CHRISTMAS DECOR: Christmas Hospitality Tour (Fifth and Final)

Here is the 5th and final installment from the holiday tour.

My Christmas decor. House #9 - Claudine

I love to bring the colors and welcome of Christmas to my home

starting at my front courtyard and walkway.

The black iron urn is the focal point as you walk up to the door,

so I usually change the plants in the urn to reflect the season.

I used a large red and white poinsettia plant

(I wanted to used just white, or the pink and white striped plant, but couldn't find them in good shape). The courtyard already had a touch of red with the vintage lawn chairs,

but I added poinsettias here as well, and votive candles.

Here is a close up of the urn.

I wrapped the base of the plant with garland (impervious to rain)

and added a sparkly pick of Christmas greens and berries.

Across from the wall fountain in the entrance is a wooden bench.

I made Christmas pillows made from felt placemats

(find placemats in double thickness that can be separated easily in the middle -

some placemats have interfacing in the middle that glues the two thicknesses together and makes the placemat stiff and unsuitable for pillows.) Simply open one end of the placemat (unpick the stitching)

and and stuff with polyester stuffing.

Stitch the end back up and you have a great little pillow).

I added red cyclamen to faux greens in a wire planter

and red wooden lanterns with candles for a further punch of red.

 

My 'find' for the season was this pair of old ice skates

which I found at Country Roads antique mall in Orange, Calif.

I hung them from my front porch light, with greens, ribbon, sparkling berries and glittering snowflakes.

I made the wreath on the door from a plain snow-tipped green wreath I picked up at Michaels.

I love the soft luminous subtle green of the ribbon and carrying the theme along, I also added picks and berries with a frosty sparkle.

The Christmas tree is the focal point of the living room. When my husband and I married nearly 30 years ago, we started collecting ornaments. Each has special meaning and marks a milestone in our lives together. Obviously our Christmas tree just wouldn't be the same without our collected ornaments each year - and my family expects to see them. 

 But...as a decorator - I like to change things up from time to time. I am able to change the look of the tree each year by adding different colored ribbon, picks and inexpensive ornaments. This year, the ribbon was a bronze-y gold wired ribbon and I added sparkling icy picks and glittering snowflakes. Over the last few years I have also added ornaments in glittering, crystal or metallic tones to bring more sparkle and shine to the tree.

You can never have too much sparkle!

 

In the front entry, more of the red cyclamen in an antique English iron planter.

The antique french bonnetiere is topped with garland and my theme of icy picks. Inside, a touch of Christmas with a Santa jar in red pottery.

I love to use antiques in a different way for the season.

 Here an antique wooden dough bowl holds pinecones.

The old pine shelf holds old flow blue china, with vintage flocked santa boots and is topped with garland and picks. I'd say that I love picks for the variety they give me. They can be used in so many different ways. Get substantial branches - the tiny picks really don't make much impact. Find ones that are in different hues of greens - to show up against the garland and create volume and dimension. Add some with glitter and some with snow for a plush look.

These picks were particularly long and draped so beautifully that I had to use them atop this mirror. I added shiny oversized silver ornaments.

The stairway is an important focal point in any home - and a great opportunity for a beautiful arrangement of ribbon, garland and in this case, berries, pine cones and icy crystal picks. This looks especially elegant because of the beautiful ribbon - a subtle shade of green with a frosted design.

I found the amaryllis with bulb and roots at Shinoda after seeking inspiration at Rogers Gardens a couple of years ago. They had beautiful faux amaryllis arrangements for around $100. My amaryllis cost $8 each and I already had the urns.  The red is again echoed in the red pillows on the pine bench.

 Seasonal touches were added to the iron piece over the door with garland,

red berries and the 'be merry!' sign.

The photo doesn't do justice to this garland on the family room mantle.  I used extra large pine picks with pinecones and added picks with red berries and sparkling ice crystals and long snow-covered pine branches. This is nice and full and adds richness to the mantle. I used white plastic covered cup hooks (screw hooks) to hang the stockings from the mantle.

I have a small but growing unique santa collection. This santa was a find at Home Goods. The Christmas inventory starts to arrive in October. 

I love the vintage feel of this santa - and his beard.

This santa (above) was a gift from my hubby. The roly poly santa below is another inexpensive find from Home Goods.

  

I have a collection of snowmen - vintage style - displayed in the family room. 

 I added a small artificial tree here to brighten this room.

Christmas is my favorite holiday. There is nothing that warms a house more. I love creating beauty, using beloved collections, and making memories. It was a very great pleasure to host this Christmas tour and I hope to continue this next year and visit more of your beautiful homes.

Best wishes.

Claudine