A Golden Christmas

Seventy-five percent of Motherboard Moms begin getting ready for Christmas after Thanksgiving. Decorating their homes is one of their favorite ways to signal the start of the holiday season. It's time to go for the gold—a holiday decorating hue that can be subtle or full of sizzle!

Set a warm color palette with gold and brown. Small pinecones topped with rich gold and deep brown ornaments fill collectible glass compotes and candy dishes. Luscious ribbon bows on ornaments add an element of luxury. A ribbon garland dangles elegantly etched gold ornaments across a vintage cupboard.

Holiday decor sparkles against a serene gold, cream, and blush-pink palette in this living room. Lush golden silk drapes provide a shimmering background for the glittering tree. Christmas decorations are limited to mostly natural elements for a simple beauty that allows the gold-wrapped tree to remain the center of attention.

Collected objects gathered together create a quiet space bathed in golden tones. A large painted panel reinforces the tone-on-tone palette and serves as a backdrop for a crowned angel and tapestry of the Holy Family. Bottlebrush Christmas trees add a bit of whimsy to the scene.

An assemblage of vintage golden accents creates unique Christmas decor on the mantel. Mirrors in gilded frames and a gold-framed painting topped with a crown bring personality to this holiday display. Gold wings give flight to a pair of hurricane candleholders.

Layers of Christmas decor brighten a small dining room. On the table top, a vintage tinsel tree from the 1940s is elevated in a glass compote surrounded by wrapped favors on a silver tray. A full-size tinsel tree is festooned with gold-bead garland and baubles in gold and silver. Placed in front of an enormous mirror, the reflected tree grows in impact and beauty.

A large Christmas tree wrapped in twinkling lights stands out majestically against the boldly colored walls of this home. Golden ornaments and gift wrap harmonize with the gilt frames and candlesticks that grace the room.

A stunning Christmas tree festooned with golden baubles, ribbon, and faux berries stands in front of a dramatic backdrop. The stairway is rich in tones of gold and green and terminates in an unexpected but thoroughly charming cluster of starfish on grosgrain ribbon dangling from the newel.

Modern, retro, or classic? You decide when you choose the container for this sparkling design in glimmering gold. Wrap a spiraled topiary with tinsel garland and plant it in a pot filled with floral foam to create this tabletop Christmas tree.

Make this classic pinecone tree stand out with a technique that softens the rugged look to a golden hue. Fill a bucket with bleach, add the pinecones, and let them soak overnight. Then hot-glue the bleached pinecones to a grapevine cone that's glued to a weighted box.

Alternating stripes of gold and silver ornaments create a stunning Christmas valence above an otherwise undressed window. Wired together in a long ribbon, the metallic swag is arranged over hooks on either side of the window to drape the frame in an elegant, shimmering band.

If your preferred palette is on the subtle side, try adding Christmas decorations in delicate tones of gold, green, and brown. Gift wrap in gold with ribbons and bows in browns and greens provide natural color in this creamy gold and white window nook. Add a footed bowl of paperwhites mulched with ornaments, a frothy green wreath, and color-coordinated pillows—and you've created a remarkably inviting corner for holiday hosting.

A large glass hurricane filled with Christmas balls graces a coffee table. Cover the bottom of the vessel first with gold tinsel to fill in and cushion the glass ornaments. Add smooth and etched gold and green balls in various sizes to create the most pleasing look.

Adorn a mantel with garden cloches stuffed with vintage gold and silver ornaments that can be picked up at flea markets or online auction sites. Tip a cloche upside down, fill it with ornaments, place a plate on top, and flip it over to stand the cloche upright.

Icons of the season gather in glamorous profusion as a Christmas table centerpiece. A silver candelabrum arches over gold and silver ex-votos, a crown, a plethora of shining vintage ornaments, a glittering dove, and strings of pearls.

This bead-embellished mirror sets a festive mood as a table centerpiece or in a living room, bedroom, or bath. Adorn a shapely mirror with flat-back gold glass beads and wooden ball feet available at crafts stores. Paint the feet gold and glue to the bottom of the mirror. Glue beads around the top edge of the mirror and scatter more randomly around pillar and votive candles placed on the tray.

A tree-shape centerpiece of golden glass ornaments adds an elegant touch among a forest of bottle trees. Wrap a cone-shape foam form with gold ribbon. Glue ornaments to the cone in graduating sizes from the bottom up. Top with a tree-top ornament. This beautiful arrangement would look wonderful on a sideboard or sofa table as well.

Texture and color combine to create a lavish gilded arrangement for tabletop or mantel. Golden ornaments in a variety of sizes, shapes, and finishes cluster with holly leaves and berries on a lush bed of magnolia leaves. Sprigs of evergreen tucked around the ornaments complete the display.

This fruit bowl blends old and new. Gilded resin bears fill the heirloom bowl, creating a timeless centerpiece. Sprigs of fir, arborvitae, and seeded eucalyptus add a tactile element as well as fragrance to the arrangement. Finish the display with stems of waxflower tucked in at random.

In this comfortable living room, soft gold-tinted walls and furnishings create a luxurious environment for an airy Christmas tree. Open branches allow each ornament to shine. The restrained palette and subtle holiday decorations prove that spirited decor featuring everyone's favorite precious metal doesn't have to mean a lot of bling and glitz.

For a super-simple holiday decoration or centerpiece, gather up a few stands of gold and silver garland, a pillar candle, and a low footed bowl. Place the candle in the center of the bowl, fill the remainder of the bowl with several stands of garlands. Clip S-shape ornament hooks over the rim of the bowl and swag two or more garland strands around the bowl from hook to hook.

For an easy back of the chair "vase" at your holiday dining table, cluster a sprig of evergreen with a single golden-hued rose and snuggle the pair into a white mitten or winter glove. Use color-coordinating ribbon to tie the decoration to the chair. Attach a glitter-covered paper star for extra sparkle.

Draped over chair backs and ready for holiday celebrations, pretty gold damask napkins stay both seen and clean. A paisley-patterned ribbon, adorned with a Christmas ball, holds each napkin in place.

A vintage punch bowl, filled with gold glass ornaments, makes a simple yet festive centerpiece. Elevated above the dining table, the ornaments add shimmer and reflected glints of candlelight. This type of centerpiece works especially well on a round dining table.

Make a special table runner for the holidays with felt, ribbon, and appliqué. Pink edges of a table-length piece of white felt. Cut slits in the felt to weave in alternating ribbons in white and gold. Add appliqué stars to the ends of the runner. Top with a cake pedestal filled with gold Christmas balls.

Prospect your china hutch for the basics of this elegant holiday look: white linens, champagne flutes, and your best china (here the dotted plate). Then warm up the white with touches of gold that don't cost a mint. A floral plate and a leafy napkin ring look right for Christmas and year-round.

A gold-and-cream tablecloth and napkins make an elegant holiday table when paired with gold Christmas balls, rich ribbon, and sparkling crystal. If you love contrast, fold the tablecloth into a runner to reveal the surface of your dining table.