A rustic tree uses dark, natural, unfinished materials, while a farmhouse tree uses light neutrals, plaid and clean wood, and a full 7.5 ft version costs about $225 for rustic or $198 for farmhouse at Target. The table below shows eight quick ways to tell which one you have.
Key Takeaways
- Rustic leans on dark palettes and raw materials. Farmhouse leans on light neutrals and finished wood.
- Plaid, burlap and galvanized metal appear in both, so the surrounding colors decide the style.
- A rustic tree is easiest on a green tree. A farmhouse tree is easiest on a flocked or white-leaning tree.
- Both can be built from Target pieces for roughly $200 to $225 including the tree.
- Real or artificial, keep the tree at least 3 feet from heat sources.
Rustic vs Farmhouse Christmas Tree: The Short Answer
Rustic celebrates raw, natural texture in warm dark tones. Farmhouse is lighter, tidier and more neutral, with plaid and white as signatures. Use this table to sort a tree, or your shopping cart, into one camp.
| Element | Rustic | Farmhouse |
|---|---|---|
| Tree | Full green, twig or unflocked | Flocked, white-tipped or green with white accents |
| Palette | Brown, forest green, rust red | Cream, white, black, soft red |
| Ornaments | Raw wood, pinecones, acorns | Plaid fabric, neutral stars, painted wood |
| Ribbon | Burlap, brown velvet | Plaid or buffalo check, linen |
| Garland | Pine, wood beads | Wood beads, pearl or plain beads |
| Base | Woven natural collar | Slatted wood collar, galvanized tub or plaid skirt |
| Topper | Simple wood or fabric star | Plain star or velvet bow |
| Mood | Cabin, nature | Cozy country kitchen |
The table is our reading of the general rule below, applied to a tree. The two styles overlap, and plenty of real trees mix them.
Where Rustic and Farmhouse Differ
The difference comes down to palette, material and finish. A farmhouse vs rustic comparison from Wild Wings says farmhouse favors “light or neutral palettes” while rustic leans toward “Natural, Dark Palettes.”
On materials, the same guide lists wood, tin and iron for farmhouse, and a wider mix for rustic including stone, clay, copper, wool and fur. On finish, farmhouse often has finished surfaces, sometimes with shiplap or whitewash, while rustic embraces unfinished materials that show the grain.
In mood, farmhouse is described as pastoral and practical. Rustic is described as nature-centered, one that “celebrates flaws and cherishes character.”
For a tree, that gives two practical rules. Pick raw, mixed, darker pieces for rustic. Pick tidy, lighter, finished pieces for farmhouse.
Rustic Christmas Tree Decorations and What They Cost
A rustic tree starts with a green or twig tree and adds raw wood, burlap, pinecones and a woven base. The pieces below are all from Target in October 2026.
- Tree: 7.5 ft Alberta spruce pre-lit with bicolor twinkle lights, $135, or a 6 ft pre-lit twig tree with warm white lights, $95
- Wood ornaments: 2-count wood pinecone and holly leaf set, $3, and a 2-count wood acorn and oak leaf set, $3
- Bulk wood: Kurt Adler 48-piece wooden mini ornament set, $20.15
- Burlap ribbon: Northlight faded green and brown wired burlap ribbon, 2.5 in by 10 yards, $8.99
- Garland: 9 ft pre-lit pine garland with LED lights, $20
- Base: 26 in water hyacinth scalloped collar in natural, $40
- Topper: 9.25 in unlit fabric fox with star, $5
Burlap and wood are cheap in small amounts, which keeps the look affordable. The woven collar is the single biggest add-on, so it is the first thing to skip if you are cutting costs, since a basket you already own does the same job.
Farmhouse Christmas Tree Decorations and What They Cost
A farmhouse tree starts with a flocked or light tree and adds plaid, neutral fabric and finished wood. All prices are Target listings from October 2026.
- Tree: 7.5 ft Alberta spruce flocked slim pre-lit with bicolor slow-twinkle lights, $125
- Plaid ornaments: neutral plaid fabric star, plaid bow and plaid deer, $3 each
- Garland: 60 in farmhouse wooden bead garland with tassels, $12.99
- Skirt: Northlight 48 in red and white plaid border skirt, $22.79, or a Joyfy 36 or 48 in red and black buffalo check skirt, $14.99 to $24.99
- Base option: Hearth & Hand wood tree collar, $69.99, or a 5-gallon galvanized metal tub, $15, to cover a small tree’s stand
- Topper: 3.75 ft velvet double loop red bow, $10
The galvanized tub is a cheap, on-style base for a small tree, but check that your stand fits inside before you buy. For a flocked tree, the white branches do most of the work, which is why farmhouse needs fewer ornaments. Our flocked Christmas tree decorating ideas page goes deeper on pairings.
