Christmas Tour 2016
HHello, friends. Merry Christmas and welcome—I’m so glad you stopped by for our Christmas Tour 2016. We’ve lived in Seattle a little over a year and absolutely love it here. Welcome to our home.
Watch our video above in HD for a quick tour.
I’m excited to join this holiday blog tour hosted by Lindsay of The White Buffalo Styling Co. If you arrived from Shauna at The House of Silver Lining, welcome! I always enjoy seeing the beautiful homes these talented bloggers share.
I love Christmas house tours, but I also know how it feels to compare your home to others. Our house isn’t perfectly finished either. In fact, I almost didn’t have this room ready in time. We’ve been dealing with kitchen renovations and new flooring and doors, so things have been a bit messy and displaced around the house.
Despite the chaos, last week I had a cleaning blitz and managed to tidy the living room and part of the dining room enough to decorate. I even found myself on my hands and knees wiping construction dust off the floor before taking photos. My contractor joked I must be having company, and kindly helped clear some trim and tiles so the dining room looked presentable.
It felt like a small Christmas miracle to get this area ready in time. I don’t have every room decorated this year, but I do have a cozy, finished spot to share. Sometimes one bright, peaceful corner makes all the difference—so that’s what I’m showing you today.
Our home’s look has evolved since we moved in. Besides the kitchen work, we’ve been painting, arranging furniture, and layering textures to create a calm, neutral palette that feels cozy for winter. One of our favorite features is the view: windows in the living, dining, and kitchen look out to the Puget Sound and the mountains, which feels especially lovely at this time of year.
We swapped our living room rug for a larger, more neutral one for the winter, which has softened and quieted the space. Layers of cozy texture—chunky knit pillows, a soft throw, natural accents—make the room feel warm and inviting. It’s supposed to snow here today, so the cozy spot by the window is especially welcome.
I love this small wire basket filled with evergreen clippings, pinecones, and a few silver ornaments.
Through the dining room arch you can glimpse the kitchen under construction—what you see is just primer. I’m so excited to share the finished kitchen once it’s done. In the meantime, the dining room felt extra good to clear and decorate with simple touches: a glass cloche filled with faux snow and a quirky reindeer, white ceramic houses, and a small tree with coastal ornaments that reflect family memories and the water views outside.
I made these mason jar snow globes years ago and bring them out every year—they’re a simple, lasting decoration.
Because we don’t yet have a working oven in the new kitchen, the cookies in the photos are store-bought this year. Still, they add to the festive mood and remind us that soon we’ll be baking again in our renovated space.
I try each year to add a few more ornaments to our collection so bowls and trays look full and festive. The galvanized trough pictured is a favorite way to gather ornaments and add metallic sparkle. Small decisions—a new wreath, a simple garland, a stack of cozy blankets on a ladder—help this room feel like a home that’s welcoming for the season.
My dogs, Jack and Lily, were around during the photoshoot and added plenty of personality. Their antics always make me smile and remind me that a home is about people (and pets), not perfection.
If your home feels chaotic right now, try focusing on one small corner to tidy and decorate. Sit there, look at the lights, breathe in the seasonal scents, and be present. I’ve been reminding myself to retreat to our living room often because it calms me and helps me enjoy the season despite the unfinished projects.
It’s not about how much we do or how perfectly we do it. What matters most is that we savor the season and find joy in our blessings.
Merry Christmas from our house to yours.
Thank you for joining our small holiday tour. Be sure to continue the tour to Amber of Restless Arrow for the next stop—she always shares lovely, inspiring spaces. I hope this little corner of our home gives you a few simple ideas for making your own space feel cozy and bright this season.
Room Sources:
- It Is Well sign (shop code mentioned in the original post)
- Leather loveseat
- Chunky wool cable knit light gray area rug
- Cotton wreath (similar)
- Linen wingback settee
- Rattan daybed
- Ivory cable knit pillow
- Gray coffee table
- Botanical artwork
- Linen curtains
- Brass floor lamp
- Fireplace paint details
- Leather Moroccan pouf
- Woven wood shades
- Gray velvet pillow covers
- Dip-dyed wood stools
- Wood leaning ladder for blankets
- White velvet stockings
- Galvanized trough
- Copper battery-operated wire string lights
- Marble and wood cake stand
- White ceramic houses (similar at major retailers)
- Navy/gray dresser
- Wood industrial console table
- Patterned dining curtains (similar)
- White rattan round mirror
- Rattan shelf (thrifted)
- Dining chairs
- Ombre wood bead dining light
- Dining room seagrass rug
- Dining room clock
- White glitter paper trees
- Wi-fi thermostat
- DIY mason jar snow globe details
- Assorted ornaments and coastal decorations
- Wall color: Simply White, Benjamin Moore
Wishing you peace, warmth, and many small moments of joy this holiday season. Merry Christmas from our home to yours.