We’ve had a busy week of Holiday installations, but the weekend highlight was the Concord Holiday House Tour where we were privileged to be a featured designer for the Christmas decor at one of the 7 homes on the tour! All 7 homes were delightfully unique and decorated in different styles. We were paired with a gracious colonial built in 1856. The current owners are avid art collectors and the home contains a wonderful collection of art, family heirlooms, and the comfortably elegant ambiance of an English gentleman’s farm.
Our crew of elves rolled in for two long days the weekend before the tour to bring Christmas to the public spaces on the main floor of the house. The grasscloth papered foyer with its classic detailing, was decorated in red and gold.
Fresh mixed greens embellished with faux berry branches, white lights, and sumptuous bows and ribbons, create a garland to highlight the staircase and carved acorn newel post.
The powder room just off the foyer, was delightfully “papered” in invitations the homeowner had collected over the years. We added a touch of Christmas with a wreath festooned in matching red and gold ribbons on the door and an arrangement of mixed greens in Santa’s boots .
The sunny, bookcase-lined library was decorated in peacock colors to complement the blue-green wall color. A trio of wreaths spell out J-O-Y in the side windows, and the large picture window features the owners collection of blown glass and mercury glass ornaments. A table behind the sofa displays the house votive holders and beautiful carved wooden trees the homeowner has collected. The mantel of the often-used fireplace is decorated in lush greenery, miniature potted cyprus trees, carved wooden mushrooms, and supervised by a pair of slightly skeptical porcelain pheasants!
Mixed greens, pheasant feathers, gold berries, and carved wooden mushrooms on the library mantel
The dramatic living room was decorated in elegant neutrals with metallics of gold and silver adding a glamorous note of sparkle to the songbird music theme. Fabric birds and branches patterned with sheet music perch in the tree, on the mantel and on the wreaths in the windows. We gave away the trio of candlesticks on the mantel in a raffle drawing for the visitors to the house. At the close of the tour, the homeowner drew the winning card from the vase ….aaaaaand Congratulations to Marta, our winner! In addition to entries we has several cards with compliments on the decor and the house - thank you! That just made our day!
A trio of mercury glass candlesticks flank the porcupine quill mirror and “songbirds” and branches nestle amongst the cut greens on the mantle. The chimney beast is papered in a dramatic black crocodile wallcovering, which makes a wonderful backdrop for the white millwork and sparkling accessories.
A pair of gold birds named “Holly” and “Ivy” watches over the tree filled with music ornaments. Coordinating packages and a scattering of musical instruments rest beneath the tree. The triple window contains a built-in planter which we filled with white poinsettias.
Mercury glass trees, and votives are arranged on a tray with vintage music books. A bowl of gilded and glittered pinecones and a leather suitcase filled with petite Princettia variety white poinsettias complete the cocktail table styling.
The final room on the tour, was the dining room. This room was decorated in a snowy woodland theme with touches of blue inspired by the birch bark wainscoting and the owners collection of blue porcelain. The marquetry mantel and tabletop were decorated with greens and reindeer and included rustic branches fashioned from metal and birch bark, birch wrapped candles, and ceramic birch votive holders. Horn handled flatware, Wedgewood china, and reindeer ornaments used as placecard holders set the table. A second tree “planted” in a gilded paper mache drum features a combination of nature and refinement with birds, nests, snowflakes and blue, gold, and silver ornaments and ribbons.
We were delighted to take part in this Holiday House Tour benefits for the Concord Museum. The recently expanded museum is a wonderful local treasure and educational resource as well as one of the oldest museums in the country!
I hope this has inspired YOUR holiday decor! In case you missed it, THIS post lists the secrets to easy, elegant holiday decor.
