Ralph Lauren Christmas Decor: Budget DIY Dupes

This decorating style is a wonderful example of festive maximalism. The combination of rich materials, layered patterns, and traditional colors creates an inviting, collected look.

If you already own decorations in similar colors, start by gathering them together. You might be surprised by how much of a maximalist display you can create without purchasing anything new.

And don't forget the little details! A collection of ornaments in a decorative bowl, a handmade garland, or a few treasured holiday pieces can add personality to a coffee table without making it impossible to set down a box of chocolates.

7. Bring Christmas Cheer to Your Front Door

The front door is a wonderful opportunity to make an impressive maximalist statement before anyone even steps inside.

A wreath is a classic option, but you can also experiment with large bows, colorful greenery, and other festive accents.

The velvet bow tutorial offers an easy way to make a statement with ribbon. You can choose a dramatic color or texture and let the bow become the focal point.

Jewel Encrusted Star Ornament DIY

If you prefer something fuller, the Dollar Tree garland wreath is another option. Its greenery and poinsettia detail can be customized with additional decorations for a more abundant look.

You can also carry your decorating theme from the front door into the rest of the house. Repeating ribbon colors, greenery, or other decorative details creates a visual connection between your outdoor and indoor Christmas décor.

It's a simple way to make your home feel festive from the moment guests arrive.

8. Make Handmade Decorations Part of Your Maximalist Style

Handmade decorations are especially fun in a maximalist home because each piece can have its own personality.

Instead of buying an entire matching set of Christmas ornaments, mix store-bought pieces with things you've made yourself. Include sentimental items, family keepsakes, personalized ornaments, and decorations that reflect your interests.

The result is a Christmas tree or holiday display that feels collected over time rather than purchased all at once.

Here are a few more projects worth adding to your holiday crafting list.

Origami Present Boxes

Origami Present Box!

These paper boxes were made using leftover gift wrapping and bows to decorate a Christmas tree with a blue-and-silver theme. It's a clever way to turn pretty paper into an additional layer of Christmas decoration.

Miniature Book Tracker Ornament

How to Make Miniature Book Tracker Christmas Ornament

This ornament celebrates reading with tiny books displayed inside a globe-shaped ornament. It's a fun example of how a hobby or personal interest can become part of your Christmas decorations.

Handmade Cardinal Wood Slice Ornaments

How to Make Cardinal Wood Slice Ornaments (Easy DIY)

The cardinal-themed tree tutorial also includes a wood slice ornament project. These ornaments bring a rustic, handmade element to the tree and can be personalized with different stamped designs.

When you create your own decorations, you can choose the colors, patterns, and materials that work with your existing collection. It's a great way to add maximalist flair without sacrificing the sentimental value of the pieces you already love.

9. Coordinate Your Wrapping Paper with Your Christmas Decor

Here's a little decorating detail that can make a big difference: your gifts can become part of the display!

Rather than treating wrapping paper as an afterthought, choose papers and ribbons that complement the rest of your holiday color schemes.

You might use deep green paper with gold ribbon, colorful patterned paper with velvet bows, or kraft paper with handmade details.

If you're using bold colors throughout your home, wrapping paper is another opportunity to repeat those shades. And if your Christmas tree features a traditional palette, coordinated gift wrapping can make the entire display feel intentional.

You can also make your own decorations for gifts.

You can also try hand-lettered wrapping paper, handmade gift bags, wrapping an open box and using the ideas featured in this Doodlecraft post:

10 Creative Gift Wrapping Ideas for the Holidays!

Handmade wrapping details are a simple way to bring your creative style to the presents under the tree. And when the gifts are wrapped in colors and patterns that complement your decorations, they become another layer of the overall Christmas display.

O What Fun Vinyl Pillow

10. Mix Traditional Christmas Decor with Unexpected Details

One of the most fun things about maximalist Christmas decorating is that there are no strict rules about what belongs together.

You can combine traditional red and green with unexpected colors, natural materials with metallic finishes, handmade ornaments with treasured heirlooms, and vintage-inspired decorations with newer pieces.

How to Make a Rustic JOY Porch Sign

A themed tree, like the cardinal Christmas tree, offers a starting point. From there, you can introduce additional textures, handmade decorations, and personal keepsakes.

The important thing is to make the combination feel intentional. Repeating a few colors, materials, or decorative motifs helps different pieces feel connected, even when they don't match perfectly.

