Hello everyone! I'm so happy to have you here for Part 1 of my Christmas home tour. If you're coming over from Our Southern Home, I'm sure you are just as inspired by Christy's festive home as I was!
I am so thankful that Marty, at A Stroll Thru Life, asked me to be part of the tour this year, and I'm excited to meet some new people, so let's get on with the tour.
I shared my music room yesterday, so you can see more of that
HERE.
If you've never been here before, you should know I am all about vintage, antique, repurposing, recycling and color. I like an eclectic mix of the authentic, well-traveled accessories, and meaningful family items. Because my husband and I are in ministry, we do not have a large budget, so I have become very thrifty and creative. Being musicians, Christmas is a busy time for us and I always like to get things decorated so we can enjoy our down time here at home with the children.
(You can find our more about me and why I do things the way I do HERE.)
Our house is really small, but we make it work for our family of five. We use *every* square inch of it, so I need it to function but also want it look pretty at the same time.
I'm sharing my open living and dining space today all decorated for Christmas. Last year I was all about red and plaid, so this year I was really ready to bring back the pink, and I could not be happier.
My thrift shop French couch was a whopping $50 and I still love it, even after getting rid of the dark brown leather I had. I love kilim pillow covers, and these are right at home with the Chinese silk pillows I made.
I did not drag everything out this year and replace it with "Christmas," but instead added Christmas accessories and greenery here and there like my grandmother did.
I grouped my vintage ceramic trees with a Cherokee basket, Spanish Holy Family, and an antique lamp base my grandmother painted.
Obviously, I love pink, and my new fuchsia overdyed rug from Unique Rug Store really makes a bold statement and anchors the color in the room.
I am crazy about Turkish rugs especially and bought a couple on trips there while I was in the U.S. Air Force.
After digging up and dragging a tree out of the woods the last couple years, I bought an Everland Nobilis Fir tree this year, and I love it! It looks so real and has that scraggly open look I prefer.
I am really not a "designer tree" kind of gal. I did that for years, then realized what I really wanted were Christmas trees like I had growing up. So out came the tinsel, vintage Shiny Brites, Jewel Brites, paper snowflakes made by my husband and children, and colored lights.
I topped the tree with my great grandmother's angel:-)
I don't have stacks of perfectly wrapped gifts under the tree and was feeling pretty accomplished to get four wrapped because I'm usually up at 3 a.m. on Christmas Eve trying to get gifts wrapped.
I added some cozy throws since we do like to watch DVDs here, especially during the Christmas season.
I remember this nativity from my grandmother's house, and was thrilled when my mom found it a couple years ago. I couldn't wait to have it out.
I always stick varieties of pine branches in antique vinegar jars my grandfather saved.
My great grandmother's chaise is a pretty awesome place for the Sunday afternoon nap any time of year.
Directly behind the living area is the dining space.
I placed the yule log my dad made for my mom on an old chestnut board and added juniper branches, pine cones and Shiny Brites.
I also used some of the vintage candles my mom found from my childhood. I am so in love with these twist candles.
My mom found a huge set of this 1950s Royal "Currier and Ives" dinnerware several years ago, and I get it out every winter. I "fancied" it up with antique sterling silver flatware, Wallace "Louvre," and crystal iced tea glasses.
I rescued the 1970s GE Mustang II record player from my parents a few months ago, and have enjoyed playing some vinyl. Seriously.
I always have an old door on this wall, but decided to switch it out with one of the screen doors from the old house. After ripping off the old screen, literally yesterday afternoon, I cleaned it up and placed a large Balsam branch into a garden urn and added Shiny Brites and sheet music snowflakes.
I made the dining table about 10 years ago from wormy chestnut wood and had a local craftsman make the base. The bench came from World Market but I stripped the old kilim upholstery off and recovered it in burlap.
Here is a peek at the kitchen where I just added some greenery, ribbon and vintage pieces belonging to my grandmother.
I love these aprons my grandmother made. She actually did wear them during Christmas.
Probably my most treasured Christmas items are my grandmother's vintage Commodore Candy Cane and "spaghetti" angel candle holders. She always had them on her dining room window sill, and I keep them here in the kitchen.
I'll be sharing more of the kitchen later. I was lucky to get this much decorated and photographed. You just can't see what was shoved out of camera view:-)
Just for fun, you can see last year's very different whole tour
HERE.
I'm so glad you came by today, and so happy to be part of this tour. Here are all the homes featured this week, so you will want to be sure to visit them all then come back here on Friday to link up your home!
Monday, Dec. 7
A Stroll Thru Life
Claire Brody Designs
Hymns & Verses
Rain On A Tin Roof
Making Home Base
Snazzy Little Things
Tuesday, Dec. 8
Bliss @ Home
Driven By Decor
Refresh Restyle
Our Southern Home
Far Above Rubies
Life on Virginia Street
Wednesday, Dec. 9
Burlap and Lace
Simple Details
Decor To Adore
Thrifty and Chic
21 Rosemary Lane
Style Your Senses
Thursday, Dec. 10
Simple Stylings
Our Fifth House
Tidbits & Twine
Monica Wants It
Decorating Delirium
No Minimalist Here
Friday, Dec. 11
Life Love Larson
Eleven Gables
Remodelando La Casa
It All Started With Paint
Dimples & Tangles
Thanks for stopping by!
I'll be joining:
Wow Us Wednesdays
I absolutely adore your home. The use of pinks is just beautiful. AND what a steal that couch was! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteThanks Christy! Yes, I basically stole that couch, lol!!
DeleteYour home is always such a treat to see and I love how you use and cherish your family heirlooms. Every space is so beautifully decorated and so many wonderful stories to tell. Gorgeous tour and I really love your pink.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Marty!!
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