Be sure to read through to the end–we’ve got a lovely giveaway for you!
Hey, friends–welcome to our 2015 holiday home tour! I brought this one down to the wire, since I took my photos just yesterday (and it was rainy and dark–boo!) and was up until the wee, wee hours editing them and writing. BUT, the good news is that my house is completely decorated on December 1st and now I get to enjoy the month!
For those of you who might be new readers, we are a military family and move all the time, so I get lots of practice decorating new houses! We moved to this lovely home in North Carolina at the very end of July, so just over four months ago, and believe it or not, we’re renting it. I will confess that whenever we’ve rented instead of bought, we’ve been tremendously lucky to find houses that aren’t on the rental market, since we all know this isn’t a “typical” rental. Anyway, you can read more about this house {here}.
So, I’m the very first holiday open house in our 2015 tour–no pressure there, right?!
I decorated my front porch a few weeks ago in gold and twinkle lights {that post is here} and I worked with the pretty ivy that’s been trained around the front door instead of using the evergreen roping that I usually do. I love how it turned out!
Once you step inside our home, there’s an entryway that opens right into our two-story living room. {I’ll try to list sources under each photo, but just leave a comment if I miss something}
| Bust, lamp, apothecary jar: HomeGoods; Naughty/Nice pillow, anemone: Hobby Lobby |
I still use this chippy roadside rescue dresser to corral tablecloths (the dining room is to the right) as well as hats, scarves, and gloves.
| NOEL banner (I made it with letters from Hobby Lobby), tray: Michael’s, Curtains: Target|
The giant vintage dough bowl above the front door is filled with evergreen, magnolia leaves, and huge gold ornaments.
| Lamp, magnifying glass, black bench, gold and white fur throw pillows: HomeGoods, buffalo check pillow: Target |
Here’s a shot from the kitchen; the hallway to the right of the staircase goes back to the powder room, laundry room, and master.
| Bar stools |
Our tree is ten feet tall and it’s dwarfed by the two-story windows; maybe I need a bigger one next year?!
| Nailhead recliner; gold butler’s table |
My daughter and I decorated it with gold and white ting ting, feathers, and this beautiful ribbon that lists all the names of Christ on it. I love it!
Oh, and the paper fans are kind of a fun touch; I found them at HomeGoods and decided to use them on the tree as a whim.
| Noel ornaments and ribbon: Hobby Lobby; round ornaments, gold star, and ting ting: AtHome, paper fans: HomeGoods |
My daughter tends to be pretty traditional about our Christmas tree, but she adores this one. When we finished setting it up, she said, “Our house looks so happy now.” She’s right.
| Clam shell |
The gold color scheme is carried through to the dogs on the rug (LOL); they have to be right next to whatever I’m doing, so that means they supervise the photo shoots!
They would also like you know that they are very decorative; a golden retriever in front of a roaring fire is pretty much the archetypal Christmas photo, right?!
Here’s the tree at night:
Moving into the kitchen, I transitioned from black, white, and gold to a more traditional red, white and green color scheme.
| Santa mugs: my grandmother’s; red and white plates, basket, and bottle caddy: HomeGoods, Good Morning coffee mugs; copper lanterns; swizzle sticks: Wal-Mart |
We have a coffee bar set up on the counter (the “R” chalkboard tag is for regular–no one wants to grab decaf in the morning!!).
And, of course, we have to do a hot chocolate bar every year (doesn’t everyone?!).
| Boxwood wreath; chevron mugs; cake stand, to-go cups, and white platter: HomeGoods; Eat Me/Drink Me printable tags; silver mug: vintage |
| Topiary: Lowe’s; Bread Box; Plates and napkins: HomeGoods |
| Groceries sign and hanging chalkboard: Hobby Lobby |
| Naughty/Nice pom pom towels: Dollar Tree (seriously!) |
Here’s part of the view out of my kitchen window:
I just have to go on the record that I don’t think you can ever have too much vintage silver or boxwood in your holiday decor! Agreed?
We’re planning a Christmas party the evening of my daughter’s final Nutcracker performance; the theme is “Soup & Sweets” and this is the very small beginning of the sweets bar I’m going to set up. More to come!