Two Shopping Lists: About $198 Farmhouse vs $225 Rustic
Both looks can be built for roughly $200 to $225 including a 7.5 ft pre-lit tree, using the Target prices above. Neither list needs more than a few items.
| Farmhouse list | Price | Rustic list | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.5 ft flocked slim pre-lit tree | $125 | 7.5 ft pre-lit Alberta spruce | $135 |
| 8 plaid and neutral ornaments at $3 | $24 | 48-piece wooden mini set | $20.15 |
| 2 wood bead garlands at $12.99 | $25.98 | 2 rolls burlap ribbon at $8.99 | $17.98 |
| 48 in plaid border skirt | $22.79 | 26 in woven natural collar | $40 |
| 4 wood ornament sets at $3 | $12 | ||
| Approx. total | $198 | Approx. total | $225 |
If you already own the tree, subtract $125 to $135 and you are at roughly $73 to $90. Ornaments and ribbon carry most of the style anyway.
For a ready-trimmed starting point, see the prices in our pre-decorated Christmas tree guide. For bigger ornament sets, check our Christmas tree decoration sets page.
Pieces That Work in Both Styles
Plaid, burlap, galvanized metal and wood appear in both styles, so what surrounds them decides the label. Plaid next to cream and white reads as farmhouse, and plaid next to brown and green reads as rustic.
- Plaid: red and white plaid for farmhouse, red and green or brown plaid for rustic
- Burlap: natural burlap suits both, but pair it with brown tones to push it rustic
- Galvanized metal: a tub or bucket base reads as farmhouse on a light tree and rustic on a dark one
- Wood: sanded or painted wood is farmhouse, raw bark and slices are rustic
If you cannot decide, pick one dominant style and use the other as an accent for no more than a third of the tree. A farmhouse tree with a few raw pinecones looks collected, not confused.
How to Mix Rustic and Farmhouse Without a Muddle
Mix by repeating a material, not by combining everything. Three rules keep it clean.
-
One palette: limit the tree to three colors, such as cream, brown and red.
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One metal: pick galvanized or black iron, not both.
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One texture star: let the burlap, the wood or the plaid lead, and keep the other two small.
Those rules match the quieter style in our simple Christmas tree decorating ideas. They also help the tree sit well in a room styled as in our modern farmhouse living room ideas, where light neutrals and wood already set the scene. For the room itself, the modern farmhouse decor guide covers the palette.
Real Tree or Artificial for a Rustic Look
Both work. A real tree suits a rustic look, but it needs care. The National Fire Protection Association’s holiday tips say to cut 1 to 2 inches from the trunk base before putting the tree in the stand, and to refill the water daily.
For any tree, the same page says to keep it at least three feet from heat sources such as fireplaces, radiators, candles and heat vents. It also advises choosing an artificial tree identified as fire retardant, a point the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission repeats in its holiday decorating safety guidance.
Dry natural pieces such as pinecones and burlap add texture, and it is sensible to keep them away from lights that run warm. Use LED strings and check the cords, as the NFPA page advises replacing any with worn cords or loose bulb connections.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a rustic and a farmhouse Christmas tree?
Rustic uses dark, natural, unfinished materials such as raw wood, burlap and pinecones. Farmhouse uses lighter neutrals, plaid and finished wood, often on a flocked tree. Both share plaid and burlap, so the surrounding colors usually decide which style you have.
What colors are used on a farmhouse Christmas tree?
Cream, white, black and soft red are the usual colors. Farmhouse favors light or neutral palettes, with darker accents such as black buffalo check. A flocked tree supplies the white base, and plaid ribbon or a skirt brings in the red.
Can you mix rustic and farmhouse Christmas decor?
Yes. Keep one dominant style and let the other fill no more than a third of the tree. Limit the palette to three colors, use one metal, and let a single texture such as wood, burlap or plaid lead. That keeps the tree reading as one idea instead of a sample board.
How much does a farmhouse or rustic Christmas tree cost?
At Target, a 7.5 ft pre-lit tree with trim runs about $198 for farmhouse and $225 for rustic. If you already own a tree, the decorations alone come to roughly $73 to $90. Ornaments cost as little as $3 per set.
What kind of tree skirt or collar suits each style?
Rustic suits a woven natural collar, such as a $40 water hyacinth collar. Farmhouse suits a plaid skirt from about $23 or a slatted wood collar from about $70. A galvanized tub works on both for a small tree if the stand fits.
Choose by Colors, Not Labels
If your room is cream and white, go farmhouse. If it is brown, green and wood, go rustic. If it is both, pick one and borrow a single piece from the other.
Prices checked October 2026. Retailer prices change often, so confirm on the product page before you buy.
For the full range of styles and the counts of lights and ornaments by height, see our Christmas tree decorating ideas by style and budget.