Christmas House Tour
The post below tours my Christmas-decorated home from 2011. Much has changed since then, but I wanted to share these memories and ideas.
You can find my 2013 Christmas House Tour here (sneak peek above)
and photos of the whole house here.
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Welcome! I’m so glad you stopped by.
I don’t go overboard with Christmas decorating, but I like to add small festive touches throughout the house so it feels warm and seasonal while keeping the home’s character intact.
Here’s the family room mantel, featuring a beloved book page wreath I ordered from my friend Kat’s Etsy shop. The pages happen to be from an old Star Wars book, which my husband found amusing.
The word JOY on the mantel is meaningful to me.
I love the mossy plant paired with the silver ornament for a simple, natural look.
Last year we skipped a big tree and my son was disappointed, so this year we returned to our tradition of cutting our own tree. He was thrilled. A fresh tree smells divine and instantly makes the room feel festive.
We’ve been working on the entry recently and I’ll share a progress post soon. For now, we’ve added fresh garland along the lower stairs so the smell of greenery greets you at the front door.
The antique Chinoiserie cabinet in the entry was brought home from Thailand by my grandparents. I adore the gold-painted ship details. After spending time in the living room, it returned to the entry where it complements the newly painted striped wall and acts as a strong statement piece.
A simple pitcher with a sprig of evergreen and a lantern filled with seashells and ornaments blends coastal elements with Christmas. The sea is part of my personal story—memories of sailing and family beach trips—so mixing maritime accents with holiday greenery feels authentic to me.
We reused a few bare branches from the yard to hang ornaments and paper snowflakes in the front window. They ended up looking a bit like antlers and added a whimsical touch.
An old iron pot holds a mini tree decorated with my grandmother’s gold jewelry and tiny jingle bells for an heirloom-inspired display.
I removed the white slipcover from the sofa after our dog Jack had an accident and haven’t replaced it. I’m enjoying the cozy, lived-in look of the original upholstery this season.
Under the stair wall, I created a small reading nook filled with stacks of books—one of my favorite cozy corners.
Looking back, you can see the dining room adjacent to the living room. I kept the table simple and seaside-inspired, mixing greenery with a few nautical accents that tie to family memories of boating and beach vacations.
A set of cheerful red-and-white polka dot napkins adds instant holiday fun to the table.
Little antique Santa and Mrs. Claus salt-and-pepper shakers from my childhood are a sweet nostalgic detail that always makes me smile.
My son’s gingerbread house is adorable—both the builder and his creation make me grin.
Bowls of ornaments are an easy way to display extras that don’t fit on the tree yet still add sparkle around the house.
I almost forgot to offer cookies—Trader Joe’s saves the day. They’re served with love.
Winston, our nearly 17-year-old Westie, wandered through to say hello. He’s still sprightly for his age.
From the kitchen we peek into the family room. I enjoy how the holiday touches carry through each space without overwhelming it.
These large handmade candy canes I found at Costco are a fun, bold accent.
Jack the dog wasn’t thrilled about posing in front of the tree—he’d rather sample the ornaments—but he wanted to say hello.
Our main tree mixes starfish, letters, snowflakes, crosses, white balls and other collected items. Each child also has a small tree in their room where they can hang their special ornaments however they like.
Stockings are strung on a jute line with clothespins and cinnamon sticks for a simple, homespun look. The line hangs from removable hooks so we can easily take it down when we use the fireplace.
We tried to get Jack to wear reindeer ears for a gathering, but he preferred to chew them instead.
One more room received a makeover this year and I’ll reveal the finished space in January. For now, it gets a gentle holiday touch like the rest of the house.
I’d love to show the bedrooms too, but they’ll stay closed for this tour. Maybe next year I’ll include them.
Come see my 2013 Christmas House Tour and the 2012 Christmas Tour for more inspiration.
Want a holiday laugh?: The Unraveling. After the Christmas Tour.
Click the seasonal banner below to view my holiday gallery.