I just bought 100 red and white paper straws for the party; they’re 50% off right now at Hobby Lobby.
| Apothecary jar and mini cupcake stand: HomeGoods; Gumballs |
The little Christmas tree in my kitchen is one of my favorites–that tiny stand mixer ornament!! #idie
You can see more of my kitchen {here} and the living room and dining room–which I somehow forgot to photograph (!) {here}.
The closet-turned-mudroom got a little Christmas facelift, too:
I wish it had been a better day for photographs; my office is the darkest room in the house and I really wanted to show off my Lilly Pulitzer tree and banner (thanks, Dixie Delights!). The colors aren’t as good as they would be in natural light…but you all have an open invitation to come see it in person!
The cute little printable is also from Amanda at Dixie Delights {here}.
Moving down the hallway to the bedroom, Harley shows off the plantation shutter doggie doors that we use when we need to corral the dogs (which isn’t very often!).
I strung a garland over the French doors that lead out to the deck; that was just enough for the bedroom.
The JOY banner is {here}.
Here’s a quick snap of our bathroom; I just added a bottle brush tree and a few pink touches. My very talented friend Ashly gave me that homemade lotion for my birthday and it smells SO good!
The laundry room got decorated, too.
Doesn’t everyone have a Christmas tree in their laundry room? I used dollhouse miniatures and tiny clothespins to decorate it.
Moving upstairs, I’ll show you my daughter’s room and then my son’s room. But first, here’s a bird’s eye view of the living room.
Annabelle’s room is decorated for the Nutcracker ballet from top to bottom.
The Mouse King and Clara double as bookends.
The Sugar Plum Fairy watches over the jewelry box. 🙂
We are drowning in dead pointe shoes, so I worked them into the decor.
| Mirror: vintage; Sugarplum Nutcracker: Target; “Joy” sign, jewelry box, bed pillows, and lamps: HomeGoods|
I’m not kidding; they’re everywhere:
We even have a few pairs that are purely decorative:
The white and pink garland is one of her favorite new additions this year.
She wanted me to show you how pretty it is at night, so here it is at twilight:
The loveseat is the one that I reupholstered; it barely survived our move but one of my jobs for the new year is replacing the nailhead trim that got torn off.
By now, you’ve guessed that gum balls in apothecary jars are one of my favorite decorating tricks. My kids are so used to having gum everywhere that they hardly ever eat it!
|Puffin in Bloom books (illustrated by Rifle Paper Co.); lamp & apothecary jar: HomeGoods |
We’ve framed the posters from the performances she’s appeared in; they’re fun memories as well as pretty decorations.
Here’s my little ballerina; she’s in Waltz of the Flowers and Russian this year, and is understudy for Snow.
| Tree on car pillow; Joy to the World printable |
Here are just a few nighttime shots of the outside:
And here’s a shot from the back deck:
All is calm, all is bright.
Don’t you just love decorating for this beautiful holiday? It’s my gift to my family to create a lovely, peaceful home, and it always helps us all to settle in quickly when we move to a new location. We’re so looking forward to hosting friends and neighbors in a few weeks and then celebrating quietly at home as a family.
I’m also taking great pleasure in our Season of Giving series this year–I hope you’ll join us if you haven’t already. You can read all about it {here}.
You can see more about this house {here} and our previous holiday home tours {here}. And be sure to check back every day for some seriously beautiful holiday homes!
Thanks so much for reading to the very end–phew–that was long! Now, here’s the giveaway we promised:
Linking up at:
Wow Christy! Your home tour is stunning! Love all the little details. Everything looks so festive and cheerful. Now it’s time to sit back, kick your feet up and enjoy.
Thanks, girl! Yes, that’s the best part–now I’m done! Can’t wait to see your beautiful house!
I love it all.. but Annabelle room is every girls dream !
Thank you, Heidi! I won’t lie, she and I have been sitting up there at night, just enjoying how pretty it is. 🙂
Have a merry Christmas!
Oh my word, your home is so beautifully decked for the season, every room is a delight for the eyes. Lots of inspiration that I will pin for next year. Gorgeous.
Thanks so much, Marty! We’re really looking forward to showing off your beautiful home next week!
