Newport Mansions Christmas: 20 Gilded Age Ideas That Look Rich for Pennies

Newport Mansions Christmas style is all about rooms that feel grand, generous and a little bit storybook. Every holiday season the Gilded Age houses along Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island fill with trees, garland and armloads of poinsettias. The most famous of them, The Breakers, was built between 1893 and 1895 for Cornelius Vanderbilt II and has 70 rooms, so its decorators work on a scale most of us never will. The good news is that the look comes down to a few repeatable tricks: deep red, rich gold, ivory, lots of fresh greenery and big confident bows. These 20 ideas borrow that Newport Mansions Christmas feeling and shrink it to fit an ordinary house and a small budget, using thrift finds, grocery store plants and a little spray paint..

Build a Newport Mansions Christmas Poinsettia Tree

The showstopper in the Great Hall at The Breakers has been a towering tree made from about 150 potted poinsettias. You can build a smaller version for an entry or living room corner. Stack round plant stands from largest to smallest, then fill each level with potted poinsettias in gold pot covers. Ten to fifteen plants make a convincing tree about five feet tall. Turn the fullest sides out and water from the top level down. Browse these poinsettia decorating ideas before you shop..

You will need: Tiered plant stand or three round stands in graduated sizes, 10 to 15 potted poinsettias, gold foil pot covers, a drip tray for each level.

How to make it: Set the largest tier on a drip tray and fill it with covered pots so the leaves touch. Add the next tier and repeat. Finish with one plant on top and check the soil twice a week.

Choose Poinsettias the Way Estate Gardeners Do

A grand display only works if every plant is healthy, so shop like a greenhouse pro. Look for tight green and yellow buds in the center of the red leaves, which tells you the plant is fresh. Buying several of the same shade gives the uniform color that makes a Newport Mansions Christmas display look so rich. Slip each pot into a gold cover, like the painted pots in these clay pot projects.

You will need: Fresh poinsettias with tight center buds, paper sleeves for the trip home, gold pot covers or spray painted terracotta pots, saucers.

How to make it: Check buds and soil before buying and sleeve each plant against cold air. At home, set the pots in covers on saucers in bright indirect light and water when the top inch feels dry.

A Newport Mansions Christmas Mantel in Magnolia Leaves

Magnolia garland shows up all over Gilded Age interiors because those leathery leaves look expensive and last for weeks. The bronze undersides pick up gold accents without any paint. Buy one ready made garland and fill it out with extra leaves from a florist bundle. Let the ends fall past the mantel corners for a lush line, then tuck small gold ornaments into the leaves. Hang stockings from these stocking holders if your mantel is stone or marble.

You will need: One magnolia garland, extra magnolia leaves, floral wire, removable adhesive hooks, 12 small gold ornaments, two small gold-tone urns.

How to make it: Fix hooks under the mantel edge and lay the garland across. Wire in extra leaves where it looks thin, turning some to show the bronze side, then tuck ornaments and urns into the gaps.

Collect Thrifted Gold-Tone Candlesticks

Mansion dining rooms shine with polished metal, and thrift stores are full of single candlesticks waiting for a partner. Buy mismatched ones in different heights, then group them on a tray or windowsill so they read as one collection. Fit them with ivory tapers for the look and keep them unlit near greenery and ribbon. This kind of shopping pays off, as these thrifted glassware ideas show.

You will need: Three to five thrifted gold-tone candlesticks, metal polish, a soft cloth, ivory taper candles, a small tray.

How to make it: Wash and dry each candlestick, then polish until the shine returns. Set tall ones at the back and short ones in front on the tray and add the tapers.

Set a Newport Mansions Christmas Table With Gold Chargers

Gold chargers do most of the heavy lifting on a formal holiday table. They frame a plain white plate and make it look like part of a fine china set. Dollar stores sell plastic versions that look surprisingly convincing once berries and greenery surround them. Fold a red cloth napkin into a peak and stand it on top, then run red berry sprigs and pinecones down the center. These Sandra Lee tablescapes show how far a few budget pieces can go.

You will need: Gold chargers, white dinner plates, red cloth napkins, faux red berry sprigs, a few pinecones.

How to make it: Center a charger at each seat and add the plate. Fold each napkin in half, then into a peak, and set it on the plate. Lay berries and pinecones along the middle of the table.

Tie Velvet Bows on the Dining Chairs

Dressing chair backs is an old trick from formal banquets, and it changes a room fast. Wide red velvet ribbon wraps around the back and ties in a big floppy bow, with a sprig of fir and a pinecone tucked into the knot. Use wired ribbon so the loops hold their shape all season. For more variations, these Christmas chair swags add garland too.

