Not everything in our home has to be ‘company ready’ every day. Not every season needs to be a full-blown decorating production. Not every surface needs to be bedecked with a dazzling vignette or a statement arrangement. Sometimes, there is a season when our homes can just feel comforting, simple, cheerful, welcoming. For me, that season is now.
By ‘now’, I mean early winter. I’ve written about early winter for years now. (See links below.) I realize there are many who struggle with January. The December Christmas decor is so festive, and the lights are so pretty. The family room and living room can feel a little bland when it’s all taken down.
The back side of the coffee table showing the graceful vines of a happy ivy plant!
But consider this; early winter is actually an opportunity. For one thing, we often have to put away our favorite pieces during Fall and Christmas decorating. In January, they can come right back out again.
Early winter is the perfect time to experiment; you can go in any of several different directions. Put out a new runner, or invest in some new pillow covers. Keep the fairy lights out, and keep the taper candles out too! They will help cozy up your rooms when afternoons start to get dark.
If you’re in the mood for something new, take a spin through a few thrift shops to see if something catches your eye.
A simple, happy early winter combination of buffalo check, blue + white chinoiserie, and ivy fills the shelf of my Facebook Marketplace hutch.
If you’ve always wanted to put out a basket of pine cones, or a pretty bowl filled with shells or pears, here’s your opportunity. It’s literally a decorating free-for-all!
And then …there’s me. Marching out all the colors, because that’s what my little early winter heart wants. Also, let me just quickly say that pretty much 80% of what you see here is thrifted.
A cozy grouping of books, ceramics, and greenery make this coffee table a colorful and welcoming addition to the Dupont House during Early Winter 2026.
I bring out these pillow covers in early winter year after year because I truly love the prints. The blue floral prints are from a window valance I found in a thrift shop. The red floral print is simply a classic: “Queensland” by P. Kaufman. I mixed them in with some of my Christmas pillows to serve as a background. More colors, plaids and checks. (I’m pretty sure I can never get enough!)
The consignment store love seat dressed in floral and Christmas pillow covers that I sewed.
At first, I had all the blue prints on the new couch, and all the red pillow covers on the love seat. But then one day I was scrolling through this Instagram account, and got very inspired!
And here we are. Everybody, all mixed up. Paint me happy.
Placing navy blue on the two couches works really well to create cohesiveness between them. Otherwise, they look like what they really are; 2 random couches pulled together, with no thought on how they would look combined!
This grouping on my grandmother’s tilt table, starting with a William Morris runner, a thrift shop lamp, some ivy plants dropped into chinoiserie bowls, and a small chinoiserie bowl with miniature pears. I think she would approve.
A winter view of the tilt table displaying blue & white bowls, ivy and a lamp. The William Morris runner makes a complementary background.
This cozy grouping of my Grandmother’s tilt table and arm chair I grew up with beckon with welcoming warmth to Early Winter 2026 at the Dupont House.
As we swing around to the dining table, this is what greets you. This simple little collection of terra cotta pot of ivy, dropped into a tureen, accompanied by a couple of white pitchers and a thrifted rooster. All atop a very unique little runner showcasing bright fruits against a black background (P. Kaufman). “Kind of 90’s, isn’t it?” you might be thinking. And you would be right; it is very 90’s.
This classic runner of bright fruit on a black background sets the tone for this collection of white porcelain surrounding an ivy plant.
Tucked into the shelf of the hutch is a chinoiserie bowl hosting a terra cotta pot of ivy. A chinoiserie plate, saucer and white pitcher on one side is balanced out with a very pretty finial from JoAnn’s on the other.
Buffalo check, a fruit pattern, and lots of chinoiserie and white ceramic signal a welcome to early winter.
Overseeing this little grouping is a petite grapevine wreath adorned with a buffalo check bow that ties together with the buffalo check runner.
Atop the hutch, a wood tool tote painted green, flanked by two tureens, lords over all this winter activity.
A wooden tool totes sits atop this china hutch, flanked by 2 thrift soup tureens.
Late afternoon sun warms the wood of the Facebook marketplace hutch. This simple combination of chinoiserie and ivy plant is a cozy answer to early winter.
So, there is my celebration of early winter. A lot of repeat appearances, with a couple of new faces. Color, patterns, chinoiserie. Ivy, candles, pillows and throws. This room is cozy, cheerful, full of what makes ‘my winter heart’ happy.
This beautiful fruit print runner is the perfect background for this simple grouping of white ceramic pieces (and rooster!) and ivy plant.
Personally, I really do love this time of the year, especially since we have had many days of snow on the ground, which is just such a treat. (I just looked out the window; it’s snowing right now!)
Winter afternoon sun hits the coffee table showcasing this thriving ivy plant happily nestled into a chinoiserie bowl.
This early winter “off-season” is a chance to just take some down time, and I have done A LOT of that these past few weeks. It’s a great time to just be. I am savoring the memories of Christmas, but also enjoying the simple comfort of a movie late on a Sunday afternoon, tucked in with all the pillows, curled up with a throw and a pot of cinnamon spice tea. The battery candles come to life, and my thrifted buffet lamps are turned on against the darkening late afternoon. Life is good.
Happy Early Winter!
Kristine
Some previous posts about Early Winter!
Winter Living Room
I’m sharing at these Link Parties:
// County Road 407 Farmhouse Friday //
Everything looks beautiful! I love that Queensland fabric, too. I have new pillows I made from it for my living room. I actually bought it at the store you linked to! It’s a great shop. The fabric is on the bolt and ready to cut and carry home. I feel the same way about January. I love seeing my old favorites and adding a few new pieces to brighten the place up! Ps…that white rooster is divine!!
Kim – I am not at all surprised that you have some Queensland fabric in your cozy cottage!! In all honesty, I bought the bolt around 2005 or so. I bought it at Calico Corners, and it was on sale! (I still have a ton of it left!) And 20 years later (or more!) it’s still going strong on Pinterest & Instagram. I think that’s because it’s truly beautiful. Mr. Rooster came from a thrift shop, and he was not one bit pretty. A little date with a can spray paint fixed him right away! Thank you, as always, for your thoughtful comments that always give me a boost!
Your home always looks so inviting!! You definitely have a great knack for decorating and for thrifting!!
Thank you Patti! You’ve seen enough iterations of my living room to know I move things around all the time! I’m trying to keep the thrifting obsession a little more dialed back; we’ll see how I succeed! Thank you for stopping by!
Personally, I love the blank slate that is left after Christmas decorations come down. I enjoy the simple minimalist look for a while. But you have such a wonderful ability to make your home so comfy and cozy… I envy that! 🥰
Jeanne – I have to confess…I struggled with that. I really thought about keeping everything super simple and calm. Guess what? Utter failure. But here’s the deal…I can rearrange everything tomorrow, and go for a whole, new and different look. (But don’t hold your breath!) Thank you for your kind words; I very much appreciate them.
Hi Kristine – I always love it when one of your posts pops up in my email, I know I’m going to be treated to some tasteful decor and some gentle, cosy writing. I loved your early Winter decor – we’re in the middle of a fiercely dry summer in Australia, so it was a nice change to scroll through your photos and to know that it was snowing outside – soooo different to the weather here!
Leanne – So weird how the seasons are turned upside down between our 2 continents! I feel for you in hot, dry weather; it makes everything just a little harder. Of course, cold, show and ice can have the same effect. I so appreciate your kind thoughts and words! We’re spending more time at home because of this winter weather; it might as well be comfortable! Thank you for stopping by.