Absolutely gorgeous! As a Nutcracker lover, your daughter’s room is just perfect–love the pointe shoes used as décor.
Thanks so much, Courtney. She loves it, too (as do I!).
Wow…I haven’t done any decorating yet! Love the Front Porch!
Thanks, Janice–I usually start after Thanksgiving, but this year I started early because I knew I’d have this post coming up. I’ll be honest, it’s nice to be able to relax (a bit) now that it’s done.
Love your blog. I always get great ideas from y’all!
Merry Christmas!
Thanks so much, Judi!
Merry Christmas to you, too!
I love how you have trees in the bedrooms. What a great idea!
Thanks, Beverly. It’s one of my kids’ favorite things about the holidays. 🙂
Your home looks beautiful for the season. I think my favorite thing is the pillow in your son’s room with the Christmas tree on top of the vintage station wagon.
Thanks so much, Carole. It’s from Target–they have a whole cute line of that image this season.
Merry Christmas!
Your home is just breathtaking!!! What a lovely home you have. Thank you for sharing. Merry Christmas!!
Thanks so much, Pamela. Merry Christmas to you, too!
It’s beautiful, Christy! My favorite is the little kitchen tree with Ritz cracker tin and KitchenAid ornament and the little laundry room tree with miniatures and clothes pins. So clever! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Thanks, Christy! That’s one of my favorites, too. 🙂 I hope you all are doing well in TN–it’s always good to hear from you.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Wow!! Your home is stunning!!
Thanks, Jenny–so kind of you!
I’m so glad I visited today. Putting up the kitchen tree was already on my agenda for the evening but seeing your’s reminded me of all the tiny, enamelware pots and dishes I have in the grandbebe’s toy box. Looks like they’ll be off visiting in the kitchen until January or so!
I’m so glad it gave you a good idea. Way to put those dishes to work during their “off season!”
Totally gorgeous! Just wondering where the pink and white garland in your daughters room is from ? Thanks!
Thanks, Tara!
I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted for the garland, so I made it. It’s from Wal-Mart–it’s flocked and prelit with the clear lights and was about $20. I added a string of pink lights from Michael’s. Hope that helps!
Such a beautiful home. You have motivated me to keep pulling out all my decor..I am a little behind. Your decorations are gorgeous but the golden retrievers are the perfect accessories! I have one as well and she is sitting on my feet at the moment! Thanks for the tour!
Shelley
Thanks so much, Shelley! Don’t worry, you’re not behind–I was just early. 🙂
Goldens are definitely the perfect accessory. They are worth all the pounds of dog hair I vacuum up every day!
Merry Christmas!
So, so very beautiful Christy!….I am sure your family is thrilled with the wonderful Christmas decor and how you made it so very special for them … and the pups too!….
Thanks so much, dear friend. We can’t wait to see your beautiful home; it’s always such a treat!
Your home is lovely! I am excited to follow the house tour!
Thanks so much, Lisa–we’re so glad you’re following along!
Beautiful as usual. I just wonder where you store all these things?
Teehee–that’s what my husband says! 🙂 Somehow, it always fits back in the attic.
Merry Christmas!
I love the ideas you share in this post…..your daughter’s room is my absolute favorite, but I also love the laundry room tree.
Thanks so much, Tressa. Those are my two favorites, too. My daughter loves her room this year; it makes me so happy to see her joy.
Merry Christmas!
Absolutely gorgeous! Great motivation to start working on mine tonight ; )
Thanks, Lisa. Hope your decorating is going well. It’s so fun, isn’t it?!
Christy
I enjoyed the simple elegance of the decorations!
Thanks so much, Jean. Merry Christmas to you!
Stunning, elegant and heartwarming! Love, love the dogs! You are so good with all the “small” details that make an impressive statement…the straws, coffee cups, gum balls, tiny trees, etc. I do love that ribbon on your large tree!
xo
Pat
Thanks so much, dear friend. I appreciate that you notice all the little details. 🙂
Your house is beautifully decorated for Christmas. You probably don’t know this about Dixie Delights, but she danced in Savannah with the Ballet South company, and your daughter’s room brought back so many memories! We also had tons of dead Pointe shoes and I still have many posters of her performances framed in the bedroom wing hall. She played Clara, the snow queen and many others during her years with the company. Very hard work but those years hold many good memories
Best, Amanda’s Mom
Hi, Mrs. O–
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I read about you all the time on Amanda’s blog and it’s so nice to “meet” you. Did she tell you that we just moved away from Savannah? It broke my heart to go, but we’ll be back one day!
