Marly Dice is a content creator, podcaster, mom and wife who blogs about beautiful home living. Marly and her husband Jason have been renovating and decorating homes for 10 years. They bought their current fixer upper in 2013 and have slowly made it into a space they love and one they’re happy to call home. On her blog, Marly shares decor inspiration, thrifty DIY projects, large renovations and other fun ideas to help readers create a casually elegant home. She also shares daily inspiration on Instagram.
To help get our XO Ashley readers inspired for the holiday season, we’ve invited Marly to share some of her favorite festive decor pieces and decorating tips with you. So, follow along as she recalls her favorite traditions and moments of the holiday season. Let’s get merry together!
Let’s Meet Marly
Hi, I’m Marly! I’m thrilled to join XO Ashley and bring you inside my rustic holiday home. This time of year is my absolute favorite! I love warming up my home with Christmas trees, greenery, and glowing candles and twinkly lights. Every year I come up with a theme for my entire home, and this year I chose to go with a natural and rustic look.
It has been a tough year for everyone and I wanted to remind myself and my family of all the beauty that nature has to offer, even during this uncertain time.
Every time I step outside, I’m reminded how much I love rustic wood tones and enjoy immersing myself in the fresh, outdoor air. I built on that idea and brought all the earthy tones inside this year, to keep a constant reminder that beauty is always all around us.
So grab a cup of coffee and join me for a tour around our rustic holiday home.
Deck the Halls and Holiday Spaces
We spend a lot of time in our living room, and I wanted to make sure we felt the beauty of nature in this space.
I made a massive DIY Christmas garland to drape across our mantel, which makes me smile every time I see it. To make it, I combined a variety of faux greenery including pine branches, eucalyptus stems and cedar.
I topped off our mantel with a bunch of brass candlesticks and white taper candles. When we’re ready to use our fireplace this year, I’ll use the right-sided square of our fireplace to stack and store firewood.
Our Johnelle coffee table gets tons of use, and it’s one of my favorite pieces in my entire home! I love the rustic brown and grey tones in this piece as well as the baluster-style legs. It is a beautiful piece of furniture and I love being able to style it every season.
This year, to keep the focus on the tree, I kept our coffee table decor simple using some books, candles and a tray of white ornaments.
Every holiday season our living room turns into a dance party haven. We turn on the Christmas music and dance around this space until our feet hurt. It’s my favorite way to use this space during the holidays.
Create a Seasonal Bedroom
To make our bedroom feel extra cozy and magical, I like to put a Christmas tree in this space. I actually do it every year, and it has become one of my favorite traditions. I decided to keep this tree bare this year because I really like the simplicity of it.
We have the Demarlos bedroom set, which is the perfect backdrop for any type of decor I want to add. To keep with the rustic holiday theme, I added a few black accents, including arched mirrors, a cozy throw and DIY tree wall art.
I actually drew these cute Christmas trees using a black marker and stuck them in some frames. It was super easy and budget friendly, and I love how they accent the rest of our bedroom.
On our Demarlos dresser, I kept it simple with faux greenery and candles. One of my favorite ways to use garland is to drape it around a mirror. It makes such a beautiful statement! On our Demarlos dresser, I kept it simple with faux greenery and candles. One of my favorite ways to use garland is to drape it around a mirror. It makes such a beautiful statement!
During the colder months, I love adding lots of cozy textures and layers to our bed. Warm blankets, throws and pillows are a must for me!
A Festive Movie Room
We use our basement as our family area, where we enjoy snuggling up, watching movies and reading our favorite books. Every year during the holidays, we always watch “Elf” and read “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
The main goal I had in mind when designing our basement was creating comfort for the whole family. We chose the Chamberly sectional for this room because it is incredibly comfortable and it’s big enough for all of us to spread out on.
This is the first year I’ve been able to decorate this space for Christmas because it was just finished. I knew I wanted to add a Christmas tree to this room because we spend so much time down here during the holidays. To keep with my rustic theme, I added birch candles and kept the decor neutral. Our “Merry Christmas” sign was the finishing touch this space needed.
We are thrilled with how our home has come together for the holidays. The rustic tones and natural elements continue to remind me how beautiful nature is and how much we have to be thankful for.
Thank you so much for joining me on my home tour. I hope you got some ideas and inspiration for your home. If you want to share your holiday home with me and Ashley HomeStore, tag us on Instagram. Use #MyAshleyHome, and you might see your photo on their Instagram feed.
For more Christmas inspiration and year-round home ideas, follow along on my blog, marlydice.com. Have a wonderful holiday season!
