This is my favorite post of the year, the culmination of months of work, planning and crafting and decorating. The day I get to open my home to you, dear readers and friends, and invite you along for a tour of our Christmas home decor.
I know there are a lot of new visitors here today for the Christmas in the 2014 Country Home Tour and Link Party. Welcome!
Mine is one of more than 40 decorated homes featured in this two-week event from Nov. 28 through Dec. 12. Please visit Creative Country Mom’s Home & Garden to see all the new stops on the tour each day. You can also add your post to the holiday-themed link party. Let’s enjoy a homespun, country Christmas with Brooke and all her friends at Creative Country Mom’s.
Settle in for lots of photos that I hope will inspire you and put you in the holiday spirit.
We’ll start on the vintage-inspired front porch, full of treasures I’ve collected at yard sales, estate sales and antique shops.
A merry and bright space…
…with ticking and holly and bright pops of red and green everywhere…
handmade touches…
… and unexpected details.
You can see more of the porch tour here.
For now, let’s step inside the foyer, one of my favorite spaces in our home.
I decorated the buffet with vintage Christmas houses, like I always do, but I changed things up a bit this year.
You’ll notice I used lots of metallics here, and I carried that theme throughout the house. focusing mainly on gold.
It’s definitely a golden Christmas in the dining room.
I bought myself an inexpensive white tree ($40 at Walmart) since I’ve been coveting one for years, and decorated it with golden ornaments.
The dining room table is decorated rather simply (for me!) with white dishes and gold accents with just a little bit of red.
It’s a look that works for Christmas through New Year’s Eve.
Of course, I decorated the bar cart, one of my favorite Christmas presents from last year.
And do you spy the china cabinet in the background?
I topped it with my favorite glittery, golden garland, which I’ve had for years and move from room to room. (Last year, I used it in the living room.)
A few more peeks at the dining room before we tour the rest of the house.
A quick stop in the vestible, where my son Jackson set up the Christmas village and a tree all his own.
A funny thing happened as he was setting this up. I put something down the table and moved something around, and he was quick to reprimand me: “Mama, I’m decorating.” Clearly, he takes after his mama.
Because I do love to decorate.
Here we are in the formal living room.
I hung a simple magnolia wreath on the armoire doors I painted.
I used the same pretty green gingham ribbon for the staircase garland. While I loved last year’s gilded pinecone and magnolia leaf garland, I switched things up a bit this year, decorating the champagne garland with burlap poinsettia flowers and gold Christmas balls.
A few simple, natural touches here and there.
I do love a boxwood wreath, and I move these miniature ones throughout the house from season to season.
Let me introduce you to the newest member of the family, Felix, a stray cat who has taken up residence with us.
He likes to give me photography and decorating tips in between naps and trips to his food dish.
I know you want to see the tree. Well, one of the trees. How did I turn into one of those people with multiple Christmas trees?
I’ll blame it on my southern heritage and the fact that I just love Christmas.
Our main Christmas tree is not a designer tree or a themed one.
Instead, it’s loaded with our collection of ornaments. Some are vintage, some are handmade, some are heirlooms, some are precious and fragile and others are made of plastic.
But each holds a special memory and a special place in our hearts.
It’s always a challenge to see if we can fit them all on the tree because each year we add more to our collection. (I’m sure I’ll go out and shop the after-Christmas sales this year and buy even more ornaments!)
While it’s fun to go all out when decorating the tops of cabinets and tabletops, sometimes less is more.
I added a simple evergreen garland to the TV armoire and called it done!
My vintage Shiny-Brites are on display in a brass case.
A few more glimpses at the living room.
Now, let’s take a quick look in the master bedroom. I didn’t do much decorating here.
But I did add a few festive touches to the fireplace. It’s one of two holiday mantels I decorated this year.
Again, you can see the gold theme in the DIY Buon Natale Christmas banner I painted.
Let’s skip over the unmade bed, and head to the breakfast room and keeping room — our family’s main hangout space.
I gave you a tour of the keeping room mantel yesterday, so I won’t linger too long on those details.
Just a few views of the woodland meets plaid meets vintage decor.
