Deck the Halls: My 2019 Christmas Home

Welcome, dear readers, to a much-anticipated festive tour of our New England home! This year, the holiday decorating whirlwind arrived a tad later than usual. Between the ongoing delightful chaos of our master bathroom renovation, multiple trips south to North Carolina to prepare our new home for holiday guests, and the general delightful frenzy that accompanies the season, our “decking the halls” schedule was certainly a unique one. But fear not, the magic is finally here, and I’m thrilled to open our doors and share every festive nook and cranny with you.

The timing couldn’t be more perfect! As you join me on this journey, a fresh blanket of snow has graced us overnight, casting a serene glow both inside and out. I literally just captured the serene image below this very morning, perfectly encapsulating the peaceful beauty of a New England Christmas. So, settle in, perhaps with a warm cup of coffee, a comforting hot chocolate, or your beverage of choice, and let’s embark on this enchanting Christmas home tour together. (Please note: this post includes carefully selected affiliate links. For a full disclosure statement, kindly click here.)

A Warm Welcome: Our Festive Front Door Swag

One cherished holiday tradition I simply cannot skip, no matter how packed the schedule, is crafting our annual front door swag. It’s the very first impression guests receive, a welcoming embrace of holiday cheer even before they step inside. This year, as always, it was a joyful ritual. I personally gathered vibrant greenery branches from the majestic tree gracing our front yard, complemented by clusters of rich berry branches from the trees in our backyard. To these natural elements, I thoughtfully added a charming trio of brass bells, their soft jingle promising festive delight, and a lavish bow fashioned from this gorgeous red plaid ribbon. The blend of natural textures, classic metallic accents, and the timeless appeal of plaid creates a truly inviting and elegant entrance. Below, you can admire the 2019 rendition I lovingly assembled just days ago:

You might be pleasantly surprised by the simplicity of this festive project. From start to finish, this entire process takes me a mere 20 minutes! For those eager to try their hand at crafting their own bespoke holiday entrance, a detailed, step-by-step guide is available in this dedicated blog post, revealing the simple techniques behind achieving this sophisticated look. Additionally, this year I captured some video footage while assembling my swag, which I’ve saved to my Instagram Highlights. You can easily access it here on Instagram if you prefer a visual demonstration!

The Heart of Our Home: A Cozy Family Room Christmas

Without a doubt, the room that received the most attention and dedication this holiday season is also one of the spaces where our family spends the most cherished time: our family room. It truly becomes the heart of our home during the holidays, a sanctuary of warmth and togetherness.

There’s nothing quite like curling up in cozy pajamas, watching beloved holiday movies with the soft, twinkling lights of the Christmas tree illuminating the room. It’s an experience I could happily indulge in for days on end! This year, this is the only full-sized Christmas tree we put up in our primary home. This allowed me the delightful opportunity to “borrow” some decorations, such as the elegant white poinsettias, from the blue and white themed tree that graced our bonus room last year. These beautiful “new” additions were then harmoniously blended with my timeless favorites: shimmering gold and silver ornaments, creating a classic and sophisticated foundation. To complete the look and add a touch of lush elegance, I incorporated wide gray velvet ribbon, and for that quintessential festive pop of color, this delightful red plaid ribbon:

Our family room this year definitely leans into a more traditional red and green Christmas aesthetic compared to previous seasons, and I must say, I am absolutely relishing the refreshing, simple change. Beyond the vibrant red plaid ribbon adorning our magnificent Christmas tree, I sourced three of these incredibly charming red and gray plaid pillows. These new additions were artfully integrated with my existing collection of textured white pillows and elegant gray medallion pillows, creating a rich tapestry of patterns and textures. And, of course, no cozy holiday setup would be complete without our supremely soft faux fur throw; we are absolutely smitten with this particular one, and it’s back in its rightful place, inviting endless snuggles and warmth.

To elevate the festive ambiance in the family room, I also introduced this beautiful pre-lit wreath, strategically placed above our television. Its ingenious feature of automatically turning on and off at the same time each day is an absolute game-changer, especially for a decoration hung at such a height, making it effortlessly elegant without the hassle of manual operation.

Aside from the ornaments themselves, the only other treasured pieces I retrieved from our Christmas storage bins this year are the delightful little silver Christmas trees that gracefully flank our television. These gems have been part of our holiday decor for years – wonderful HomeGoods finds that have stood the test of time, though you can discover similar enchanting pieces here. Their subtle sparkle adds a magical touch to the space. You might also notice that I’ve lovingly kept my textured poufs (found here) in this cozy corner. I originally purchased them around this time last year with the intention of moving them to my daughter’s room after the holidays. However, we’ve all grown so fond of their versatile comfort and charm in this space that they’ve simply become permanent fixtures:

Remarkably, all the other furniture and accessories in our family room remain unchanged from when I undertook its transformation three years ago – an veritable eternity in the fast-paced world of interior design blogging! The enduring style and comfort of these pieces speak to their timeless appeal. While I’ll mention a few key items here, you can find the complete source list for this entire space at the conclusion of {this detailed post}, should you be seeking specific details or inspiration.

Discover similar items for your family room decor:

Moving seamlessly from the cozy comforts of our family room, let’s venture into our kitchen, where you’ll discover more delightful touches of festive red, perfectly integrated into this bright and functional space:

Culinary Delights & Festive Touches in the Kitchen

For several weeks now, I’ve been immersed in an exciting off-blog project, selecting an array of beautiful pieces from the Martha Stewart Collection at Macy’s – truly wonderful finds! Just last weekend, I embarked on a delightful holiday buffet test-run, utilizing some of her exquisite serving pieces and decor. It was an absolute joy to arrange, and, as you can imagine, my family found having a little pre-holiday buffet, brimming with scrumptious desserts and savory appetizers, incredibly sweet indeed. It allowed us to enjoy a taste of the festive season a little early, complete with stunning presentation.

