5 Easy Scandi-Inspired Holiday Projects for a Cozy, Happy Home

What’s our formula for the coziest, happiest winter ever? Inspired by the Danish concept of hygge, we made some easy DIY decorations that embrace minimalism, natural elements and warm flickering candlelight. These five seasonal DIYs can be put together in minutes—and will make any size space feel festive.

What you’ll need:

• Clean glass bottles
• Pine sprigs, berries, and seeded eucalyptus
• Copper coupling (such as this one from Home Depot)
• E6000 adhesive
• White taper candles

Arrange small sprigs and berry branches inside each bottle.

Fill each bottle with water to about 1 inch below the top.

Adhere the copper coupling to the opening of the bottle using E6000. Let dry before topping with a candle. In water, the arrangements will last at least one week.

Hint, hint: When you’re ready to change the look, pour out the water and use a pair of tweezers to remove the branches and berries.

Watch the video to see these glowing masterpieces come together.

What you’ll need:

• 10″ embroidery hoop
• Forest green craft paint
• Silver dollar and seeded eucalyptus
• Floral wire
• Satin ribbon

Paint the inner round of the embroidery hoop; let dry.

Cut sections of eucalyptus. Attach eucalyptus to embroidery hoop frame by twisting a long piece of floral wire around the stems and the hoop, covering about one third of the frame. Trim any excess wire.

Tie a big floppy bow to cover the end of the stems. To hang, loop a length of ribbon around the undecorated section of the embroidery hoop.

Watch the step-by-step video to see how the wreath was assembled.

What you’ll need:

• Pinecones or sweet gum pods
• Matte white spray paint (optional)
• Tall cylindrical glass vase
• Wide, shallow glass vessel
• Pine branch

Spray-paint the pinecones or sweet gum pods, then let dry.

Fill the taller vase three-quarters of the way with water and place it inside the shallow vessel. Pile pinecones on the bottom vessel.

Cut one inch off the bottom of the pine branch to help it soak up water, then add it to the taller vase. Adorn it with a few simple ornaments.

Watch the video to see our simple tabletop tree in action.

What you’ll need:

• 2- to 3-foot tree
• Small tree stand (we used this 14-inch-wide one)
• Basket
• Side table or stool

Secure the tree inside the tree stand.

Place the tree inside a basket large enough to fit the stand.

Elevate the tree by placing it on a side table or stool. You know what to do next: Pull out the Christmas cookies and start trimming the tree.

Shop the Set: GLADOM tray table, in White, $30, IKEA; Glittery storage basket, $25, H&M Home.

Special thanks: To Silvertip Tree Farm in North Fork, California for our beautiful little tree (we named him Matthew!). Stop by if you’re ever in the area, and they also ship across the country.

Order a fabric tree from Spoonflower (find our image resizing instructions here), or ask a local print shop to make a large-scale engineering print of the image. If using a fabric design, hem the edges using a sewing machine or fusible tape.

Build a magnetic hanging half frame, following along with our wooden hanging frame how-to video. Use at least three magnetics for a larger frame, and cut the wood to the width of your art.

Insert the fabric into the frame, then display it for all to enjoy.

Special thanks: To the friendly folks at Spoonflower for printing our pretty fabric tree! Check out their awesome site for custom-printed fabric, wallpaper and gift wrap.