Speaking of plaid, I fell in love with these bows at a local shop and had to bring them home with me.
I tied one to a lamp, and I think it looks like a streetlight!
The other is tied to my snowball bucket.
Here’s Felix again, taking a little catnap while I work.
These animals are no help when it comes to Christmas decorating and blogging.
A Christmas cookie for you if you can find our dog, McCoy, hidden in one of these tour photos.
I used a stencil to draw these antlers and holiday message on a vintage chalkboard.
It’s part of a woodland motif I have set up on my antique empire sideboard (also known as the Lego storage cabinet!)
I hope you’re not going into photo overload yet.
There’s a lot to see and a lot I want to show you because I love loading on the details with my Christmas decorating.
Like these evergreen-stuffed stockings and ornaments I tied to our breakfast nook chairs.
I’m so glad I bought an assortment of these ornaments last year at Lowe’s because they’re so versatile.
This next photo is one of my favorites because it’s not Christmasy. But then again, it is.
I love this assortment of old kitchen utensils with the red paint chipping off their handles. I bought these for Christmas, but I think I’ll display them in the kitchen all year round.
I’ve so enjoyed our visit this morning, and I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas.
And don’t be a stranger, OK?
While I may be finished with decorating, I still have lots of Christmas crafts, holiday recipes, handmade gifts and stories to share before Christmas Day.
For more Christmas decorating ideas and inspiration, check out my past holiday home tours.
Colleen
I love your site!! I feel like I’ve come home…..we love so many of the same things! Thanks for more inspiration!
Atta Girl Amy
Aw, that might be the sweetest comment I’ve ever gotten, Colleen! We’d probably have a blast hitting antique stores and thrift stores together. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Suzy @ Worthing Court
Oh, my sweet friend! Everything is stunningly beautiful! It’s so obvious that you put an enormous amount of work and love into decorating your home for Christmas! I totally enjoyed your tour and love every.single thing. BTW – I spotted McCoy under the tree in the dining room right off the bat!
Michele
WOW! Beautiful. Thank you for sharing and inviting us into your home.
laura @eye candy creative studio
everything looks fabulous! You did such a great job decorating!
karen@somewhatquirkydesign
Amy your home looks amazing! Decorated or not. So much attention to detail. And so clean! Can I ask if you have boxes all stuffed in your guest room like I do?
Atta Girl Amy
OK, for the longest time, my foyer was a mashup of Christmas and Halloween bins. Giitter and pumpkins all over the floor. Most have been moved up to the attic — thank goodness we have a large walk-in attic. But you don’t want to see my office/craft room — dump zone. Since the inlaws visit pretty regularly, the guest bedroom is clear. But the guest bedroom closet is stuffed to the brim! I might get around to cleaning it out and organizing — after Christmas.
Thanks for stopping by for the tour and for your sweet, sweet compliments!
jillene@inkhappi
Oh Amy, it’s beautiful. I love it all! I seriously would love to come and hang out with you in your home. 🙂
Shannon from Bohemian Junktion
Oh my gosh where do I start! 1. Where did you find champagne garland? 2. Love, love all your vintage elements! 3. I have that same little trailer ornament. I put mine in a large jar snow globe. 4. I like your buffet. I’m on the hunt for one, but haven’t found one that isn’t ridiculously expensive!
Atta Girl Amy
Hi Shannon. Thanks for stopping by. Lemme try to answer your questions. 1. I got the champagne garland from a local shop, Total Bliss. The owner, Nancy, may have more in stock and I’d be happy to ask if she’d ship one to you. They’re a bit pricey – $50 for 9 feet, I think, so I try to buy them at her after-Christmas sales. It’s taken me a few years to have enough length to cover all the railing in our house, and I still need one more section, I think, for the front of the landing. 2. Thank you. I can’t get enough vintage. 3. I love Target, and I love your idea of using the ornament in a snow globe. 4. The buffet was one of the first pieces of furniture I bought for this house. Found it on Craigslist for $100, more than I typically spend for pieces to makeover. But it was so worth it. It’s my favorite piece in the house. I want to find another buffet and paint it for my porch. I’ll probably look for one that is in rundown shape so I can get a bargain, since I will be using it outdoors.
cathy
Your home is lovely and your Christmas decor is amazing. You have such lovely things and beautiful taste in displaying them! I would love to see your storage/stash room !!
