Cozy.  It really is one of the nicest words!  In my preschool class, we just finished our unit on winter animals and every time we talk about the bears and hibernation, I have to try really hard to not yawn!  What is it about winter that so naturally makes us want to celebrate the simple and enjoy the cozy feelings?

I used to not decorate for winter.  After all, I live in South Florida, where our winter is basically spring or fall for everyone else.  Ha!  We definitely aren’t getting snow and most days are gorgeous sunshine and 70 degree weather.  (Don’t get mad at me, now!  You’re welcome to come and visit!)

Over the past couple of years, I have enjoyed doing more winter décor.  I decided to embrace the 5:30-6:00 sunset, long evenings, “cool” temps, and make our home extra cozy for these winter months.  And really, it’s just fun to do a different kind of décor for a couple of months anyway!

I have had fun creating some winter centerpieces this month and am excited to share them with you.  Even the dining room can feel cozy and I love walking through our home and catching these cozy views

Winter Centerpiece #1: Pillar Candle Collage

 

To create this centerpiece, you need:

• • Crate, Dough Bowl, or Basket
  • Battery-Operated Pillar Candles, Varying Heights
  • Faux Winter Greenery Stems

To create this centerpiece, I used a large, antique, French grain bin.  You could also use a dough bowl, crate, or basket to create this effect.  Even a pretty tray would work great!  While real candles would be lovely, I do enjoy having these battery-operated candles flicker on each evening and stay lit until bedtime.  It adds some ambiance and certainly some cozy vibes to our home.

I used candles with different heights and layered them with deconstructed books to give even more height variation.  A few sprigs of faux, winter greenery finished off the look!

P.S. My favorite deconstructed books are the super cheap thrift store paperbacks with the covers torn off!  It’s the perfect, budget-friendly way to add layers and height to your vignettes!

Winter Centerpiece #2: Taper Candle Bowls

To create this centerpiece, you need:

• Vase Filler Rocks
• Taper Candles (these are my very favorite dripless ones!)
• Pots or Bowls

I was inspired to create this centerpiece by my sweet friend, Kendra from @homespuncottage.  Kendra used white-washed terra cotta pots for her centerpiece, which created such an earthy, organic look.  It was beautiful!

I didn’t have any pots on hand when I was creating this centerpiece, so after looking around my home, I realized these ironstone chamber pots would work great!  I love how the white ironstone looks.  Mixing and matching the sizes and styles added more texture and character to my table as well.

I poured a few inches of vase filler rock in my pots and added the candles.  An odd number of taper candles (hyperlink) works perfectly.  I added five candles to my larger pots and three candles to the smaller one.

And as it turns out…I ended up with 13 candles!  It was a happy coincidence, as our oldest turned 13 that week!

I layered my pots into this old wagon top…turned tray…and added simple shop rags (which we use for napkins), a jar with flatware, and dessert plates for cake!

Just as layering works so beautifully on a mantel or coffee table vignette, it also adds texture and interest to a centerpiece!​

 

Winter Centerpiece #3: Cozy Metallic Glow

To create this centerpiece, you need:

• Brass or Silver Candle Holders (hyperlink)
• Pillar Candles (or you could use tapers too!)
• Eucalyptus Stems (these faux ones look so real!)
• Vintage Bread Board

 

I love this centerpiece because you can truly get the same effect in so many different ways.  To create a curated, vignette look, I started with a vintage breadboard.  This large, German one has such great patina and was a recent “junking” find!  Breadboards come in a wide range of styles and prices.  I am linking a few at the end of the post for you, as you can make your vignette as large or small as you want for your space!

Next, I added these vintage, silver chalices.  I bought this entire collection at a vintage market several years ago and love to use them.  I feel like they particularly fit the winter months, for some reason!  I layered different heights and sizes, even stacking some of the chalices for more variation.

In the wide chalices, I added simple, white pillar candles.  I varied the heights of the candles  You could also use battery-operated pillar candles here!  I only added them to part of the chalices.  Remember, the goal here is simple and cozy!

I added a pitcher of fresh flowers, but you could substitute a house plant, faux greenery stems, or fresh cut stems from your yard!

With Valentine’s just around the corner, you could tweak any of these tablescapes for the holiday by adding some fresh flowers or hearts!  I hope this post inspires you to add some cozy vibes to your tables during this season!

Blessings,

Robyn