It’s my annual Christmas Home Tour day and my favorite blog day of the year! After a year of transition and changes in several of the main living areas, it felt good to resume some normalcy, commemorate the season, and sit back and enjoy the updates we’ve made throughout 2018. If you aren’t a regular visitor, 1. thank you for stopping by today!, and 2. I may do things a little differently than other sites you visit. Instead of rolling out a room at a time over the course of the season, we go through it all in one day. Settle in and be prepared to stick around for a little bit 😉 I’ll try to keep it light and let the photos do most of the talkin’.
Before we head in, I’ll go ahead and answer a question I know will pop up – I do not bring in all new Christmas decorations each year. I build upon my arsenal of standards I’ve collected over the years and think of ways to change them up. I may have rooms with totally different color schemes than I’ve shared in the past but there are usually only a few variables to make that happen. Other spaces/moments, you may recognize as totally the same 😉 I’ve included widgets throughout the post of sources throughout our home that you can scroll, tap, and link to directly.
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I typically go for simple, traditional and classic on the front porch and this year is no exception. In lieu of my typical full-sized Christmas tree and urns with live greenery flanking the door, I added some lit trees from At Home, placed them in the urns for height (on top of bricks inside), and filled out the base with faux greenery and berries. With the exception of the wreath, I *think* Dave was able to run all the lights off of one extension cord this year!
Just inside, you’ll see my little migrating tree farm, clustered together on my entry table…
and in the sitting room, our small “special” tree, filled with years of sentimental ornaments. This may be the last year I can get by with using this little guy to display them – next year may call for a full-sized tree. Each year, my mom gifts Dave and I ornaments that usually are paired/themed together – an ongoing tradition since I was a little girl. I also surprise Dave with an ornament each year, usually to commemorate a recent event/memory, so our collection is constantly expanding.
THE DINING ROOM
Just across the entry is our dining room; I don’t know when I decided that this would be the room that would have its own theme each year. This year’s concept – Southern Grace.
There’s a lot happening all over the room from the sideboard to the 3500 twinkle lights flanking the Christmas tree so instead of a full table setup with place settings, I stuck to a candle centerpiece of varying finishes, heights and shapes.
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Instead of spreading the magnolia blossoms all over the entire tree, I started at the top and kept them super concentrated, and then gradually spaced them out as I moved downward. See more on this tree in my recent tree post HERE.
While I’m a proponent of mixing metals throughout the entire year, it’s especially easy during the Christmas season with so much silver and gold. A random, scattered candle centerpiece takes minutes to pull together and creates instant ambiance. THESE crystal candlesticks are a favorite newer addition that helps to break up the silver and gold, just a little bit.
THE KITCHEN
We just wrapped up our kitchen makeover (visit the reveal HERE) a few months ago and you’ll see, even in the midst of the holiday season, not much has changed. I do use this time of year to run somewhat of a Christmas laboratory, pulling together scents to simmer on the stove, though 😉
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THIS oversized marble and wood board is huge and while I love it for entertaining, I have to keep it stored on top of our fridge since I lack space beneath the cabinets. I may think of a place to hang it though, in the coming months…
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Instead of florals, I stuck to my fav – magnolia foliage – throughout the house. Thes stems and leaves are substantial and should last til the new year; I think they’re underrated and often overlooked by the more common pine and cedar. Magnolia leaves can be incorporated with them beautifully though, which I’ll share in just a few!
I’ve had THIS olivewood bowl for three months and it’s already seen pumpkins, fruit, and veggies – it’s one of my favorite things from 2018.
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BREAKFAST NOOK
I simplified the breakfast nook this year too – no wreaths, greenery, or baubles hanging from the mirror or lights – just magnolia leaves to coordinate with the kitchen and bowls of ornaments to tie in to the living room. And, I totally dig it.
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Dave actually thinks these reindeer look like the tall, twiggy walker things from the opening credits of American Horror Story haha. Depending on where they’re stationed and what colors I’m using, they typically get a new little festive neck bow.
Another easy centerpiece hack – I used THIS tray to collect plates, napkins and flatware, alongside a small lantern and magnolia stem. I used what I already had – practical items that are typically behind cabinet doors – sprinkled in a few small ornaments and called it “Christmas-ready”.
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My latest pencil tree addition will be moving all over the house in the coming years, I just know it. It was my first time having a super manageable, slender Christmas tree and now I want 45 just like it. This corner doesn’t have much space but that’s the great thing about this option – it can fit just about anywhere. You can see more about this tree in the post HERE.
I also decorated it, not to be an exact replica, but to coordinate with our living room…
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LIVING ROOM
Welcome to the central hub of our Christmas home and what may be my favorite space of all the Christmases since we moved in. PS: I can’t believe this is our fourth Christmas in this house! This is another room that has been under construction for a bit of 2018 and with the exception of adding THIS mirror (finally set to arrive this month!) (use code CHEER to take 20% off this weekend) – and eventually switching the fan – it’s finally (basically) finished!
As I did with the other rooms in my house, I focused on embellishing what I already had instead of hauling out all the things.
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THESE votives are a new addition – while I went for the gold, they also come as a set of 6 in silver and white. I clustered them on the coffee table and sprinkled them throughout other surfaces.
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See that wall with the two off-centered mirrors? That’s where my new mirror is going 😉
As I typically do, I didn’t go for Christmas-exclusive pillows. I went for pillows that I could mix and match throughout other seasons, in other rooms, for years to come. Like most of my pillows from 2018, these came from my friends at Tonic Living ; I talked about my favorite sources for pillows and what I look for HERE.
