One of the highlights of the holiday season each year for me is a trip to the beautiful Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. Every year the mansion is completely decked out from basement to attic with festive trees (there are over 70 of them!), garlands, lights, and other delightful frivolities. It’s truly a magical experience for everyone in the family.
After so many holiday visits to this lovely home, you can’t help but pick up a few things that you might want to add in your own home. It’s only natural!
So, today I am sharing ten Christmas decorating lessons I’ve learned from the beautiful Biltmore Estate. I apologize for the quality of photos; they have just now allowed visitors to take pictures in the house and I had the rely on my phone as my camera had the wrong lens on it for great shots.
1. Deck it all. Seriously, go all out!
The beautiful view looking up the grand spiral staircase; trimmed out with live garlands and ribbon.
2. Mantle decor doesn’t have to be symmetrical.
3. Use a lot of natural elements. 
Could you imagine over 1,000 scattered throughout your home?
4. Add bling and a lot of twinkle lights… Everywhere!
5. Multiple trees are highly recommended; maybe even throughout one room!
The beautiful tapestry room had four trees all decked out, one representing each season!
The “winter” tree in the tapestry room
6. Dress-up everyday ordinary items or use unexpected items to decorate with.
These books looked so lovely tired up in colorful ribbon
Feathers and roses help make this a stunning tree indeed!
7. Deck the bedrooms. After all, the children shouldn’t be the only ones nestled in their cozy beds.
Mrs. Vanderbilt’a beautiful bedroom with not one, but two gorgeous trees!
8. Take your time.
Decorating just one room in the estate can take up to ten hours! We may not have a design team in our own homes, but there are no rules that say it all has to be decorated in one day!
9. Use your imagination
The “naughty & nice” list running down the tree is such a cute idea for your children or grandchildren
10. Make decorating a BIG deal and a celebration itself within your family
The grand banquet hall tree arriving at the Biltmore Estate
I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse of the Biltmore Estate at Christmas and found a little inspiration for your own home. If you ever want a fabulous holiday get-away I highly recommend that you slip away to Asheville and the Biltmore Estate. We are all decked out here in the Jones home and are ready to kick off the month of celebrations with a Christmas caroling party this weekend! I’ll be sharing our decor over the next few days and hope that you will stop back by.
Have a blessed day!
Fiddle Dee Dee by Jennifer Jones 