You will need: Wired red velvet ribbon, about 2 yards per chair, small fir sprigs, pinecones, thin floral wire.

How to make it: Wrap ribbon around the chair back and tie a large bow. Wire a fir sprig and pinecone together and slide the stems under the knot. Fluff the loops and trim the tails at an angle.

Wrap Each Place Setting Like a Present

A ribbon tied around the plate stack turns each seat into a little gift for your guest. Here a gingham ribbon holds a stack of meringue cookies and a sprig of holly on a gold charger, but velvet or satin work just as well. It is the kind of thoughtful touch that makes a Newport Mansions Christmas dinner feel special, and it takes seconds per place. Add a name card under the bow or pair it with these DIY napkin rings.

You will need: Ribbon about 1 inch wide, holly or boxwood sprigs, a small treat or ornament for each plate, name cards.

How to make it: Stack the salad plate on the dinner plate. Wrap ribbon around both, tie a bow on top and tuck the sprig and treat under the knot.

Style a Thrifted Silver Tray

Old silver plated trays turn up at thrift stores for a few dollars, often dark with tarnish. Polish one and it instantly looks like it came from a butler’s pantry. Set a cake dome or crystal bowl in the middle, then ring it with red berries, pinecones and a few large leaves. These tiered tray ideas offer more ways to fill a layered stand.

You will need: A thrifted silver plated tray, silver polish, a crystal dome or bowl, red berry picks, pinecones, a few large leaves.

How to make it: Polish the tray and buff it dry. Center the dome, lay leaves around the base, then add berries and pinecones in a loose ring.

Spray Paint Pinecones Gold

Gilded pinecones are the cheapest luxury on this list. Gather them free on a walk, bake them on a foil lined sheet at a low setting to dry out sap and bugs, then spray them metallic gold outdoors. Pile them in a footed bowl so they sit up high like a fruit display. A few cedar sprigs around the base add contrast. Got leftover cones? Try these primitive Christmas crafts.

You will need: 20 to 30 pinecones, a foil lined baking sheet, metallic gold spray paint, a drop cloth, a footed bowl, cedar sprigs.

How to make it: Bake the cones at 200 F for about 40 mins, watching closely. Let them cool, spray two light coats outdoors on a drop cloth, dry fully and pile them into the bowl.

Fill a Tall Vase With White Hydrangeas

White flowers mixed with greenery give a holiday table a softer, more elegant look than all red. Hydrangeas are the budget hero, because one big head fills the space of five roses. Grocery store bunches work well with a few roses and silvery foliage added for texture. A tall footed vase keeps the Newport Mansions Christmas drama while guests can still see each other. These Christmas vase fillers keep a vase pretty once the flowers fade.

You will need: 3 white hydrangea stems, a few white or blush roses, silvery foliage, a tall footed vase, floral cutters.

How to make it: Cut stems at an angle and soak the hydrangea heads in cool water for an hour. Place hydrangeas first, fill gaps with roses and foliage, and top up the water daily.

Pack a Wooden Box With Roses and Fir

Florists in grand houses mixed fresh flowers with evergreens so arrangements lasted through the season. This low box version is easy to copy with a crate or old drawer lined with plastic. Pack it with wet floral foam, push fir sprigs in around the edges, then add roses and orchids in the middle. For more holders, browse these basket Christmas decor ideas.

You will need: A small wooden box or crate, a plastic liner, wet floral foam, fir sprigs, 6 roses, 2 orchid stems, ribbon.

How to make it: Line the box and fit soaked foam inside. Insert fir around the rim angled outward, add roses and orchids in the center and tuck in a ribbon loop.

Hang Ornaments in Newport Mansions Christmas Colors

Gilded Age trees did not mix every color in the box. They stayed with deep red, gold and ivory, which is why they look so rich in photos. Sort your ornaments and keep only those three shades on the main tree. Matte and shiny finishes side by side add depth without adding colors. These ornament tree ideas show other ways to display them.

You will need: Matte and shiny ornaments in red, gold and ivory, ornament hooks, a storage box for off palette pieces.

How to make it: Sort ornaments by color and set aside anything outside the palette. Hang big ones deep in the tree and smaller ones near the tips, mixing finishes as you go.

Add a Few Heirloom Style Ornaments

A handful of embroidered or hand painted ornaments makes a tree feel collected over generations. This navy and gold style looks antique, but you can get close by gluing gold trim in a diamond pattern on plain rounds and painting tiny motifs inside. Hang them at eye level where guests will notice, the way a Newport Mansions Christmas tree shows off its finest pieces. Make a set with these hand painted ornaments.

