disclosure: This post is sponsored by Walmart.
Remember this dining room from Christmas last year?
It’s always such a challenge to deck these halls.
There’s a whole lot of blue.
And a whole lot of color.
One year I went red. One year I went blue. One year I went all the colors.
But this year?
This year I HAVE THE BEST IDEA and I ordered everything yesterday (partly because of the entire supply chain challenge and partly because I was worried they were going to sell out) and couldn’t WAIT to show you. I know it’s fall and the leaves are barely off the trees, but please indulge me in a little Christmas planning.
The entire design started because I found bubble lights.
Have you ever seen bubble lights before? My mother used them on our tree every year at Christmas. She’d pull them out and put them on the tree and plug them in and we’d all watch them bubble in all their colorful splendor. I thought bubble lights were gone. I thought no one ever used them any more. I haven’t seen bubble lights in years (my mothers’ lights finally stopped working).
And then?
I FOUND THEM.
And they inspired the entire design for Christmas for this room this year. I’m calling it Retro Vintage Colorful Christmas.
Here’s a sneak peek at the design and what I ordered for the room.
Here’s what the room looked like last year.
I’m keeping some of the vintage elements in the space, but I’m going bolder with the color.
I think I’m using the same tree with some of the same ornaments, but I’m adding so many new things to my collection. I found them all at Walmart. There’s an amazing new lookbook with beautiful, wonderful, colorful retro design ideas. It has the brightest and the merriest and the happiest retro decor I’ve ever seen. I knew my dining room needed it as soon as I saw it.
You can see the entire lookbook here.
And here’s what I ordered for Santa to bring a little early to my house this year.
Aren’t these amazing?
They are super oversized and I ordered 10 of them for the tree.
It’s so hard to find oversized ornaments and these were so affordable.
Then look at this set.
These are the colors I’m going with.
I thought these ornaments were the cutest and I’m adding gold accents (and spray painting some of my older ornaments gold to match).
And look at this trim that I found.
It comes in two different garlands. This one has colored ornaments with tassels.
You can see it here.
I also ordered this string garland that looks like mini jewels.
Then I found this amazingly colorful ornament wreath.
I’m going to hang it in the center of the mirror with brilliantly colored ribbon.
You can see it here.
These reindeer.
They had me at those antlers. They come in a set of two and if you click on the link you can see the writing on the top of them. I’m going to add them to the sidebar with spray-painted Christmas branches.
You can see the reindeer here.
I also ordered this set of blocks.
I’m going to add eye hooks to the top of them and make a garland out of them with ribbon.
You can see the block set here.
Here are the trees that are going to make up the centerpiece on the table.
They come in different colors and sizes.
You can see the pink trees here and the blue trees here and the white trees here.
And here’s the tree skirt that I ordered.
Those tassels in all the colors have my heart.
You can see the tree skirt here.
And of course.
Here are the bubble lights that started it all.
My mother is going to be so happy when I tell her I found them.
I have so many DIY plans for the room, too.
Some of my vintage finds are making it into the Christmas displays and I’m reworking a garland and painting a train set and making my own ribbon.
It’s all going to come together in one giant colorful retro Christmas display.
And I can’t wait to share it all with you when Thanksgiving has left the building.
But for now?
I’ll wait for my packages and dream about all the decorating that’s just around the corner.
Happy extra-early Christmas. 🙂
disclosure: This post was sponsored by Walmart.
All opinions are my own.
Please see my disclosure page for more information.
Oh my goodness!!! I am so excited! It is going to be absolutely gorgeous!
Hobby Lobby's Christmas decor is 50% off right now if you shop at HL.
I absolutely love this! Last year I hardly decorated, which was ok for last year. This year, thanks to you, I’m bringing out some of our family treasures that include the originals of some of what you have posted here. Thanks so much for. All of this...how will I ever pass through Walmart without a stop in the Christmas dept now?! I also know that you will do a spectacular job with these pieces - the “hint” photos show that.
It is going to be Epic and very colorful, I can't wait. I love bubble lights they are amazing. Thanks for the ideas and fun.
Omg, KariAnne! I ordered the blue and silver trees yesterday too! Loved all the neat stuff they had for Christmas at Walmart’s lookbook! I think so many of us were looking, we crashed the site yesterday! Haha. Love the color! Can’t wait to see yours!
Cannot wait to see everything all finished. Sounds like so much fun! I may have to come see it in person. 😜
I can't wait to see it all when you are finished!! How many bubble lights did you get and for what size tree? Your home is always as beautiful as you are! Sammijo
Samantha, A little bubble light goes a long way! There are seven lights in each package and I'm getting two! I think that will be enough! I'm also ordering these big retro bulbs, too! happy day! KariAnne
Should be fun! Out of curiosity, do you have a massive amount of storage space for all your seasonal goodies?
Kris, Yes!!!! LOL! It's the bane of my husband's existence, but we have a GIANT ATTIC! LOL! happy day!KariAnne
The Vermont Country Store also has alot of retro Christmas items including the bubble lights. Plus some old time toys. Love your style!
So many great pieces and ideas for your vintage tree! Cannot wait to see it.
It's a fiesta Christmas! Love it! We have used retro lights for years and my husband started a shiny bright retro ornament collection because of them! So fun and colorful:)
I grew up in the 50's and bubble lights were very much a part of the GLOW of the Christmas tree. My sister and I would slide under the tree and look up into the tree. What a sight! Look forward to your Christmas decorating!
It's going to be very merry and bright at Thistlewood!! Can't wait to see the reveal!!! xoxo
Beautiful! Apparently the supply chain is responsible for the lack of spray paint! I can’t find gold or even satin black to finish my chairs😱
We have had bubble lights on our tree since 1962. When our home burned down, we lost our bubble lights but our son's kindergarten class found some so we did not miss a Christmas without them. I'm going to buy some of these (if they are not sold out!) so I never run out. One of the sweetest things is that when I went through a lot of stuff after the fire, a found the cute little reindeer that my hubby had bought and put on my present (lst Christmas married). I don't know how it survived but glad it did. Good memories.
That will be fabulous ~ I love all the colors! The bubble lights will be so much fun. Can't wait to see it all put together!
I love my bubble lights! They are clear, and I put them on my tree each year with the mini lights. I've had to replace a couple of the bulbs, and the clear ones are getting harder and harder to find. Can't wait to see yours!
So.Much.Fun!! Thanks, I needed that!
Bubble lights! I love them! We had them in the fifties and I have always used them on one of the trees for years. This year they go in the dining room for my retro Christmas decor. I also have an ornament wreath and roping for the lower level family room I found on sale years ago. And a white tree in the bedroom...you're going to love your design this year, looking forward to seeing it. The trees are going up Monday, it takes me awhile to get everything done these days :)
Lovely ideas but I couldn't open any of the Walmart links when I clicked on them.
I'm so sorry! Let me know which ones you are interested in and I'm happy to send you any of them! Happy day! KariAnne
You are going to have a beautiful Christmas. We like bubble lights. We have been doing a lot of Christmas shopping. We start in July when QVC have their Christmas in July sale. Thank You for sharing all your goodies you purchased. Joan,Marion and Marilyn
How cute! So many cheerful finds. Excited to see the bubble lights in action.