Interior Decor

Get Your Home Guest-Ready For The Holidays FAST (And Affordably!)

November 19, 2025

Let’s talk about getting our spaces together for one of the most “friends and family” times of the year. Having a solid dose of “House Pride” is something Em has talked about, and I definitely deal with it when friends come over. Will they still love me if my place is a little messy or if a room isn’t fully designed? Of course. But am I happier and filled with “house pride” when it’s lookin top-notch? Also, OF COURSE. So with it being the biggest sale season of the year, it’s kind of the perfect time to maybe get some of those pieces you’ve been looking at to really dial in your space so that it’s guest-ready (and good for you!). As you know, we are big ole fans of Wayfair, given how deep, good, and well-priced their inventory is. They wanted to partner on a post, so naturally, I immediately raised my hand to do it. They are always so fun to put together, as I hope you will see in a minute. So to get the inspo wheels turning, I put together three rooms where guests spend a lot of time – the living room, the dining room, and a bedroom (if they are staying over). Then, to make it even more fun (and hopefully helpful), I gave each room a “Christmas makeover”. Again, everything is from Wayfair, and all these items will ship FAST and get to you in time, well before Christmas.

The Living Room – Everyday Life

Welcome to my rich, organic, and yet effortless living room. I started out with our charcoal Milo sectional because I know gray feels like a “safe” color to choose, and this one is so beautiful in person. I also chose a sectional for more seating/lounge potential. The Milo also comes in a sofa if you love it, but don’t have space for a full sectional:) But to bring in the warmth (and avoid a cold gray space), I chose this awesome chocolate brown rug. The pattern is modern but equally as versatile. The coffee table is solid wood and BEAUTIFUL. I’m pretty sure we included it in our “Best Affordable Furniture of 2025” post, too. When a piece is this pretty, it needs to be celebrated more than once. I then chose a round side table in a darker wood tone to keep things interesting and to offset all of the rectangular shapes. Also, notice that two pieces have feet/open space under them (sectional and media center), and the coffee table and side table are flush to the ground. Remember to have a balance of that kind of visual weight. Your eyes will thank you. Speaking of balance, since there are so many dark colors, I chose that credenza because of the woven door panels. It’s an added texture and brings in some lightness. The same goes for the lamps! The brass floor lamp is bright (and a little metallic always helps a room shine), and the table lamp is white and will give off that beautiful soft ambiance glow. Lastly, for the pillows and throw, I wanted a mix of light tones, color, and pattern. Burgundy is still so on trend, but still a classic, making it a color I knew I wanted to include. Plus, most of those pillows are from the Chris Loves Julia x Loloi line, and boy, are they good. Em used a bunch of them in the river house, so we know for a fact they are EHD-approved:) Now, let’s deck this room out for Christmas…

The Living Room – Moody Whimsical Christmas

She’s moody, a little classic, AND whimsical, no? That tree was the one Emily used for The Carly Christmas shoot that she loved (and is affordable!). I chose that skirt to talk to the lighter colors of the pillow and cabinet fronts:) Balance is everything! I then saw those wooden figurine ornaments, and they instantly reminded me of ornaments on my tree growing up. I think they are pretty nostalgic for a lot of people and add SUCH charm. Then, to bring in the cooler tone of the sectional, I thought those velvet-wrapped ball ornaments would be a pretty, textured option that also talks to the blues in the wooden ornaments. For the final set of ornaments, those paper folding honeycomb ornaments are textured, fun, and talk to all the browns in the room. Another two EHD Christmas decor staples are little houses and accordion trees. Both of these sets are awesome, and the pattern and classic colors of the trees add a ton of playfulness. Oh, and what’s more cute and playful than a little wooden moose?? Nothing. I wanted to make sure there was enough red to make it feel “classic Christmas,” so the wreath with the big red bow, the throw blanket, and the striped pillow were no-brainers. That green pillow was also an easy swap, and that ruffled edge kills me it’s so cute. Ok, let’s eat:)