I loved hearing that about Amanda, and no, I didn’t know she was such a serious dancer. Makes sense that her tiny little self would be wonderful at dancing.
Have a very Merry Christmas!
Christy
Gorgeous decorations! Especially love the big tree in the living area. Happy holidays!
Thanks so much, Donna!
Christy your home is stunning! All ready for Christmas! I have just started so I see lots of inspiration! Thank you!
Thanks so much, Heidi. Have fun with your decorating!
It is all so lovely! I am over from This is Happiness and what immediately caught my eye was your living room wall color. We also have yellow walls and you just don’t see them a lot these days but I love how warm and homey it is.
And your Christmas decor! I love everything especially the Nutcracker bedroom for your daughter. I saw a lot of similar decorating to my home — I have a nutcracker banner in my office and my main tree is gold and white. Great minds think alike!
Happy Christmas!
Hi, Katie–
I’m so glad you stopped over–come back soon! You’re so right, you don’t see a lot of yellow gold these days. This is actually a rental house and the two-story living room is a bit too ambitious of a painting project for me to take on…but I actually really like the color anyway.
So glad you like the Nutcracker decor; my daughter is so happy with how it turned out.
Have a very Merry Christmas!
Your holiday home is full of so much personality and warmth, I just LOVE it. The ballet slippers are such an adorable, classy touch. And the tree looks amazing.
Thanks so much, my friend. I had so much fun decorating this year. 🙂 Can’t wait to see your lovely nest on Sunday!
XO,
Christy
Christy! Everything is absolutely STUNNING! Oh my word.. so beautiful. I especially love your sweet daughter’s room! One of my daughter’s dances too and wants to decorate with a ballet theme next year and you gave me so many good ideas! Thank you for such a FUN tour! I love every inch of your home. xo
Thanks so much, girl! I can’t tell you how much fun we had decorating Annabelle’s room–glad it gave you some inspiration! You know I can’t wait to see your house; it’s always so beautiful.
Merry Christmas!
Love everything ! Especially the pink stuff. Beautiful home!
Thank you, Karen.
Me, too. I still adore all things pink! 🙂
Have a Merry Christmas!
I love your kitchen! Your beverage vignettes are delightful!
Thanks so much, Carol. The mini-marshmallows are almost gone–the two-legged mice must have been at them! 🙂
Such a beautiful home and so many great little vignettes. I am always looking for ways to spruce up my sons’ room, love yours!
Thanks so much, Kelly. Boys’ rooms can be tough to decorate but that vintage/industrial vibe seems to work well for my guy. And who doesn’t love trees on cars?!
I just love it all! My faves are the Lilly in your office (of course) and your daughter’s nutcracker room!!
Thanks, lady. Your mom commented above and told me that you have quite the ballet resumé. Annabelle will probably want me to get your autograph the next time I see you!
Thanks for sharing your Lilly banner AND your gorgeous house today.
Truly GORGEOUS! But I am in love with that tiny red stand mixer ornament 🙂
I know–isn’t it fun? I found it at Hobby Lobby a few years ago; they seem to do a variation every year.
Thanks for stopping by, Michele!
Christy
Your house is amazing! I love Annebelle’s room! I also love that you captures pictures of her in her ballet costume in front of the Christmas tree! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much, Carol. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely perfect as I could ever imagine! Love the fans you added on your tree and the adorable drinking stations around your kitchen! you’ve thought of every detail dear, inspiration in every corner! Your family will for sure have a wonderful christmas in your beautiful home! Cheers!
It’s all so beautiful, Christy! Every room is so beautifully thought out. I’d love to come share a cup of coffee or hot cocoa with you in that gorgeous kitchen!
You are welcome any time, Christy! I hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas season in Spring Hill.
XO
Christy