11 Christmas decorating ideas for small spaces – because even the tiniest of rooms can be turned into a little festive wonderland

Whether your entire home is on the smaller side or you’re looking for ways to bring some festive cheer into one of the tiny rooms in your home, our small space Christmas decorating ideas will provide plenty of inspiration either way.

Covering everything from easy, budget Christmas decorating ideas to space-saving alternatives to traditional festive decor pieces, this just goes to show you don’t need loads of space to inject a bit of the Christmas spirit into your home. Just make sure you don’t overwhelm the room with too much decor so that it ends up looking cluttered.

‘If you’re working with a small space, avoid decorating everything at once,’ says Anna Jones, furn’s interior expert. ‘Start with your lights and then gradually layer in cosy accessories to your living space. This allows you to get a better sense of when it feels just right, rather than overwhelming the spaces.’

Small space Christmas decorating ideas

Apart from taking a pared-back approach, the other thing to remember is to decorate for Christmas in a way that appeals to you, even if it’s a small space.

‘Don’t feel under pressure to include decorations that might be impractical in size just because you feel you should include them. Our research found that 35% of Brits decorate more for other people than they do for themselves, and whilst it’s nice to consider others’ preferences, you must find ways to weave your personality throughout your home. You’ll be spending much more time there than your visitors, so make sure it reflects you and works well with the size of your room,’ Anna at furn says.

1. Replace a Christmas tree with a garland

Squeezing in a traditional Christmas tree might not be the best way to go about decorating a petite room. There are other things that can take its place and be used for hanging ornaments.

‘One of the biggest misconceptions about creating a festive feel in a small space is that you have to have a Christmas tree,’ says Chloe Barrow, interior expert at Laura James. ‘In reality Christmas trees in the traditional sense are large, bulky, and can make a small space feel even more cramped. Instead, I’d opt for using garlands to decorate instead as they take up little to no space, but still create a Christmassy vibe. If you have a mantelpiece, you’ll want to drape a garland over it and you can even use ever-popular ceramic Christmas tree ornaments to decorate around the foliage. If you have sofas backed against a wall, you can easily drape a garland along the back too.’

2. Drape Christmas lights

Investing in some of the best Christmas lights is the best way to go about decorating anything from a small living room to a tiny entryway. It’s also the easiest way to brighten up a space and make it feel festive at the same time.

‘If you’re really tight on space, think about stringing battery-operated or plug-in lights from mirrors and along window sills. Lights, especially warm gold tones can transform darker or smaller rooms into bright, cosy spaces all year long. We found in our research that taking down decorations can really affect our mood — with over a third (37%) of Brits who love decorating for Christmas feeling this way. So, why limit the joy to just December? Choosing decorations that aren’t too specific to Christmas and that you can enjoy all year, can really help, especially if you're short on space,’ Anna at furn says. And string lights are the perfect example of that.

Danielle Le Vaillant, head of photography & film at Cox & Cox, adds, ‘Use garlands of light in swags across the ceiling or position hanging lights over a table where they won’t interfere with walkways. Use suction hooks to almost invisibly suspend swags of lights from your ceiling for a magical cosy grotto feel. Decorating the window area is a great idea in a smaller room.’

3. Choose decor that can be repurposed for other occasions

Another great tip is to use existing pieces or features of the space for festive decorating, rather than bringing in new ones that will just end up crowding the room.

‘The trick is to ensure that when you decorate a small room for Christmas that you’re adding to elements that are already in the room, such as mantlepieces, window sills, or coffee tables, rather than adding a whole entire new element to a room, like a Christmas tree,’ Chloe at Laura James says.

But if you do add a new piece, it’s best to go for a design that can be used for other occasions throughout the year or pretty much works in the room all year round.

‘If you are buying new decorations, look for pieces that you can reuse throughout - consider a wreath that you can refresh for Easter or spring. When selecting Christmas colours, consider those that would work well for other occasions too, like metallic pastels or rich reds for birthdays or Valentine's Day,’ Anna at furn says.

4. Get cosy with candlelight

The gentle flicker of candlelight is very forgiving and can fast-track Christmas magic into the smallest of spaces. ‘Candles are a great addition to any small space to bring a cosy look and feel – and if you want to take it another step further, then a festive candle with a seasonal scent will ensure that you get the full Christmas feel,’ says Shelley Robinson, senior manager at B&M.

If you want to really go to town with the candles, and you absolutely should, or are planning to use them at low level, it’s wise to go for LED candles to avoid a Christmas-cancelling fire hazard.

5. Dec the hall

Extend your Christmas decorating beyond the living room and into hallway Christmas decorating ideas to make a festive first impression when guests arrive. You don’t need a grand hall with huge spiral staircase to make a big impression – it’s all about making the most of every nook and niche to flood in that Christmas cheer.

‘We like to embrace the overlooked corners in smaller homes at Christmas and stairways offer the perfect opportunity to weave in sparkling fairy lights, leading the glow up every step,’ says Lou Graham, co-founder of Graham & Green.

6. Switch to a skinny tree

No space for a ceiling-touching Norway Spruce? The skinny Scandi Christmas tree trend could be the answer. Aka slimline or pencil trees, these faux options are perfect for tucking into corners and alcoves.

