Dough Bowl Christmas Decor: 16 Farmhouse Centerpieces That Look Way More Expensive Than They Are

Dough Bowl Christmas Decor is the easiest way to give your table that warm farmhouse look without spending a fortune. A long wooden dough bowl was once used by grandmas to let bread rise by the stove, and today it is the piece every farmhouse decorator wants in the middle of the table. Fill it with pine cones, tiny trees, dried oranges or wrapped gifts and suddenly the whole room feels like a magazine cover. The best part is that you can find a bowl at a thrift store or flea market and fill it with things you already own. Below are sixteen cozy ideas, each with a simple supply list and easy steps, so you can make a centerpiece that looks way more expensive than it really is..

Dough Bowl Christmas Decor With Pine Cones, Trees and Oranges

This is the classic Dough Bowl Christmas Decor look that started the whole trend. Long sprigs of cedar spill over the ends, three frosted trees stand tall in the middle, and pine cones, red berries and dried orange slices fill every gap. It looks like it came from a pricey boutique, yet most of it can be picked up on a winter walk or made in your oven. Set it on a plain linen runner and let the bowl be the star of the table..

You will need: a long wooden dough bowl, fresh or faux cedar, 3 bottle brush trees, pine cones, faux red berry picks, dried orange slices, floral foam or crumpled paper.

How to make it: 1. Fill the bottom of the bowl with crumpled paper or foam. 2. Tuck cedar sprigs in so they hang over both ends. 3. Stand the trees in the center and fill around them with pine cones, berries and orange slices.

Bottle Brush Tree Forest in a Dough Bowl

Grandma loved bottle brush trees, and they are back in a big way. Line a dough bowl with faux snow and stand a whole forest of them in rows, mixing tall and short trees in sage, cream and soft pink. The bowl keeps them tidy and turns a pile of tiny trees into one bold display. You can buy them in packs from the dollar store and bleach or dye a few for a softer vintage color. Which colors would you pick for your forest?

You will need: 12 to 20 bottle brush trees in mixed sizes, faux snow, a dough bowl, a little hot glue (adult help).

How to make it: 1. Pour a layer of faux snow into the bowl. 2. Glue a small dot under each tree base and press it into the snow. 3. Place the tallest trees in the middle and the short ones at the edges.

Ornament Filled Dough Bowl Christmas Decor

Have a box of leftover ornaments that never made it onto the tree? Pile them into a dough bowl and you have instant Dough Bowl Christmas Decor that shines from across the room. Stick to two or three colors, like red, gold and champagne, so it looks planned and not messy. Tuck sprigs of eucalyptus between the balls to soften the shine. Shatterproof ornaments are a smart choice if little hands or curious cats live with you.

You will need: a dough bowl, 25 to 35 shatterproof ball ornaments in 2 or 3 colors, faux eucalyptus stems.

How to make it: 1. Lay eucalyptus stems along the bottom of the bowl. 2. Place the largest ornaments first, then fill gaps with smaller ones. 3. Add a few more eucalyptus leaves on top so the bowl looks full and soft.

Dried Orange and Cinnamon Stick Bowl

This bowl smells as good as it looks. Bake thin orange slices low and slow until they glow like stained glass, then pile them up with bundles of cinnamon sticks tied with twine and a few pine cones. The warm colors look beautiful against old wood, and the scent fills the kitchen every time you walk past. It is one of the cheapest centerpieces you can make, since a bag of oranges costs only a few dollars. Ready to warm up your oven?

You will need: 4 or 5 oranges, cinnamon sticks, jute twine, pine cones, evergreen sprigs, a baking sheet.

How to make it: 1. Slice the oranges thin and bake at a low heat for 3 to 4 hours, turning now and then (adult help). 2. Tie cinnamon sticks into small bundles. 3. Layer evergreen, then oranges, bundles and pine cones in the bowl.

Dough Bowl Christmas Decor With Battery Fairy Lights

Want your Dough Bowl Christmas Decor to glow at night? Weave a strand of tiny battery fairy lights through pine cones and greenery and the whole bowl twinkles like a cozy cabin. Battery lights are safe, cool to the touch and easy to hide, so there is no cord running across your table. Many come with a timer that switches them on every evening by itself. Set it on a sofa table or console and you will catch yourself staring at it after dark.

