Home Alone House Christmas: 13 Classic Red and Green Decor Ideas From the Famous Movie Home

Home Alone House Christmas style is the look so many of us grew up wishing we lived in. The real red brick house in Winnetka, Illinois, where the 1990 holiday movie filmed its outside scenes, is still one of the most searched Christmas homes in America. People love it because it feels warm and a little old fashioned: deep red, forest green, tartan plaid, shiny brass and those big colored bulbs. None of it is hard to copy, and most of it is cheap. You do not need a three story house either. A throw, a wreath and a string of colored lights already get you halfway there. Here are 13 simple ideas to bring that classic, cozy holiday feeling into your own rooms this year..

Home Alone House Christmas Starts With Red and Green

Every great Home Alone House Christmas look starts with two colors: a deep cherry red and a rich forest green. Use them everywhere, from pillows to ribbons, and the whole house suddenly feels like 1990 in the best way. Keep the walls light so the colors pop, and add touches of brass for warmth. A tree heavy with tinsel, a big wreath in the window and plaid on the sofa finish the scene. Start with one room and see how fast it changes the mood. Which room would you turn red and green first..

You will need: Red and green pillows or throws, red ribbon, one big wreath, colored tree lights, a few brass pieces you already own.

How to make it: 1. Pick one deep red and one forest green and stick to them. 2. Swap pillow covers and add a throw to the sofa. 3. Hang a wreath in the main window and add brass touches on shelves and tables.

Red and Green Plaid Throws Everywhere

Plaid is the heart of any Home Alone House Christmas room. Drape a red and green tartan throw over the sofa, fold another on the leather chair and mix in a few plaid pillows. It looks lived in and welcoming, like someone just got up to fetch hot cocoa. Thrift stores are full of wool plaid blankets, so you rarely need to pay full price. Mix one big check with one smaller pattern so it does not feel too matchy. Do you already have a plaid blanket hiding in a closet?

You will need: 2 or 3 plaid throws, plaid pillow covers, a basket for extra blankets.

How to make it: 1. Fold one throw in thirds and drape it over the sofa arm. 2. Toss another loosely over a chair. 3. Add two plaid pillows and keep spare throws rolled in a basket by the fire.

A Home Alone House Christmas Tree With Big Bulbs

Forget the tiny white lights for a moment. The classic Home Alone House Christmas tree glows with chunky colored bulbs in red, green, blue, orange and yellow. Add strands of silver tinsel and shiny red and gold glass balls, and you have the exact nostalgic tree people remember from childhood. Modern LED versions of the big old bulbs stay cool to the touch and use very little power. Hang tinsel one strand at a time for that real old fashioned shimmer. Are you a colored lights or white lights family?

You will need: LED C9 style multicolor bulb string, silver tinsel, red and gold shatterproof balls.

How to make it: 1. Wrap the LED bulb lights deep into the branches first. 2. Add red and gold balls, bigger ones near the bottom. 3. Drape tinsel strand by strand from the top down.

Wreaths in Every Front Window

The most copied part of the Home Alone House Christmas look is the wreaths. A fresh evergreen wreath with a red bow in every front window makes even a plain house look like a holiday card. The repetition is what does the magic, so keep all the wreaths the same size and the bows the same color. Hang them on the inside of the glass with clear suction hooks or ribbon from the top of the window frame. From the street, it looks grand and very traditional. How many windows face your street?

You will need: Matching small wreaths, one for each front window, red velvet or satin ribbon, clear suction hooks or over the sash hooks.

How to make it: 1. Count your front windows and buy matching wreaths. 2. Tie the same red bow on each one. 3. Hang them centered in every window at the same height.

Green Velvet Ribbon on the Staircase

A big staircase wrapped in garland is a dream for many of us, and you can create it with any banister. Wrap thick faux or fresh garland along the rail and tie green velvet ribbon at every few posts, with a few red bows mixed in. It looks rich and traditional, just like a grand old colonial home. Use zip ties or soft garden ties so nothing scratches the wood. Keep the garland on the outside of the rail so hands can still hold on safely. Would you go all green or add red bows too?

You will need: Faux or fresh garland, green velvet ribbon, red ribbon, soft garden ties or clear zip ties.

How to make it: 1. Lay the garland along the rail and tie it every 12 inches. 2. Tie green velvet bows at every third post. 3. Add a few red bows in between and fluff the garland.

Brass Candlesticks With LED Tapers

Shiny brass gives a Home Alone House Christmas mantel its warm, old money glow. Line up a row of brass candlesticks on the mantel, all different heights, and fill them with flameless LED taper lights. Tuck them into a full evergreen garland with small red ornaments and ribbon. You get the glow of candlelight with none of the worry, which matters with all that greenery. Thrift stores almost always have brass candlesticks for a dollar or two. How many brass pieces could you collect this month?

You will need: 5 to 9 brass candlesticks, flameless LED taper lights, evergreen garland, small red ornaments, red ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Lay the garland along the mantel first. 2. Set the candlesticks in a row, tall ones in the middle. 3. Add LED tapers, then tuck in ornaments and ribbon.

