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WANT MORE COTTAGE STYLE? Sign up for our FREE newsletter today at thecottagejournal.com. HOLIDAY JOYS Christmas is my favorite time of year and one of the most enjoyable seasons to decorate my home. I am the type of person who thinks about—and shops for—holiday décor all year long. A cherished tradition my husband and I share is collecting ornaments whenever we travel. Instead of purchasing magnets, postcards, or T-shirts as special trip mementos, we aim to find unique Christmas ornaments—all throughout the year. As avid travelers, we have amassed quite a collection! This year, we were delighted to finally complete and move into our new-build cottage nestled in the hills of North Alabama. Our first Christmas here is sure to come with many different experiences—and decorations—but pulling out the familiar…
The holiday season has a unique way of making time spent with family feel extra special, and Christmas traditions are best enjoyed while snuggled up together under a festive homemade quilt. That’s why textile designers and bloggers Sherri McConnell and Chelsi Stratton are introducing their debut book, Home for the Holidays: Quilts & More to Welcome the Season, as an easy handbook to Christmas quilting. Handmade quilts have often served as sentimental pieces to be passed down through generations, a treasured custom in Sherri and Chelsi’s family. Their love of quilting stems from a beloved tradition started by Sherri’s grandmother, who would spend all year hand-stitching items to gift to each family member during the holidays. Now, Sherri and Chelsi have created their own selection of easy-to-stitch designs perfect for…
Entertaining in style is a trait that comes naturally to Tina Schaible, whose fondness for a beautiful tablescape stems from treasured childhood memories of helping her mother set the table for gatherings. While Tina doesn’t need an excuse to create an eye-catching table, there’s no better time than Christmas to pull out all the stops. Inspiration for her innovative designs comes in many forms—from lovely linens to striking dishware. An avid collector of tabletop accents, Tina appreciates the stylish versatility MacKenzie-Childs’s signature black-and-white pattern offers as it blends elegance with a subtle touch of whimsy. Introduced to the New York-based company about 25 years ago, she keeps finding fresh ways to style the classic pieces. “The Courtly Check goes with anything,” says Tina. “You can put red sparkly candles on…
Step across the threshold of Amber Reatherford’s cozy cottage in Germantown Hills, Illinois, and you’ll find yourself warmly embraced by its quiet, peaceful aesthetic where layers of soft textiles mingle with cherished vintage finds. The home’s soothing scheme is further enhanced this time of year as seasonal accents draw inspiration from the property’s surrounds. “We live in a natural, wooded area, and I just wanted [the decorations] to be a continuation of that,” says Amber of the swags of greenery and assorted trees thoughtfully placed throughout the home. Not only does the scenic property inspire her holiday décor, but it was what sold Amber and her husband on the home 37 years ago. Nestled on 3 acres at the end of a cul-de-sac in a quaint neighborhood, the location offers…
Alexis Walter takes the phrase “trimming the tree” quite literally. Like clockwork, the artist and textile designer’s passion for passementerie seems to kick into overdrive just as the last plate is cleared from the Thanksgiving table, and the first box of trim—brimming with silk ribbon, embroidered tape, and metallic braid—is unearthed from the attic of the Uptown New Orleans, Louisiana, home she shares with her husband, Dan. “You know Christmas is right around the corner when bows start appearing on everything from candlesticks to bowls to lamp bases,” says Alexis. “Some people collect Santas or snow globes, but for the past 20 years, I’ve collected antique and unusual trim and textiles that I pick up on my travels. I find so much joy in rediscovering them year after year and…
It was always on Jackie Hempel’s list to restore a historic home. “That’s always been a dream,” she says. Which meant when she and her husband, Matt Kleker, came across an 1879 fixer-upper in the middle of record snowfall in Boston, Massachusetts, she was ready to go all in. “My husband walked in and then turned around and walked right back out, because he was so nervous about all of the work involved,” Jackie says. Thankfully, Matt came around, and most of the needed updates turned out to be cosmetic. “For every wall that we’ve taken down, for every renovation we’ve taken on, the actual house is in such great shape that we’ve been really thankful,” Jackie says. Projects included restoring the original hardwood floors, replacing the windows, and expanding…
