Innholdsfortegnelse for Holiday Home 2018 i The Cottage Journal

This special Holiday Home issue of The Cottage Journal is sure to kick off the season with a spirit of elegance and whimsy. Nothing says the holidays like gathering with friends and family in a place that is most special to you. Find new inspiration as you explore nine beautiful homes across the country—each drenched in personal style and festive tradition. Each of these homes—some modest and some grand—welcome their guests for an unforgettable experience wrapped in holiday charm. As they deck their halls with greenery and wreaths, collected treasures, and a mix of traditional and contemporary accents, we invite you to glean tips for stylish, striking holiday design. From a sweetly Southern cottage with a focus on outdoor holiday spaces and an elegant Virginia home to a blogger’s vintage…

For years, Cara and Tom Fox, the owners and creative talent behind the design-build firm The Fox Group in Salt Lake City, Utah, waited patiently as they dreamed of one day building their ideal family home. “We waited for years for the perfect property to come up: one with flat space, mature trees, and a mountain view,” Cara says. “During those years, we planned the home the entire time—focusing on how our family lives and uses spaces.” So when that perfect property finally became available, the couple sprang into action. Right away, Cara knew she wanted a shingled home in a Colonial style where she and her family could cherish and live in every inch of space. Finally, in 2017, the Foxes’ design dreams came true and their nearly 10,000-square-foot…

After more than 10 years in their Southern home, Kathy and Matt Davis began to see the need to make a few changes. “When we started having grandchildren, the house started getting small,” Kathy says, adding that they originally planned on a small renovation to create a little more space. But a suggestion from designer Debby Shepherd led to a larger project that resulted in a new living room and a porch large enough to accommodate the family’s new additions. The finished product includes soaring ceilings anchored with dark wooden beams, underneath which the Christmas tree glistens, its lights spreading warmth in the corner of the new living room. Double-toned ribbons wind the length of the tree, adding color to the design, which leans toward the neutral. “It started with…

Walk into Brandi White’s home between February and November, and you’re likely to be met with spaces awash in serene neutrals. But come December, and even in January, the family home is transformed into a holiday haven of sorts, with vibrant pops of bold accent pillows, throws, and even chairs in nearly every room. “In the winter, I change out pillows, décor, and even coffee cups to go with the season,” Brandi says. The home makes a statement throughout the year, though. With textures abounding—from brick and stone walls to antique barn beams to a velvet sofa and cushions—Brandi’s home is anything but basic. But come Christmastime, all of these features take a back seat to color while still adding an element of rustic coziness to the space. Though her…

When it comes to festive décor, the Christmas tree is the ultimate expression of a home’s holiday style. No matter what makes the season special for a homeowner, putting careful thought into the design of the tree is the perfect way to express a wide variety of unique seasonal styles. Whether flocked in snowy elegance, wrapped in shimmering ribbon, or dripping with cherished heirloom ornaments, every tree has a story to tell. From classic winter scenes to Yuletide dreams brimming with whimsy, this collection of stylish trees is trimmed with plenty of inspiration for any home’s holiday décor centerpiece. VINTAGE CHARM Christmas memories are plentiful in this tree that boasts vintage-style colored bulbs. Quaint ornaments feature classic motifs in a handmade style, and the traditional Christmas star proudly tops off…

When it comes to decorating for Christmas, Monica Lavin of the lifestyle blog Lavin Labe l knows that her approach isn’t typical of others in her field. “I’m probably a little different than the average blogger who is probably planning their Christmas décor in July,” she admits. “Sometimes I think, especially being in the blogging world, that there are these really high expectations for Christmas. And so, I thought this year I would take a simple approach and really just focus on adding some natural elements.” Rather than decking the halls with vivid colors and shimmering gold ribbons, Monica accented the natural tones of her home’s existing décor with an abundance of greenery, which, along with her trees, she bought from Webster’s Christmas Tree Farm in Darien, Georgia. The soft…

When it comes to decorating for Christmas, Honey Miller works from the outside in. “Whether or not the inside is totally finished, everybody knows that I’m celebrating Christmas,” she explains. For the interior designer, wreaths on the door are one of a handful of musts for the holiday season. At least one tree laden with all of her favorite ornaments is another. Other than that, however, she doesn’t believe that Christmas décor is confined to a predetermined set of rules. “I think Christmas decorating doesn’t have to be red and green anymore,” she says. These colors do, however, make an appearance in her own home, which she built from the ground up two years ago. Throughout the home, classic French style is enriched by serenely neutral tones, touches of antique…

As the White House chief floral designer from 2009 to 2015, Laura Dowling had her holiday decorating cut out for her during the years of her service. “It was a monumental undertaking,” she recalls. “I oversaw the decorating of 55-plus Christmas trees and miles of garland. With my grueling 100-hour workweeks around the holidays, I never had the time to decorate my own home beyond popping a wreath on the front door!” Last year, Laura finally found herself looking homeward when it came to decorating for the holidays. She and her husband live in a four-bedroom, 3,000-square-foot, 18th-century classic Federal townhouse in the heart of historic Alexandria, Virginia. “Living in the context of Old Town Alexandria, it was fun for me to use the historic traditions of decorating with fruits…

When Kim Hazel starts her Christmas decorating, she shops. “I typically start with any new purchases,” she explains. But not long after that comes the fun part—pulling all her holiday treasures out from storage, where they’ll find new life again, if only for the next couple of months. Kim, who authors a blog with her daughter Lacey, has an affinity for vintage pieces in nonseasonal home décor, so it’s no surprise that her Christmas decorations would follow suit. “I like to call my style ‘French vintage glam,’” she says. “I’m drawn to a mix of French, cottage, shabby chic, and glam, with vintage finds and a little bit of whimsy added for character.” Her fairy tale-like decorations have the makings of a child’s dream, with all the elegance an adult…

If you visit the Hortons during the holiday season, chances are you’ll be greeted at the door by a pair of whimsical reindeer. They’re one of Judy Horton’s favorite pieces, and combined with iron scrollwork, lively wreaths, and elegant bows, they’re the perfect introduction to the timeless Christmas cheer that permeates the home. Beyond the arched wooden doors, rich greenery fills every room, and each space is accented with the warmth of the season in a way that invites guests inside for a long stay. Because the Hortons moved into the home in August of 2017, Judy had little time to complete all of the many preparations for the approaching holiday season. To meet the tight deadline, she enlisted the help of local floral business FlowerBuds for the tree, wreaths,…

Designer Jennifer Schoenberger’s home is a self-described dream come true. Nestled on a private acre within the vibrant community of Vickery in Cumming, Georgia, the unassuming farmhouse fell into her lap quite magically via a mixture of happenstance and simply knowing the right people. The home originally belonged to Pam Sessions, one of Jennifer’s talented friends, who helped develop the award-winning Vickery neighborhood, which boasts more than 75 acres of parks and lush green spaces. When Pam mentioned she might be moving, Jennifer thought surely someone was in line for this extraordinary home. “I later told my husband, and he told me right then and there to tell Pam we would buy her home as is, no realtor involved,” Jennifer recalls. “The rest is design history as they say, and…