Red Plaid Tree Skirt

The bottom of the tree matters as much as the top. A red tartan tree skirt instantly ties the whole room together with the throws and pillows. Wrap gifts in plain red, green and brown kraft paper and finish them with plaid ribbon so the pile under the tree looks planned. You can make a no sew skirt from a plaid blanket by cutting a circle and a slit. It is a cheap upgrade that makes photos look so much better. Do you wrap gifts to match your tree?

You will need: A plaid blanket or yard of tartan fabric, fabric scissors, plain red, green and kraft wrapping paper, plaid ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Fold the blanket in quarters and cut a large curve for a circle. 2. Cut a small center hole and one straight slit to the edge. 3. Wrap it around the tree stand and pile on matching gifts.

Tartan Runner for a Home Alone House Christmas Dinner

For a Home Alone House Christmas dinner table, think classic and generous. Run a red and green tartan runner down a dark wood table, set white plates on red chargers and fold green napkins on top. A low line of evergreen and berries down the middle keeps everyone able to see each other. Brass candlesticks with LED tapers and a brass light fixture above make it glow. It feels formal without being stuffy. Who would you invite to this table?

You will need: Tartan table runner, white plates, red chargers, green cloth napkins, evergreen sprigs, berries, brass candlesticks with LED tapers.

How to make it: 1. Lay the runner down the center of the table. 2. Set plates on chargers and fold napkins on top. 3. Line the runner with greenery and set the candlesticks in pairs.

Red Kettle Full of Evergreens

The kitchen deserves some holiday love too. A shiny red enamel kettle filled with evergreen branches, red berries and a few pine cones makes a charming centerpiece by the window. It is the kind of simple, homey touch you see in old family kitchens. If your kettle is used every day, look for a cheap one at a thrift store just for decor. Add a red and white check towel nearby to finish the scene. What would you fill a kettle with?

You will need: A red enamel kettle, a small jar that fits inside, water, evergreen clippings, berry stems, pine cones.

How to make it: 1. Set a jar of water inside the kettle so it stays clean. 2. Arrange evergreen branches first, then add berries. 3. Tuck pine cones on top and change the water every few days.

Window Boxes Stuffed With Greens

Window boxes do not have to sit empty all winter, and they are a big part of the Home Alone House Christmas charm. Fill them with fresh evergreen cuttings, red winterberry stems, pine cones and a few small red bows. Against red brick and black shutters, it looks straight out of a classic Christmas card. Many tree lots give away trimmed branches for free, so ask when you buy your tree. A light snow only makes them prettier. Do you have window boxes or a porch planter you could fill this weekend?

You will need: Window boxes with soil or floral foam, evergreen cuttings, winterberry stems, pine cones, small red bows, garden wire.

How to make it: 1. Push longer branches into the back and let some spill over the front. 2. Add winterberry stems in a few clusters. 3. Wire in pine cones and bows so wind cannot pull them out.

The Real Home Alone House Christmas Look Starts Outside

Look closely at the real house and you will see why it photographs so well. Red brick, black shutters, white trim and a centered front door make a simple, balanced backdrop for holiday decor. You can borrow the same idea on any home: keep the palette tight, frame the door with garland and repeat the same decoration on each side. You can read more about the movie and its house, and if you love this era, our 90s Christmas decor ideas are full of nostalgia. The house is a private home, so enjoy it from photos. What color is your front door?

You will need: Garland for the door frame, two matching planters or lanterns, red ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Frame the front door with garland on hooks. 2. Place matching planters or LED lanterns on each side. 3. Add one big red bow above the door to tie it all together.

Big Red Bows for a Home Alone House Christmas Porch

Nothing finishes a Home Alone House Christmas porch like oversized red bows. Wrap your porch railing in garland and tie a big red bow at every post, letting the tails hang long. Wired ribbon holds its shape in wind and snow, so it is worth the extra dollar. Add warm white or colored LED string lights under the garland and the porch glows all evening. Neighbors notice this from a block away. Would you choose satin, velvet or plaid bows?

You will need: Garland, wide wired red ribbon, zip ties, outdoor LED string lights.

How to make it: 1. Zip tie the garland along the top of the railing. 2. Make one big bow for each post with long tails. 3. Weave the LED lights under the garland and plug them into a timer.

Brass Bells by the Door

Brass bells add sound as well as sparkle. String a handful of brass jingle bells on a thick red velvet ribbon and hang it on the inside door knob, so every guest arrives with a cheerful jingle. You can also tie them on a wreath or a basket handle. Bells in mixed sizes look richer than one size, and they last for decades. It is a tiny project that makes the whole house feel festive. Would you hang yours on the front door or the kitchen door?

You will need: 6 to 10 brass jingle bells in mixed sizes, thick red velvet ribbon, scissors, a door hanger hook.

How to make it: 1. Cut a long piece of velvet ribbon. 2. Thread the bells on, biggest at the bottom, and knot each one in place. 3. Tie a loop at the top and hang it from the door knob or hook.