You will need: a dough bowl, a strand of battery fairy lights with a timer, pine cones, evergreen sprigs.

How to make it: 1. Fill the bowl with evergreen sprigs. 2. Weave the fairy light wire loosely through the greens and hide the battery box at one end. 3. Add pine cones on top and switch on the timer.

Snowy Mini Village in a Dough Bowl

A dough bowl makes the perfect little valley for a mini Christmas village. Set a few white ceramic houses and a tiny church in faux snow, add frosted trees between them and frame the ends with cedar. Everything sits together in one tray, so it is easy to dust and move when you need the table. White houses look calm and elegant, and you can paint plain wooden ones from the craft store to match. Do you still have a village tucked away in the attic?

You will need: a dough bowl, 5 to 7 small white houses, faux snow, mini frosted trees, cedar sprigs, white craft paint if needed.

How to make it: 1. Paint any plain wooden houses white and let them dry. 2. Fill the bowl with faux snow and slope it higher in the middle. 3. Place houses on the slope, then add trees and cedar at the ends.

Dough Bowl Filled With Tiny Wrapped Gifts

Little wrapped boxes make one of the most charming dough bowl fillers. Wrap empty matchboxes or small wood blocks in brown kraft paper, tie them with red and white baker twine and stack them in the bowl with a ring of evergreen. It looks like a pile of presents waiting by the door. This is also a great way to use paper scraps from your gift wrapping. You could even hide real treats inside a few and let guests take one home.

You will need: small boxes or wood blocks, brown kraft paper, red and white baker twine, tape, evergreen sprigs, a dough bowl.

How to make it: 1. Wrap each box neatly in kraft paper. 2. Tie them with baker twine and a small bow. 3. Line the bowl with evergreen and stack the gifts in a little pile, tallest in the center.

Faux Snow and White Tree Dough Bowl Christmas Decor

For a quiet winter wonderland, try this all white Dough Bowl Christmas Decor. Flocked trees, a blanket of faux snow and a few tiny white reindeer turn the bowl into a snowy forest scene. It looks lovely on a windowsill or a side table near a window, where the light makes the white glow. This look also works after Christmas, so you can leave it out through January. Want an easy upgrade? Dust the trees with a little more snow from a shaker.

You will need: a dough bowl, faux snow, 4 to 6 flocked mini trees, small white reindeer figures, evergreen sprigs.

How to make it: 1. Fill the bowl with a thick layer of faux snow. 2. Push the trees into the snow, tall ones at the back. 3. Add the reindeer between the trees and tuck evergreen around the outside.

Colonial Fruit and Evergreen Bowl

Long before plastic ornaments, families decorated with fresh fruit and greens. A dough bowl of shiny red apples on a bed of evergreen brings back that simple colonial Christmas style, and it is one of the most budget friendly ideas here. Add pears, lemons or a few walnuts if you like. The fruit can be eaten later, so nothing goes to waste. Colonial Williamsburg is well known for fruit and greenery decor, and it still feels fresh today. Would your family snack on the centerpiece before Christmas?

You will need: a dough bowl, 6 to 10 red apples, a few pears or walnuts if you like, fresh evergreen sprigs.

How to make it: 1. Polish the apples with a soft cloth until they shine. 2. Lay evergreen along the inside edge of the bowl. 3. Nest the fruit in the middle, biggest pieces first, then fill gaps with walnuts.

Make a Thrift Store Bowl Look Antique

Real antique dough bowls can cost a lot, but a plain wooden bowl from the thrift store can fake the look in an afternoon. Lightly sand the shiny finish, rub in a dark stain or wax with an old rag, then buff it so the high spots stay lighter. A few dents and scratches only add to the old farmhouse charm. Many of the pricey bowls you see online were aged this same way. If you love quick makeovers, our Farmhouse Christmas Decor ideas are a great next stop.

You will need: a thrifted wooden bowl, fine sandpaper, dark furniture wax or stain, old rags, gloves.

How to make it: 1. Sand the bowl lightly and wipe off the dust. 2. Rub dark wax or stain into the wood with a rag, wearing gloves. 3. Let it dry, then buff the edges so they look worn and lighter.

Dough Bowl Christmas Decor for the Coffee Table

Your coffee table deserves holiday love too. A long, low arrangement of Dough Bowl Christmas Decor fits a coffee table perfectly because it will not block the TV or the faces of your guests. Fill it with cedar, a few frosted mini trees, pine cones and a couple of gold ornaments, then set a stack of old books and a cozy throw beside it. Keep the height low so people can still set down a mug. It makes the whole living room feel styled.