How to Make a Giant Paper Poinsettia

For example, gold can connect a collection of different ornaments, while velvet ribbon can tie together the tree, wreath, and wrapped gifts. Natural wood can balance brighter colors, and greenery can soften a display filled with shiny finishes.

Cricut Maker Personalized Christmas Stockings Tutorial

You can also change things up each year. If you experimented with a minimalist Christmas tree last year, this might be the perfect time to bring out more of your collection, add colorful ornaments, or create a fuller display.

And if you're decorating for the first time in a new home, start with the pieces you love most. Maximalism doesn't have to happen all at once.

Tips for Creating a Maximalist Christmas Look Without Overspending

You don't need a huge decorating budget to create a beautiful maximalist Christmas display. In fact, this style lends itself to creativity, repurposing, and making the most of the decorations you already own.

Here are a few ways to get started:

• Shop your own home first. Gather your existing Christmas ornaments, ribbons, garlands, and decorative pieces before buying anything new.

• Make your own ornaments. Projects like marbled ornaments, watercolor ornaments, and paper honeycomb ornaments let you customize your color palette.

• Use collections as decorations. Display treasured ornaments, handmade pieces, and favorite seasonal objects together.

Joyful Anthropologie Inspired Pom-Pom Pillow!

• Mix textures. Combine velvet ribbon, wood, paper, greenery, beads, and metallic accents for a layered look.

• Repeat colors. Even when your decorations are eclectic, repeating a few colors throughout the room creates a sense of connection.

• Decorate beyond the tree. Add a wreath, a framed Christmas tree, a festive sign, or a handmade garland to other areas of your home.

• Make use of what you have. Refresh older ornaments with a new finish or create decorations from materials already in your craft stash.

The best maximalist Christmas decor is personal. It should reflect your favorite colors, meaningful traditions, and the things that make your home feel like home.

Frequently Asked Questions About Maximalist Christmas Decorating

What is maximalist Christmas decor?

Maximalist Christmas decor embraces abundance, color, patterns, textures, and personality. It often includes layered greenery, full Christmas trees, lots of ornaments, oversized bows, decorative collections, and festive accents throughout the home.

How do I make my Christmas tree look maximalist?

Start with a full tree and layer ornaments in different sizes, shapes, colors, and materials. Add ribbon, garland, and meaningful decorations. Mix handmade ornaments with existing favorites, and experiment with a color palette that reflects your style.

Can maximalist Christmas decorating still look cohesive?

Absolutely! The secret is to repeat a few colors, materials, or motifs throughout your decorations. You can mix many different styles while using consistent accents such as gold, velvet ribbon, greenery, or natural wood to connect the display.

What colors work best for maximalist Christmas decorating?

There is no single correct color scheme. Traditional red and green, forest greens and gold, jewel tones, bright colors, pastels, and metallic combinations can all work beautifully. Choose colors you enjoy and build your display around them.

How can I decorate for Christmas on a budget?

Start with decorations you already own, repurpose older ornaments, and make your own garlands, bows, and ornaments. Projects like marbled ornaments, button Christmas tree art, and paper honeycomb ornaments allow you to customize your decorations without replacing your entire collection.

Don't forget about thrifting too! Some of my best finds are from thrift stores...it's a great way to add old elements with new elements!

Celebrate the Most Wonderful Time of the Year Your Way

Maximalist Christmas decorating is all about embracing the things that make the holidays special to you.

Maybe you love a tree packed with colorful ornaments. Maybe you're drawn to rich velvet ribbons, traditional greenery, and jewel tones. Or maybe your favorite decorations are handmade treasures that remind you of family, friends, and Christmases past.

Make Fake Gingerbread House DIY (Super Thick Paint)

There is no single right way to create a maximalist Christmas display. You can start with a statement tree, add a few oversized bows, decorate your mantel, or gradually bring more of your favorite decorations into your living space.

Interlocking Acrylic Trees with xTool S1 and FREE Files!

The perfect time to experiment is when you're ready to have fun with your home. Try new color combinations, make a few handmade ornaments, and bring out those decorations you've been saving.

You don't need a designer's budget or a perfectly coordinated collection. You just need a little creativity and a willingness to make your home feel festive.

After all, Christmas decorating should be a wonderful opportunity to create a space filled with warmth, personality, and memories.

Happy decorating, and have fun creating a maximalist Christmas that's uniquely yours!