The Dining Room – Everyday Life

Here is my organic, modern-with-a-twist dining room set up. The table was the first pick. I wanted something that felt fresh but not so trendy that in a few years you’d get really over it. This one fit that bill! There are also two size options – 6-seater and 8-seater. Chairs were the next hurdle, but I quickly found these. The green is a great neutral for everyday life and especially appropriate for Christmas;) I also know how deeply Em feels about dining upholstered chairs being the ideal choice for long dinners. The reviews confirm that these babies are most definitely comfortable. Now, I know rugs under dining tables is a divisive topic, but I wanted to give an opinion for those who are pro! I think this colorway is great for…a little mess, and I loved the style contrast to the more modern furniture. Oh, and the candlestick holders too! The modern abstract look of those mixed with the traditional pattern of the rug just felt good and eclectic to me. Moving onto the credenza. This is UNDER $300 and beautiful. I clearly have a thing for slightly rustic-looking wood grain. But then, to modernize, I loved that bronze-framed mirror and those textured ceramic scones. They are plug-ins, so no need for a junction box:) Also, how good is that footed bowl?! To then play off the bowl, I found that great black pitcher (perfect for water, as a vase, or a delicious cocktail;)). Finally, I’m sure most of you have dinnerware, but in case you didn’t, I love this modern organic set. It’s such a great price for the full set. If you are a placemat person, these frayed-edged, linen ones are extremely pretty and chic. Are you ready for our Christmas feast?

The Dining Room – Rustic Whimsy Christmas

Just a few additional makes all the difference, right? I think the easiest way to make a dining table set up feel festive is to add color through placemats and some decor (like candlestick holders). If you are someone who has a special dinnerware set for Christmas, that’s awesome, but it really doesn’t take much to use most of what you have. Then I love the idea of adding a garland to a credenza because it’s beautiful (and out of the way). But if you are someone who loves a garland on a table like a runner, that’s wonderful too! Then you knew the accordion trees were coming, and wow, do I love the variety of shapes in this set. Then throw in a little Santa, and this setup, dare I say, is a 10/10. Now that we’re all full and tired, let’s go to bed.

The Bedroom – Everyday Life

This room could easily be for a primary suite, so if you are looking for bedroom inspo for you or your guests, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s start with the main piece, the bed. This chic, effortless bed is under $350…excuse me? But I think my favorite piece goes to those modern traditional nightstands. If you can believe it, they are under $75 each, and the customer review photos show me they are just as stunning in person. SCOOP THESE UP, if you need a nightstand and this is your style!! But as you know, I like to mix it up, so the bench (it has storage!) and the dresser lean more modern. We believe that a room that mixes styles well will always look cool and interesting. The same goes for the lighting. The sconces lean more traditional, while the table lamp is modern. But their shades’ shapes talk to each other, and the textures also work so well together. And if you’re wondering if all that bedding is Wayfair, yes, it is:) The pinstriped duvet set very much reminds me of mine (but much more affordable). The stripes are a rust color, so they add a little color warmth, which works great with the burgundy throw pillow and table lamp. And since you know, I love a bedroom full of warm neutrals, the linen sheets and throw blanket really do the job there. But to talk to the storage bench, that little blue lumbar is the perfect moment to do that. The rug also has neutral and blue tones, so again, it’s all about color and visual weight balance. And because bedtime can be festive too…

The Bedroom – A Sprinkle Of Christmas Magic

Here’s the bedroom Christmas-afied! Since it’s a bedroom, it’s of course not necessary to decorate, but it’s fun! And even more thoughtful if it’s for a guest coming to stay. I just did a few simple and easy things. First up is, of course, the bedding. Swap a throw and pillow for a festive color palette, and you are set. Then a little garland with some accordion trees and fairy lights will make that bedroom so filled with Christmas spirit, you or your guests may never want to leave it. So decorate with precaution:)

With posts like this, I am definitely getting genuinely excited for the holidays. I hope this was fun and helpful, and that you are once again reminded that Wayfair is truly a one-stop shop with excellent deals, and everything is going to get to you fast. Thanks to Wayfair for sponsoring this post!

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: Our Fresh And Easy 2025 Holiday Decorating Ideas That Will Get Your Wheels Turning

Source link