Biltmore Christmas: 15 Gilded Age Decor Ideas to Bring America’s Largest Home Into Yours
Biltmore Christmas is one of the most famous holiday looks in America, and the good news is you can borrow it without a mansion budget. George Vanderbilt first opened his Asheville, North Carolina estate to family and friends on Christmas Eve 1895, and every year the house still fills with towering trees, giant velvet bows and fresh evergreen garland. Business Insider even took readers on a full photo tour of the estate dressed for the holidays. So what makes it feel so grand? Lots of gold, deep red, fresh greens and hand-tied ribbon. These 15 Gilded Age ideas bring that Biltmore Christmas magic into a normal living room, porch and dining table..
The Biltmore Christmas Tree, Floor to Ceiling
The star of every Biltmore Christmas is the Banquet Hall tree, a fresh 35 foot Fraser fir that takes about 50 staff to carry in and raise. It holds around 500 ornaments, and the house has more than 10,000 ornaments on its trees in total. Your ceiling is probably closer to 9 feet, but the trick is the same: make the tree feel full from top to bottom. Pick a tall, slim tree that nearly touches the ceiling, then pack it with gold and deep red glass balls in three sizes. Tuck big velvet bows into the gaps instead of using a skirt of tinsel. Does your tree look thin? Push the smallest ornaments deep inside near the trunk so the light bounces back out..
You will need: a tall real or faux fir, gold and red glass ornaments in three sizes, 3 to 4 inch velvet ribbon, warm white lights, floral wire.
How to make it: 1. Fluff every branch and add lights from the trunk outward. 2. Hang large ornaments, then medium, then small ones deep inside. 3. Wire 10 to 12 velvet bows into the gaps.
Lion-Sized Front Door Bows
At the front of the house, Biltmore ties giant bows on the marble lions that guard the door, and one of those bows uses about 6 yards of ribbon. You do not need a stone lion to steal this idea. A huge bow on your front door, porch lantern post or a pair of planters looks rich from the street and costs far less than a designer wreath. The secret is wired ribbon, at least 6 inches wide, so the loops hold their shape in the wind. Make the tails extra long and cut them on a slant, then shape them so they curl and drape. Would anyone guess you made it? Not a chance. Two matching bows on twin planters double the grand effect.
You will need: 6 yards of 6 to 8 inch wired velvet ribbon per bow, florist wire, zip ties, sharp scissors, an outdoor hook.
How to make it: 1. Make six 14 inch loops, pinching the center. 2. Wire the center tightly and cover it with a ribbon band. 3. Cut two long slanted tails and zip tie the bow in place.
The Starched and Ironed Ribbon Trick
Here is a money saver straight from the estate. Biltmore uses 4,380 yards of ribbon, and much of it comes back year after year. Before it goes back up, the team starches and irons it so it is crisp and wrinkle free. That is a Biltmore Christmas secret anyone can use. Pull out last year’s crushed bows, untie them, and give them a quick spa day. Spray starch brings back the body, and a warm iron takes out every crease. Velvet should be steamed from the back instead of pressed flat, so the pile stays soft. Then roll each ribbon around a paper towel tube for storage. Why buy new ribbon every December when the old ribbon can look this good?
You will need: spray starch, an iron and ironing board, a pressing cloth, empty paper towel tubes, clips.
How to make it: 1. Untie old bows and lay each ribbon flat on the board. 2. Mist with starch and press on low heat; steam velvet from the back. 3. Roll each ribbon around a tube and clip the end.
Biltmore Christmas Kissing Balls
The Biltmore floral team makes 240 fresh wreaths, swags and kissing balls each season from white pine and Fraser fir. A kissing ball is just a round ball of greenery hung on a ribbon, and it may be the easiest grand piece you can make. Hang one in a doorway, over the dining table or from a porch ceiling hook. Fresh clippings smell wonderful, but faux boxwood lasts for years and never drops needles. Mix the two if you like. Keep the stems short, about 3 inches, so the ball stays round and tight. A small sprig of berries or a few tiny gold ornaments on top adds sparkle. Who will you catch standing under it first?
You will need: a 6 inch floral foam ball, fresh or faux pine and boxwood clippings, 2 inch ribbon, a long floral pin, berries.
How to make it: 1. Pin a looped ribbon to the top of the foam ball. 2. Insert 3 inch clippings all over until no foam shows. 3. Trim into a neat round and add berries.
Golden Arborvitae and Holly Wreath
The estate wreaths are trimmed with golden arborvitae, holly, twigs and cones, and that soft gold green is what makes them look so special. Most wreaths are one flat shade of green. Adding a lighter, golden green right next to deep pine instantly makes yours look custom. Look for golden cypress or arborvitae at a garden center, or pick a faux gold-toned pick at a craft store. Holly gives you shiny dark leaves and red berries, and a few natural pinecones add texture. Work in small bundles all the way around the frame, always facing the same way. Is your wreath looking lopsided? Hang it on the door before you finish so you can see the gaps from a few steps back.