You will need: Plain satin or matte ornaments, gold trim ribbon, tacky glue, acrylic paint, a fine brush, Mod Podge Gloss.

How to make it: Glue gold trim from top to bottom in four lines, then across to make diamonds. Paint small motifs inside each shape and seal with a thin coat of Mod Podge when dry.

Turn a Thrifted Gilt Frame Into a Wreath

Ornate frames are everywhere in mansion halls, and an empty one makes a striking wreath. Look for a big gold frame at a thrift store and pop out the clear pane and backing. Wire fir and magnolia to two opposite corners, then add a red velvet bow at the top. Hang it on a paneled wall, a door or above a console. For more frame projects, see these picture frame crafts.

You will need: A large thrifted gilt frame, fir and magnolia stems, paddle wire, red velvet ribbon, a picture hanger.

How to make it: Remove the pane and backing. Wire greenery to opposite corners with stems pointing the same way, tie a bow, wire it to the top and hang the frame.

Go Big With a Red Bow Wreath

Newport families called their mansions summer cottages, and every door wore an oversized bow at the holidays. A bow that looks too big in the store looks right on the door. Choose a fresh fir wreath and add a red bow with long tails that reach halfway down. Wired ribbon at least 4 inches wide holds its shape in wind. Pair it with these Christmas door swags on side doors.

You will need: A fresh fir wreath, 3 yards of 4 inch wired red ribbon, floral wire, a wreath hanger.

How to make it: Make a bow with four large loops and long tails. Wire it to the top of the wreath, shape the loops and cut the tails in a V.

Gild a Pine Wreath With Gold Leaves

A long needle pine wreath with pinecones and gold leaves looks custom, yet you can dress a plain one at home. Paint a few faux leaves or dried magnolia leaves gold, then wire them in with pinecones. It looks beautiful against a dark navy or black door. These ornament wreath ideas add even more sparkle.

You will need: A plain pine wreath, faux or dried leaves, gold paint, 6 pinecones, a gold ornament, floral wire.

How to make it: Paint the leaves gold and let them dry. Wire pinecones and leaves in small groups around the wreath, then hang the ornament at the bottom.

Weave Ribbon Through a Berry Wreath

Instead of one bow, weave ribbon in and out of the wreath for a softer, flowing look. Red berries and pinecones carry the color around the ring. This style suits a white front door or an inside door between rooms, and it brings a bit of Newport Mansions Christmas polish without much cost. It takes about two yards of ribbon. Another famous American estate takes a similar approach in these Gilded Age decor ideas.

You will need: An evergreen wreath, 2 yards of red ribbon, red berry picks, small pinecones, floral wire.

How to make it: Pin one ribbon end at the top, then weave it loosely around the ring, forming loops. Fill spaces with berries and pinecones and secure with wire.

Frame the Front Door in Newport Mansions Christmas Garland

A garland running up both sides and across the top of a door is the most mansion like move you can make outside. Use a thick fresh or faux garland and fix it with clear hooks so nothing gets nailed. It frames the door the way a gold frame sets off a painting. For an even bigger entry, these garland arch ideas help.

You will need: About 18 feet of garland, clear adhesive hooks, red berry picks, zip ties.

How to make it: Place hooks every 12 inches up each side and across the top. Lift the garland onto the hooks, zip tie the corners and push berry picks in evenly.

A Newport Mansions Christmas Welcome at the Gate

Matching wreaths on a gate or a pair of doors is pure estate style. Symmetry signals grandeur even when the wreaths themselves are simple. Hang two identical fir wreaths with red bows at the same height on gates, double doors or porch posts. Add a seat nearby with ideas from these Christmas porch bench setups.

You will need: Two matching fir wreaths, 2 weatherproof red bows, outdoor wire or zip ties, a tape measure.

How to make it: Measure so both wreaths sit at the same height. Fix each with wire or zip ties, add the bows and check the line from the street.

Clip Boxwood Into Round Topiaries

Formal gardens around Gilded Age houses are full of clipped boxwood, and a pair of round topiaries in urns gives any front door the same crisp look. Buy small boxwood shrubs and shape them with hand shears, or use faux spheres if your porch is shady. Set them in matching urns and wrap the pots in ribbon to finish your Newport Mansions Christmas entry. These winter porch decor ideas keep the look going after December.

You will need: Two boxwood shrubs or faux topiary spheres, matching urns, potting mix, hand shears, ribbon.

How to make it: Plant each boxwood in an urn. Trim a little at a time, turning the pot, until the shape is round, then tie ribbon around the urn rim.