I also made sure to infuse a touch of Christmas spirit into our kitchen door, the one that leads out to the garage. Given that it’s the most frequently used entrance and exit in our home, I thought it would be particularly delightful to adorn the inside of the door with a beautiful wreath. This way, we get to see and appreciate its charm every single day. I carefully selected this exquisite wreath, a generous gift from the Etsy shop Style the Seasons. I am absolutely enamored with its classic plaid ribbon, and the greenery looks incredibly lifelike, a testament to its quality! I’ve received numerous inquiries on Instagram about whether my wreath hanger might scratch the door. To prevent any such damage, I always apply thin adhesive felt, similar to {this}, to the back side of my wreath hanger. This simple trick works wonders and ensures my door remains pristine.

If my decor choices haven’t made it clear already, I confess: I am an absolute devotee of anything adorned with bells! Beyond the charming jingle bells incorporated into my wreath, I added the most adorable grouping of rope-hung bells directly to the door knob. While the exact set I purchased is no longer available, they bear a striking resemblance to {this bell set}. Their gentle chime adds another layer of festive sensory delight every time we enter or exit.

Guest Room Retreat: A Festive & Functional Temporary Sanctuary

Moving on to our guest room, a space that has unexpectedly become our temporary master bedroom for the past month. Due to the ongoing bathroom construction, our master bedroom has been quite chilly, making the guest room a warm and inviting alternative. With this temporary arrangement, I decided to give our makeshift sanctuary a touch of festive elegance. I simply placed a vibrant poinsettia on {this elegant round beaded bedside tray}, instantly adding a pop of holiday color. The most transformative change involved swapping the mirror typically hung above the bed with a beautiful wreath, generously adorned with delicate twinkle lights. The result is a wonderfully serene and festive space, perfect for cozy winter nights.

Shop the Look for a Serene Guest Room:

Our sweet dog, Hope, a creature of comforting habit, was initially a bit bewildered by our shift in sleeping arrangements. However, it wasn’t long before she adapted, settling contentedly into her new routine, as long as she was right there with her mama, all was well in her world.

And yes, you saw correctly – she absolutely has pajamas! These are a necessity for her when the weather truly turns cold, especially since her little legs have lost a lot of fur, making her quite susceptible to the chill. And, just for fun, yes, I do have the matching human version. (And yes, I am fully aware of how utterly ridiculous, yet utterly delightful, it is – ha!)

Sparkling Guest Bathroom Christmas Decor

Naturally, our guest bathroom also received its own festive makeover! The transformation was achieved through a few simple yet impactful additions. I elegantly layered a wreath over the mirror above the toilet, securing it effortlessly with a Command hook, and then used double-sided tape to neatly affix the ribbon to the mirror’s surface. This created an immediate focal point. Alongside this, I introduced plush Christmas towels and a collection of charming white LED houses. While my exact little houses are no longer available, {these} offer a super similar and equally adorable alternative.

The absolute highlight of this bathroom’s festive decor is the enchanting glow it emits after dark. The soft, warm light from the LED Christmas houses and the miniature silver Christmas tree casts a magical ambiance, transforming the space into a cozy, sparkling retreat.

Future Festivities: North Carolina & Girls’ Room Reveal

For those wondering about our fireplace mantel and how it’s adorned for Christmas this year – you might be surprised to learn that it isn’t! This year, our focus for mantel decor is shifting. I’ve actually shipped our cherished stockings and some of our favorite mantel decor pieces down to North Carolina. I’ll be eagerly decorating the mantel in our new home there later this month, so do stay tuned for that exciting reveal!

This holiday season, we’ll be joyfully splitting our time between our beloved Connecticut home and our developing North Carolina abode. While our NC house is still very much a blank canvas, I made several crucial visits over the past two months to ensure at least two of the three bedrooms were set up. This way, everyone has a comfortable and proper bed to sleep in, making our transitional stays much more welcoming. I am absolutely thrilled with the direction my girls’ room is taking. There’s certainly more work to be done to bring my full vision to life, but even now, it radiates a wonderfully cozy and happy atmosphere, perfect for little dreamers.

Discover Inspiration for Your Girls’ Room:

Funnily enough, neither of my daughters have had the chance to see this room in person since I completed its initial decoration. However, after viewing the pictures I captured during my last visit, my oldest daughter, with her wonderful imagination, asked if we could perhaps leave the little Christmas tree in their room year-round. I certainly appreciate her festive thinking!

Thank you so incredibly much for taking the time to tour our Christmas home with me. It truly means the world to share these festive moments with you. I’ll still be adding little decorative touches here and there over the next two weeks – my front porch planters are next on my holiday to-do list! So, be sure to follow along on Instagram {here}, where I’ll be sharing any new additions and behind-the-scenes glimpses. And if you’re still searching for those perfect holiday gift ideas and haven’t yet seen it, please do check out my Christmas Wish List Gift Ideas post {here}.

It was my birthday just yesterday, and my wonderful husband, Jeff, was incredibly thoughtful and smart! He surprised me with several items directly from my own wish list featured in that post. Among them were a luxurious new pair of {these favorite PJs}, unbelievably comfortable {these CozyChic joggers}, and a brand new pair of {these chic gray UGGs}. It’s pretty much the coziest present trio imaginable, so of course, I am absolutely in love with them!

I sincerely hope you are all enjoying a truly wonderful and joyous holiday season!

XOXO,