Cori
So much gorgeousness in one post! I love your color palettes — everything seems so bright and cheery. Well done, my friend!
Atta Girl Amy
Thanks, Cori! I have noticed that I gravitate toward the same colors, and I have for years. It’s helpful since I like to switch things around from room to room.
Jane @ Cottage at the Crossroads
Amy, I was super impressed with your home tour last year, but this year is truly amazing! Your home is especially beautiful at Christmas, and I’m in love with every detail!
Atta Girl Amy
Thank you so much, Jane. I can’t tell you how much your compliments mean to me because your home is so beautiful and so full of festive details. Putting together a home tour is a huge amount of work, and I’m always super nervous and self conscious about it, especially when I see everyone else’s. I always worry that about my photos and whether anyone besides our family will like my decorations! Merry Christmas to you and Leo and your families.
Pamela
It all looks amazing Amy! Where did you find the red and white ticking stripe ribbon?
Atta Girl Amy
Hi Pamela. The ticking ribbon I purchased from Barbara Garrett’s Farmhouse Decor shop last year. I’m not sure if it’s still available from her or elsewhere, but it’s great quality fabric wired ribbon. It’s from Park Hill Collection; if Farmhouse Decor doesn’t stock it any more, you may be able to find it elsewhere. A lot of companies carry Park Hill Collection products.
Mrs Major Hoff
Gorgeous Amy! Simply Stunning! I look forward to yours every year and every year it gets better and better! You amaze me!
Atta Girl Amy
Aww, you are too sweet. And I really needed this comment. I was a little worried that this year’s home tour wouldn’t match up to last year’s. I felt like I put a lot of more work into decorating this year, but I wasn’t sure if my photos would show it.
Vanessa
I love your home. It’s beautiful and every detail is fabulous. It feels like home and I can enjoy Christmas there. Can I be your lost lost cousin? LOL Merry Christmas
Atta Girl Amy
Thanks so much, Vanessa. And you’re certainly welcome to the family, although we do require that you be a little bit crazy. Can you meet pass that test? 🙂 Merry Christmas to you, too.
Betsy Joyner
Can’t believe all your special touches, can’t wait for my special walk through!
Erin Kaven
Oh Amy, your house is always one of my favorites, all year long, but this Christmas….WOW. So much eye candy, so many gorgeous vignettes and beautiful displays. So much to learn from you. Thank you so much for sharing. I know we all wish we could have tour and stay a while. May I ask, where did you find that marvelous tree on your entry table (the table of which I pinned a while back and it is constantly re-pinned off of that original pin!)? I would love to get one for my sis in law. Thank you! Merry Christmas.
Atta Girl Amy
Thank you so much, Erin. You are too sweet for words. I got that tree last year on clearance at Pier One, but they may have it again this year. I actually bought a gold version similar to this (also at Pier One) at the after-clearance sale, but when I unpacked it this year, it was missing the center post. I’m hoping to be able to find something that I can DIY for it at Lowe’s or Home Depot because I really want to be able to use the tree. If not, I’ll figure out some creative way to display it or use it. Good luck finding a similar tree for your sister-in-law. I’ll keep my eye out, too. (I haven’t been to Pier One yet this year.) Merry Christmas.
Erin Kaven
Thanks Amy. I looked it up at Pier One and yes, they have silver and a new one made of jute. Oh the decisions……Thanks for you help!
Tracey @Let\'s Go Junking
WOW! Absolutely beautiful!
Rebecca
Wow, everything looks gorgeous and I’m completely in love with the perfectly styled bar cart!
Atta Girl Amy
Ha. You know I took off all the non clear and non-red liquors and things not in gold bottles for this photo shoot, right? It still looks pretty, but I had to edit and take away things to make it blog-ready and picture perfect!
laura@top this top that
wowza…gorgeous! love every detail. holiday perfection.
Atta Girl Amy
Thank you. Now, can I come take a nap in your beautifully decorated house and sleep until Christmas. I’ll bring Mama — and wine!