DECK THE HALLS WITH DIY

This Oklahoma City farmhouse is glowing with Christmas creativity.

This Oklahoma City farmhouse is glowing with Christmas creativity.

We’ll all have a little extra time at home this holiday season, so why not deck the halls so that every day brings you and your family Christmas spirit? Home décor guru and Instagrammer Astra Spanbauer of Red Brick Faux Farmhouse has styled her Oklahoma City home with holiday cheer. Here’s how she can inspire you with her DIY-driven Christmas wonderland.

MERRY DIY

“I’ve always been crafty—I love making my own things,” Astra says. She enjoys making her own decorative signs with the help of Etsy shops such as Erin’s Craft Days. “I would send [Erin] an idea, and we’d bounce ideas off each other until we got a stencil looking how I wanted it,” Astra says. From there, she’d lay out the festive base for her design—paper or wood—and work her holiday magic. “I like pouring out my creativity,” she says. “It’s my calming outlet.”

DIY crafting has different levels of expertise. Astra is a natural artist, but refining her DIY skills was a process of trial and error. “Before I knew how to cut, I didn’t have a lot of great woodworking skills,” she says. Her biggest tip for DIYers is to always measure. For example, if you’re building a sign, first decide how big you want the final piece to be, and then size your letters or stencils accordingly. Find the empty spot you want to decorate; then size your DIY craft to fill it.

Learn from others too. DIYers form a close-knit yet incredibly open community. It’s all about finding what you love to make and sharing your joy with others—no wonder it melds so well with the Christmas season. “Christmas is definitely my favorite holiday,” Astra says. “I start decorating on Halloween! I love having my family here and getting to celebrate with everybody.”

"Christmas is definitely my favorite holiday. I love having my family here and getting to celebrate with everybody.”

" I usually start with a focal piece and then build around it, adding things as I go until it looks right to me.”

DECORATED VERSUS CLUTTERED

How does Astra make her décor instantly Instagram-worthy? “It’s a fine line between clutter and intentional,” Astra says. “I usually start with a focal piece and then build around it, adding things as I go until it looks right to me. As long as you love it, there’s really no wrong answer.” When you’re tackling a Christmas tablescape or sprucing up an empty side table, remember that the end goal is not perfection, but to create something that brings you joy.

WOODLAND FARMHOUSE

Come Christmastime, Astra’s home rivals a small Christmas tree farm. She sets up six large trees—8 feet or taller—and sprinkles 20 or so smaller trees throughout the house. As for whether she prefers artificial or real greenery? “Artificial!” she laughs. “I am not a plant lady.”

This year, Astra decided to use more ribbon in her tree décor. “The cool thing about ribbon is that it’s relatively inexpensive and you can change it up every year,” she says. “I still have my regular Christmas bulbs and décor pieces, but I use a lot—a lot—of ribbon.”

Homeowner Astra Spanbauer matches her wrapped gifts to her red, gold and white tree, creating a cohesive feeling in the living room. (opposite) Astra uses décor and signs to cover two large vents on her fireplace mantel. It hides something she doesn’t like and adds something she loves— Christmas cheer.

“My house is a big red brick house, so I love the traditional colors of Christmas mixed with the existing architecture,” Astra says. She uses faux pine trees and pops of red on the front porch to welcome guests.

(top, right) “This year, my favorite garland is on my staircase,” Astra says. Pinecones and red berry clusters adorn the branches, while the dramatic ribbon adds a focal point.

(right) “Seeing how much my family enjoys it when they get to the house and see everything decorated—it’s my favorite,” Astra says.

(top, left) Even with the winter chill, you can’t help but feel warm when you look at Astra’s cozy porch swing. Galvanized steel cans and cross-hatched pillows add a farmhouse touch to this merry scene.

Mix-and-match pictures, calligraphy and wood signs make for a nicely textured wall gallery. It stays personalized and looks professionally done.

If you have more than one large Christmas tree, it’s always nice to provide seating near it so people can admire the beauty in comfort. Astra cozied up this bench with a cranberry-red tassel blanket and tree pillows.

A large statement sign above Astra’s Christmas tablescape in the dining room sets the mood for a merry holiday feast.

(top, left and opposite) Astra DIYed her kitchen renovation herself, from painting the cabinets to adding a subway tile backsplash, rustic open shelves and other farmhouse touches.

(top, right) Astra’s Christmas spirit is abundantly joyful and full of love for her friends and family. “Christmas is definitely my favorite holiday,” she says. “I love having my family here and getting to celebrate with everybody.”