So last week I mentioned a few small projects I decided to tackle amid holiday preparations — those little tasks you’ve been putting off until they suddenly feel urgent. One of mine was repainting a former kitchen cupboard door that I’d repurposed as a shutter above the fireplace.
Originally I painted it blue because I didn’t have primer. We were hosting guests that night and blue was the only paint on hand that would adhere well enough to the cabinet surface. I ran out of time to finish the third shutter with a white topcoat like the others, so it had to stay blue for a while.
After a few weeks with the blue shutter, the color stopped working for the space. I still liked the idea of the third shutter being a different color, so I mixed my current favorite green paint with a touch of brown toner and, voilà, it became an aged green shutter that fits much better with the room.
My walls are still unpainted and I’m still debating fabrics for slipcovering chairs and ottomans, but simply changing the shutter to green made a noticeable difference. Decorating here is a gradual process of using the pieces I already own. Starting from scratch would be simpler in some ways, but I enjoy the creativity of making things work as I go.
The mantel now carries a subtle holiday touch without being overdone. To keep things affordable and uncomplicated I used mostly items I already had: my HomeGoods lanterns, an old garland, Pier One faux apples from fall, and clear glass candlesticks to display blue glass ornaments. A natural twig wreath adds texture and helps balance the round and rectangular shapes on the mantel — it will transition nicely through the winter months.
A few readers asked about the stockings I showed last week. They’re from Pottery Barn, but I personalized the girls’ stockings by tucking in some of my grandmother’s doilies around the cuffs. It’s an easy, charming detail with no sewing required.