‘Believe it or not, you can achieve a really luxe-look decor scheme with a thinner tree so sometimes big doesn't mean better. You can save money on decorations and lights for the tree too, as they don’t need nearly as many to dress,’ says Shaun Eldridge, senior buyer for Christmas at The Range.

7. Tap into tablescaping

Tablescaping isn’t just for Christmas Day, dressing your dining table ahead of turkey-time is an inspiring way to bring in the festive décor without taking up any additional space in the room ‘As the centre of so many Christmas celebrations, it makes complete sense to have your table set up with a fabulous table-scape scene throughout the entirety of December,’ agrees Jane Rockett, co-founder of Rockett St George.

Having your dining table party-ready throughout the festivities helps set the scene for the magic of the season and can save a lot of last-minute stress! ‘A foraged or floral centrepiece always creates impact so plenty of gorgeous greenery is essential. We also we love the idea of introducing vases overflowing with glamorous Christmas decorations and fairy lights for a more unconventional take on table-scaping. The more candles, fairy lights, glitter and glamour, the better,’ adds Jane.

8. Dress the ceilings

For small living room Christmas decorating ideas that won’t have any impact on the liveable areas in your home, the ceiling holds huge potential. Hanging paper lanterns, chains, stars and tissue pom poms is perhaps the most familiar way of dressing ceilings for the festive season. Anything lightweight, and pretty, is ripe for elevating the otherwise wasted space overhead.

In more recent years, suspending whole branches, ladders and other horizontal structures has become a big trend. This approach requires decent structural support to prevent the whole lot crashing down on the Christmas turkey, but because you’re bringing the decorations closer to eye-level, the results can be dazzling. Using a clear fishing line to support your branch will create a floating illusion.

‘A suspended branch is best located above the table or other areas you won’t be walking under. Position it above eye-level when guests are seated so that it doesn’t disrupt sightlines during dinner conversations,’ adds Kris Manolo, design lead at Atkin and Thyme.

9. Bring out the mirrors

Positioning mirrors behind decorative displays will double the impact and add extra sparkle and joy to your small space Christmas decorating ideas. ‘Mirrors come into their own at Christmas, not only to properly make use of the mirror selfie opportunities with friends when entertaining, but mirrors will also give the illusion of more space and do all the hard work for you,’ says Camilla Lesser of Essential Living.

‘If you normally have mirrors stored away in your bedroom or spare room, then it could be worth repositioning them in the main areas where you intend to host. Put them wherever possible, the more the merrier!’

10. Make a fireplace alternative

Small homes often lack that statement fireplace that sings ‘Santa is coming’, but you can recreate a similarly cosy scenario using a hearty garland, pinecones and plenty of twinkling fairy lights on any horizontal surface. ‘Even if you don’t have a fireplace, it’s still possible to create a festive mantle-style inspired look this Christmas,’ says Camilla of Essential Living. ‘Be fun and creative with the different surfaces in your home, utilising a sideboard, dresser, shelving or radiator to create a focal point for your festive displays.’

A great way to create the illusion of a festive-style mantelpiece is by draping garlands along the top edge of a surface – be that a shelving unit, cupboard or door frame. ‘You can use artificial or real greenery, depending on your preference. If you opt for artificial greenery, then try adding some scent sticks that smell like fir or pine to bring that Christmas smell into your home. Also, tuck in some fairy lights for added sparkle and a cosy feel,’ adds Camilla.

11. Be liberal with accessories

Choose a few (merry and) brightly coloured accessories for every room in your home and you’ll be surprised at how far you can spread the festive cheer. ‘Think Festive cushions for the couch, a jolly tea towel for the kitchen, a set of Christmas bedding to extend the holiday makeover into the bedroom,’ says Gareth Coxall, creative director at Terrys.

‘None of these items require you to move furniture, handle broken baubles, or clean up pine needles for the rest of the month - but they do make a really cheerful addition to more compact spaces that might not seem immediately easy to Christmasify.’

FAQs

How do you decorate a small space for Christmas?

When working with a small space, look to introduce soft fabrics, fur accents, and accessories to your home for a rustic yet refined festive look.

‘Incorporate Scandinavian-inspired elements like light woods and seasonal foliage to create a bright and airy atmosphere without overwhelming the space. For an unmistakably Christmassy ambience, use warm, glowing lighting sparingly to create a cosy feel,’ says Francesca Hadland, styling expert for Bridgman.

What is the best Christmas tree alternative?

Alternative Christmas tree ideas are great for switching up those seasonal traditions and doing something a little different. They can also be embraced in rooms that don’t have space for a classic tree but still deserve a festive focal point.

‘Small tabletop Christmas trees are brilliant alternatives and can provide a more subtle way to style up your surfaces,’ says Camilla Lesser of Essential Living. ‘We also love to arrange or hang favourite baubles and Christmas ornaments along a shelf to create an eye-catching display. Try to mix and match different sizes and colours but always consider a scheme that complements your overall decor for a cohesive look.’

No matter how mini the space, you don't have any excuse not to go big this Christmas.