You will need: a wreath frame, paddle wire, white pine, golden arborvitae, holly, cones, twigs.
How to make it: 1. Make small bundles of pine, golden greens and holly. 2. Wire bundles onto the frame, overlapping, all one direction. 3. Add cones and twigs last and fill gaps.
A Biltmore Christmas Mantel Garland
About 1,600 feet of garland runs through the house during a Biltmore Christmas, and none of it looks skimpy. The grand look comes from layers. Start with an inexpensive faux garland as a base, then tuck in fresh clippings for scent and depth. Next comes the fun part: faux pomegranates, gilded pinecones and a long velvet ribbon woven loosely through the greens. Let the ends hang down past the mantel on both sides for that old estate drape. Group fruit in clusters of three instead of spacing them evenly, which looks more natural and more expensive. Do you have a plain shelf instead of a fireplace? This garland works just as well on a bookcase, sideboard or a staircase rail.
You will need: faux garland, fresh clippings, faux pomegranates, gilded cones, velvet ribbon, hooks.
How to make it: 1. Hang the faux garland on hooks so the ends drape down both sides. 2. Tuck fresh clippings along the top. 3. Wire on fruit and cones in threes and weave in ribbon.
A Scottish Tartan Corner
For 2026, the estate is decorating with European traditions, and the Winter Garden takes its cue from Scotland with tartan, thistles and stags. This is one of the coziest ideas on the list, and it fits in any small corner. Start with a red or green tartan throw on a reading chair. Add a vase of dried thistles, which you can find in the dried flower aisle, plus a brass or carved wood stag figure from a thrift store. Plaid ornaments on a small tree finish the scene. Tartan ribbon on wrapped gifts ties it all together. Does it feel like a country lodge in the Highlands? That is exactly the point, and it is perfect for a den or guest room.
You will need: a tartan throw, tartan ribbon, dried thistles, a thrifted brass or wood stag, plaid ornaments, a small tabletop tree.
How to make it: 1. Drape the throw over a chair beside a small tree. 2. Fill a pitcher with dried thistles and place the stag nearby. 3. Hang plaid ornaments and wrap gifts in tartan ribbon.
Amalfi Coast Christmas Colors
Not every grand tree has to be red and gold. This year the estate Salon is dressed in Amalfi Coast colors: turquoise, coral and sunny yellow. It is a bright, happy look that feels fresh next to all the traditional rooms. You can paint your own ornaments to match. Clear glass balls take acrylic paint swirled inside, or you can brush plain shatterproof balls and seal them. Dried orange and lemon slices bring the Italian citrus feel and smell lovely. Coral and turquoise ribbon wraps around it all. Try this on a second tree in a sunroom or kitchen. Would your family expect lemons on a Christmas tree? They will probably ask you to make it again next year.
You will need: clear or plain shatterproof ornaments, turquoise, coral and yellow acrylic paint, Mod Podge Gloss, dried orange and lemon slices, coral ribbon.
How to make it: 1. Swirl paint inside clear balls or brush it on outside. 2. Seal painted outsides with a thin coat of Mod Podge Gloss. 3. Hang them with citrus slices and loop ribbon around the tree.
Biltmore Christmas Pewter Table
In the Banquet Hall, the 2026 Biltmore Christmas palette is pewter and platinum with pops of red, a nod to Sweden’s St. Lucia celebration. It makes a stunning dinner table. Pewter is one of the best thrift store finds out there, because people often give away plates, chargers and pitchers that look like heirlooms. Set them on crisp white linen, then add silver ornaments in a low bowl down the center. Small bunches of red berries bring the warm touch. Keep everything at low height so guests can see each other. A white cloth napkin tied with a red ribbon finishes each place. Do the pieces not match? Mixed pewter looks even more like a family collection.
You will need: white linen, thrifted pewter pieces, silver ornaments, a low bowl, red berries, napkins, red ribbon.
How to make it: 1. Lay the linen and set a pewter charger at each place. 2. Fill a low bowl with silver ornaments and berries. 3. Tie each napkin with red ribbon and add a sprig of berries.
Seven Fishes Shell Ornaments
The Library this year honors the Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes, with shell ornaments and beaded fish hanging on the tree. These are a lovely project for a quiet evening. Craft store scallop shells are cheap, and with a coat of Mod Podge and a little gold edging they look like antique treasures. Glue a pearl bead at the top, add a wire loop, and hang them with sheer ribbon. If you like, string glass beads onto wire and bend it into a simple fish shape. A whole tree of these looks amazing, but even six on a wreath or garland make a great talking point. Do you have shells from a family beach trip? This is the perfect use for them.