You will need: a dough bowl, cedar sprigs, 3 frosted mini trees, pine cones, a few gold ornaments, old books for styling.

How to make it: 1. Lay cedar along the bowl so it hangs over the ends. 2. Add the mini trees in a row, keeping them short. 3. Fill gaps with pine cones and ornaments, then style books beside it.

Red Berries and Eucalyptus Bowl

Red berries and silvery eucalyptus are a match made for Christmas. Pack the bowl with faux eucalyptus so it spills over the sides, then poke in red berry picks and a few frosted sprigs for a touch of winter. The soft green and bright red look fresh and modern while still feeling farmhouse. Faux stems last for years, so this centerpiece can come out every December. Want a bit of scent? Add a couple of real eucalyptus stems from the grocery store.

You will need: a dough bowl, faux eucalyptus stems, red berry picks, frosted greenery, floral foam.

How to make it: 1. Place foam in the bottom of the bowl. 2. Push eucalyptus stems in at an angle so they spill over the edges. 3. Add berry picks in small groups and finish with frosted sprigs.

Plaid Ribbon Wrapped Dough Bowl Christmas Decor

A wide plaid ribbon turns a simple bowl into a present. Wrap red and green check ribbon around the outside of your Dough Bowl Christmas Decor, finish it with a big bow at the front, then pile pine cones and greenery on top. It gives a cozy, cabin style feel that looks great on a kitchen table. Use pins or removable tape so the wood is never marked. Swap the ribbon for burlap or ticking stripe after the holidays for a winter look.

You will need: a dough bowl, 3 yards of wide wired plaid ribbon, pins or removable tape, pine cones, evergreen.

How to make it: 1. Wrap the ribbon around the bowl and secure the ends at the back with pins or tape. 2. Tie a separate big bow and attach it to the front. 3. Fill the top with greenery and pine cones.

Woodland Moss and Acorn Bowl

Bring the forest inside with a woodland bowl. Fill it with soft preserved moss, then add acorns, pine cones, curls of birch bark and a couple of little wooden reindeer. Everything can be found on a walk or bought in a craft store bag for a few dollars. Kids love helping gather the acorns, and you can bake them first to keep them clean. This look is calm, natural and perfect for anyone who wants Christmas without the glitter. Who in your family would love a nature walk for this?

You will need: a dough bowl, preserved moss, acorns, pine cones, birch bark pieces, small wooden reindeer figures.

How to make it: 1. Bake gathered acorns and pine cones on a low heat for about 30 minutes to clean them (adult help). 2. Line the bowl with moss. 3. Arrange bark, cones, acorns and the reindeer on top.

Painted White Pine Cones and Walnuts

A little white paint makes plain pine cones look like they were dusted with snow. Brush or dip the tips in white chalk paint, then mix them with natural cones and whole walnuts for a soft, rustic look. Try the look in a small bowl first like the one above, then fill your long dough bowl with a big pile of them. It costs almost nothing if you gather the cones yourself. Would you paint just the tips or the whole cone?

You will need: pine cones, white chalk paint, a small brush, whole walnuts, a dough bowl.

How to make it: 1. Brush white paint onto the tips of each pine cone. 2. Let them dry on newspaper. 3. Mix painted cones with natural cones and walnuts and pile them into the bowl.

Dough Bowl Hot Cocoa Station

Your dough bowl can work hard, too. Set it on the counter as a hot cocoa station with white mugs, a jar of cocoa mix, a cup of candy canes and a little bowl of marshmallows, tucked in with pine cones and greenery. Everything stays in one spot, and guests can help themselves. When the cocoa runs low, refill it and the bowl still looks pretty. For more vintage looks on a budget, Do It On A Dime has a cozy Dickens inspired Christmas DIY video worth a watch. Which mug would you grab first?

You will need: a dough bowl, 3 or 4 white mugs, a glass jar of cocoa mix, candy canes, cinnamon sticks, pine cones, evergreen sprigs.

How to make it: 1. Set the bowl on a counter near the kettle. 2. Place the mugs and cocoa jar in the bowl first. 3. Fill gaps with candy canes, cinnamon sticks, pine cones and greenery.