It's been a few years since I've really pulled out all the stops with our Christmas decorating. We had a wedding in '14 and a family crisis in '15, so I had really only done the minimum with holiday décor for those years. Truthfully, it was just sad...no tree, few gifts...bah humbug.
But it's 2016, and this elf is back in the spirit! So, I'm inviting you to take a mini home tour with me. Let's get this party started :)
I may as well mention that I love snowflakes, so you're bound to see several of them on the tour. This arrow in the entry hall has become a fun place to hang pretty things. I discovered this last year when I attached a vintage ornament wreath to it for Valentine's Day. Now, one of my favorite snowflake ornaments dangles there and gives guests a little taste of what they'll see inside.
This garland above the kitchen sink has stood in for a window treatment for years. It has almost worn out its welcome, though, and will be replaced with a bamboo shade after the holidays. But, for now, it got a little holiday zhushing with evergreen branches and ornaments.
Heading into our hearth room, you see that this year's décor incorporates my new design color, teal, with the greens that have been staples here for awhile.
Simplicity meets glitz is the theme in here. I do enjoy a bit of glitter at Christmas, as displayed by this silver tinsel tree decorated with gold, teal, and green ball ornaments. A throw pillow adds to both the teal scheme and the snowflake motif.
I decided to keep the mantel clean this year. A simple garland of greenery and topiaries intertwined with tiny lights give just a touch of Christmas without going overboard. Often, my mantel décor is asymmetrical, which I like, although as soon as my paperwhites bloom, I'll place them behind the stocking holders to balance the height of the topiaries and to add a little more natural color.
On Christmas day, a fire will crackle in the fireplace, creating a warm, cozy atmosphere, and my (adult) children will find a few fun surprises in these stockings. I'm not sure who enjoys the tradition more - me or them, haha.
As we head into the living and dining rooms, you can see some of my favorite things. Again, greenery, snowflakes, and the same color scheme flow into these spaces. Each year I drape evergreen boughs through our pendant light above the dining table and hang more sparkly beaded snowflakes. This creates a magical holiday canopy over our family Christmas dinner.
Because there is a lot going on overhead, I chose to keep the centerpiece here less busy. A collection of teal, green, and gold mercury glass votive holders will cast a pretty glow when the candles are lit.
Of course, the star of the show is always the tree, right? I finally broke down this year and bought a pre-lit tree, and boy howdy, did it ever save me hours of light-stringing grief...one of the best investments ever! Our tree is decorated with loads of ball ornaments in gold, silver, champagne, and clear glass. Some are vintage and some are new. There are also icicles, stars, moons, and of course, snowflakes. My family considers this the "designer" tree, and the gifts always get wrapped in coordinating "designer" giftwrap.
We have also often put up the family memory tree in addition to this tree. It has always been a cherished treasure that showcases ornaments the kids made when they were young and others that we picked up on vacations. There are even a few from my husband's and my childhoods (true antiques!) I don't put that tree up every year, but when I do, we all enjoy our walk down memory lane.
Simple bits of greenery, baubles, and snowflakes carry the festive feel into our living room. The coffee table will be another good spot to add paperwhites in a couple of weeks when they (hopefully) bloom in time for Christmas. You may notice the coffee table book "Passage to Cuba." Our son-in-law is from Havana, and we'll be visiting there in January for a few days. We're so excited!
I hope you've enjoyed this little mini tour of our holiday home. It's the most wonderful time of the year, isn't it?
Julie
Sharing with: Share Your Cup, Vintage Charm, Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage, Between Naps on the Porch, A Stroll Thru Life, The Scoop, Evolution of Style
No comments:
Post a Comment