You will need: scallop shells, Mod Podge Gloss, a gold paint pen, pearl beads, wire, glue, sheer ribbon.
How to make it: 1. Brush clean shells with Mod Podge Gloss. 2. Edge them in gold and glue a pearl at the top. 3. Glue on a small wire loop and hang with sheer ribbon.
Blue and White Karavaki Boat
In Greece, families often decorate a small boat called a karavaki for Christmas, and blue and white versions appear in the estate decor this year. It is a charming change from a tree, and it works beautifully on a mantel or entry table. Find a small wooden boat at a craft or thrift store. Paint the hull white with a blue stripe, or the other way around. Wrap the mast with a tiny strand of battery fairy lights and nestle the boat in some greenery. A few silver stars or little blue ornaments finish it. It is a sweet nod to anyone with Greek roots, or to anyone who loves the coast. Where would you sail yours?
You will need: a small wooden boat, white and navy paint, tape, battery fairy lights, greenery, silver stars.
How to make it: 1. Paint the boat white, then tape and paint a blue stripe. 2. Wind battery fairy lights up the mast. 3. Set it on greenery and scatter silver stars around it.
Gilded Pinecones and Twigs
Pinecones and twigs show up all over a Biltmore Christmas, and painting them gold makes them feel like old money decor for almost nothing. Gather cones and bare branches on a walk, then bake the cones on a foil-lined sheet at a low 200 degrees for about 30 minutes to dry out sap and any bugs. Brush or spray them with metallic gold paint outdoors. For extra sparkle, brush Mod Podge on the tips and sprinkle fine gold glitter. Fill a silver bowl, tuck them in garland, or wire them onto your tree. A tall vase of gilded twigs looks like a designer arrangement. How many pinecones do you have in the yard right now?
You will need: pinecones, bare twigs, metallic gold paint, a foam brush, Mod Podge Matte, fine gold glitter, a silver bowl or tall vase.
How to make it: 1. Bake cones at 200 degrees for 30 minutes and let them cool. 2. Paint cones and twigs gold outdoors and let them dry. 3. Brush Mod Podge on the tips, add glitter and arrange.
Poinsettias in Brass Urns
The estate fills its halls with 1,670 poinsettias each season. One small plant on a counter looks a bit lonely, but a group of them looks like a grand hotel lobby. The trick is to buy several of the same color and set them in matching containers. Thrifted brass pots, urns and planters are easy to find and look rich next to red leaves. Hide the plastic grower pot inside and cover the top with moss. Line them up the stairs, on both sides of the door, or in a cluster on the floor by the tree. Poinsettias are not safe for pets to chew, so keep them up high if you have curious animals. Ready to shop for brass?
You will need: 4 to 6 red poinsettias, thrifted brass pots or urns, sheet moss, saucers to protect floors.
How to make it: 1. Set each grower pot on a saucer inside a brass pot. 2. Cover the soil with sheet moss so no plastic shows. 3. Group them in odd numbers by the door, tree or stairs.
The Biltmore Christmas Gift Box Stack
Look at any photo of the Banquet Hall and you will see piles of wrapped boxes in gold and red under the tree. That full, generous look is easy to copy with empty boxes. Save shipping boxes and shoe boxes, wrap them in two or three coordinating papers, and finish with velvet ribbon. Stack them in different sizes so they climb up toward the lowest branches, and even set a few small ones in the tree itself. This fills the bare spot under a Biltmore Christmas tree and hides the stand at the same time. Mix in one or two real gifts later. Will anyone know which boxes are empty? Only you.
You will need: empty boxes in several sizes, gold and deep red wrapping paper, velvet ribbon, tape, scissors.
How to make it: 1. Wrap lids and bottoms separately to reuse each year. 2. Tie each box with velvet ribbon and a full bow. 3. Stack them largest to smallest under the tree.
A Gingerbread Manor House
In the Main Kitchen, guests can see a gingerbread replica of Biltmore House that is about 78.5 inches wide. Yours does not need to be that big to wow the family. Build a simple long house with two wings using gingerbread or graham cracker panels and plenty of royal icing. Pipe rows of tall windows, add a candy roof and finish with powdered sugar snow. Little trees made from upside down sugar cones painted with green icing line the front. It makes a fun weekend project for the whole household, and once it is finished it becomes a gorgeous centerpiece for your own Biltmore Christmas party. What will you name your manor?
You will need: gingerbread or graham panels, royal icing, candy, sugar cones, green icing, powdered sugar.
How to make it: 1. Glue panels into a long house with two wings and let them set. 2. Pipe windows, trim and a candy roof. 3. Add sugar cone trees and powdered sugar snow.
