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5 Tips to Style Your Home for Christmas

Mark Mellett • 09.10.2026 • 6 min read

A Christmas home doesn’t need to look like a showroom. The rooms people remember are the ones that feel warm, a little lived-in and easy to relax in. If you’ve already given your space an autumn refresh with our small living room decor ideas, you’re halfway there.

The good news is you don’t need a full makeover to get there. A few simple changes to colour, texture and seating can make your living room feel festive and cosy in an afternoon. Here are our five favourite tips from the team at Elephant Living, plus how to get your bean bags looking their best before the visitors arrive.

5 Style Tips for a Cosy Christmas Home

1. Start with a Warm Colour Palette

Everything else builds on your colours, so choose them first. Pick two or three shades and repeat them around the room. Deep greens, burgundy and cream always feel festive, and they still look good once the decorations come down in January.

Your soft furnishings can carry the colour for you. The Elephant Mellow Bean Bag comes in Burgundy, Forrest and Sage Green, so it fits a traditional Christmas scheme and stays part of the room all year.

2. Layer Textures and Soft Lighting

Once your colours are set, add texture. Texture makes a room feel cosy before anyone sits down. Mix chunky knit throws, velvet cushions and natural wood with one or two softer statement pieces. The Elephant Boucle Chair and the matching Boucle Dot Footstool add a soft, nubbly finish that works beautifully next to the tree.

Lighting finishes the look. Switch off the big overhead light and use smaller ones instead. Fairy lights, table lamps and battery candles give a warm glow. Keep real candles well away from fabrics, throws and the tree.

3. Create a Cosy Corner by the Tree

Once the room looks festive, give everyone a reason to stay in it. Every Christmas home needs a spot for a quiet coffee, a new book or a nap after the big dinner, and the space beside the tree is the best place for it. Add a small side table and a lamp, and finish it with somewhere soft to sink into.

A Mellow Bean Bag is just the right size for a corner like this. It’s supportive enough for reading and relaxed enough for dozing off. Drape an organic cotton throw over the top to bring in your Christmas colours. The Stag Throw feels especially festive, and the Green Throw suits a classic red-and-green scheme.

If you love this idea, our guide to creating a cosy reading corner for kids has plenty more inspiration that works all year round.

4. Set Up for Family Movie Nights

Christmas films are best watched all piled in together. Rather than squeezing everyone onto the sofa, put a big bean bag on the floor in front of the TV. The Elephant Jumbo Bean Bag is 175cm long, so two teenagers can share it or one grown-up can stretch right out.

Give the kids a spot of their own too. A Junior Bean Bag, Stella the Unicorn or Herbie the Hippo gives them somewhere to curl up with new books or films.

5. Make Room for Visitors

Christmas brings extra people, so plan where everyone will sit before they arrive. Bean bags are one of the easiest ways to add extra seating for Christmas guests without crowding the room. They’re light to move, comfortable for all ages and easy to tuck away once everyone has gone home.

Place extra seating near the tree, the fire or the TV. A Jumbo Bean Bag seats two, so it’s ideal for teens or cousins. An Elephant Footstool works as a spare seat, a footrest or a spot for a cup of tea. A basket of throws in your Christmas colours lets guests grab one and settle in.

How to Refill Your Bean Bag Before Christmas?

A bean bag that has been sat in all year starts to lose its shape. The beads inside slowly settle and compress, so your favourite seat can feel flat right when you need it most. The good news is you don’t need a new one. An Elephant Bean Bag Refill Pack is filled with recycled beads and brings back its shape and support in minutes.

A few simple pointers:

  • Refill a week or two before Christmas, so it’s ready for movie nights and visitors.
  • Work over an old sheet or in a room that’s easy to sweep, as the beads are light and static.
  • Add a little at a time and give the bean bag a shake as you go. It should feel full but still mould to your body.
  • Close the safety zip fully when you’re done, especially if you have small children.

If it’s your first time topping one up, it’s worth reading our guide on how to refill your bean bag before you start.

How to Keep Your Bean Bag Clean Over Christmas?

Mince pies, mulled wine and the odd muddy boot all come with the festive season. A spill doesn’t have to ruin your favourite seat if you act quickly. Our guide on how to clean a bean bag covers stains in more detail, but these simple pointers will see you through the holidays:

  • Blot spills straight away with a clean cloth. Dab rather than rub, so the stain doesn’t spread.
  • Wipe down Classic Nylon covers with a damp cloth and a little mild soap. They’re water-resistant, which makes them ideal for homes with young children or pets.
  • Remove Fabric covers and machine wash them at 30°C, then let them air dry. Avoid the tumble dryer, as it can shrink the fabric.
  • Give your bean bag a quick hoover after the Christmas feast to clear crumbs from the seams and creases.

Bring your Christmas home together, a cosy Christmas home comes down to a few simple things: warm colours, soft textures and plenty of comfortable places to sit. You don’t need to do everything at once. Start with one corner by the tree, add a throw and a bean bag, and build from there.

Looking for a present as well? Find out why bean bags make such a good Christmas gift, or browse the full Elephant Living collection.

Frequently Asked Question 

When should you put your Christmas tree up?
Most homes in Ireland and the UK put the tree up in early December, usually the first or second weekend of the month. Many people now decorate in late November too. If you have a real tree, waiting until December helps it stay fresh until Christmas Day.

How do you make a living room cosy at Christmas?
Choose a warm colour palette, layer soft throws and cushions, and swap the overhead light for lamps and fairy lights. Then add a comfortable seat by the tree, such as a bean bag, so everyone has somewhere to relax.

Where should a Christmas tree go in a living room?
Place it in a corner or beside a window, where it’s visible but out of the way of walkways. Keep it away from radiators, fires and candles, and leave room around it for gifts and a cosy seat.

How do you decorate a small living room for Christmas?
Keep the decorations simple and stick to two or three colours, so the room doesn’t feel cluttered. Choose a slim or tabletop tree, use fairy lights to add warmth without taking up space, and pick flexible seating like bean bags that can be moved or tucked away.

What colours are best for Christmas decorating?
Deep green, burgundy, cream and gold are classic Christmas colours that feel warm and timeless. Pick two or three and repeat them across cushions, throws and decorations, so the room looks pulled together.

Are bean bags good for extra seating at Christmas?
Yes. Bean bags are comfortable for all ages, light enough to move between rooms and easy to store once your guests have gone home. A large option like the Elephant Jumbo Bean Bag seats two, so it’s ideal for Christmas movie nights and visiting family.

 

 

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