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1. Black & White Ticking Stripe // 2. Green Velvet Lumbar // 3. White & Gold Veining
Now that I have more areas to display them, I’ve been busy adding books to my coffee table collection – I may have to do a post on some of those soon? Also, you can spy another AHS tall twiggy friend there in the background 😉 By the way, my console table (HERE) is on major sale this weekend. It’s way longer but more narrow than my last table, which made it a much better fit for this space.
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Along with the votives, another new treat I recently ordered was this miniature nativity set – both are also 20% off with code CHEER. The pieces are solid and are actually pretty heavy for their size; it makes an awesome gift too, if you’re still working your way through your list.
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I left most everything intact on my bookshelves and just made room/subbed out a few pieces for some holiday moments.
Because our tv is above our mantel without much space to style, I go super heavy on the garland and beef it up as much as possible. I use the same faux strand each year and then add in some basic ball ornaments that coordinate with the the current color scheme (I use hot glue and just pluck them off at the beginning of the following year). I add in pieces of live garland – bits of pine and cedar and even added in some magnolia leaves this year to go with the other magnolia foliage throughout. I finish it off with some battery-powered wire fairy lights.
We use the same stockings each year but I try switch up the embellishments. After securing them with some Command hooks, I added long black satin ribbons, wired a couple of baubles, and secured a magnolia leaf in the center.
I think THIS party bucket was actually made to be a log holder 😉 I ordered it for its intended use and to corral and display hostess gifts during the Christmas season but as soon as it came in, I knew where I wanted to put it. It’s already proving to be one of those versatile investment pieces – it’s also 20% off this weekend with code CHEER. I used cheap faux pine branches from Michaels I had on hand and nestled some magnolia in, also. As a caveat- if you style up your wood holder with flammable bits – in this container or otherwise – don’t leave fireside when you have a fire raging 😉
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With the exception of a few of the green ball ornaments (from At Home) and three of the ribbons (From PaperMart & At Home), I had all tree trimmings already on hand. When you build a collection of silver, gold, clear, etc., you can easily switch themes and color schemes.
Like our mantel, I’ve used the same basic faux banister garland for years. But, I layer in some live pine/cedar strands (from Costco!) and finish off with bows on the posts. If you’ve never used live garland, it’s messy and dries out quickly (I don’t water mine) but once it’s in place, as long as you don’t touch it, it should stay put.
Guest Bedrooms
I added a Christmas tree to one of our guest bedrooms for the first time this year; you can see more on the Tiffany blue inspiration in my tree post HERE.
and across the hall added a simple boxwood garland to the headboard. I piled on the layers and added in velvets and plaid; the changes were minimal but just enough for a notable seasonal transition. By the way, my favorite, soft, fringe-y throw (HERE) is on sale for $29 right now! I have five of them now, spread throughout bedrooms and living spaces. Unlike some of our throws, these can go right in with the laundry.
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Master Bedroom
Similar to the guest bedrooms, the master bedroom saw little change but just enough to modify the entire look. I sprung for cozy, neutral plaids this year and kept our sitting area tree decked exclusively in white. If I could only have two trees, the second one, without a doubt, would be in our bedroom. Twinkle lights make for the best December movie nights in bed!
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You can catch the post where I talk about my favorite bedding “power couple” HERE and a post where I share how to build an arsenal of capsule bedding HERE. It’s all on sale this weekend and will carry you from winter, through the hot months of summer 😉
1. 
OFFICE
I don’t have a full sized tree in the office across the hall but thought I’d share a glimpse into Santa’s workshop 😉 Like my pillows, I try not to go too Christmas themed with my wrapping paper and gift bags; it helps in keeping waste to a minimum and eliminates the need for a lot of excess storage.
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You can see how I keep my wrapping paper boxes, and supplies organized in my office closet post HERE.
My best little helper elf 😉
Now that we’re pretty well decorated, I’m ready to sit back, relax, and enjoy the season. You can catch other favorite posts for the holiday season at the top right of the screen in the menu bar – featuring both decorating and entertaining inspiration as well as gift ideas. Thank you so much for sticking with me as we dashed all throughout the house today! Before you go, I’ll leave you with these three final tips-
- You don’t have to use every piece of Christmas decor every year. It’s ok to keep some in storage and bring out a year later.
- Mix and match what you have and use it in different ways.
- Use non-seasonal decor and dress it up with ribbons, bows, greens, and other embellishments.
Have a beautiful holiday season, a merry Christmas, and thank you for an incredible year. If you aren’t already, I’d love for you to follow me on Instagram HERE and subscribe to my emails at the bottom of the post to make sure you catch all the projects to come. Blessings to you all- xoxo.
Beautiful home and I love the updates and all of the lovely decorations!!
Deb, thank you so much!
Utterly beautiful, Kelley. Your colors are gorgeous this year and compliment the updates to your home.
Joni, thank you and thank you for taking the time to visit me! A very merry Christmas to you!
Absolutely stunning Kelley! Winter wonderland at its best. You are amazing..your bedroom is EVERYTHING. Love you, bravo ?
Becca, love you so! Come over soon xoxo
I look forward to your Christmas home tour each year. This year, you have dressed your home beautifully for the holidays! I love it all!
Mansa, that makes my heart so happy- thank you so very much!
Beautiful home and the cutest elf! I remember you saying there was a story behind what breeds Maggie is mixed with. Would love to know!
Lori! You have quite the memory!! Haha- I know, I forgot to share- long story short, we were told she was a straight dorkie. Turns out, she is a mix of 6 different breeds!
Thank you for sharing! You have a beautiful home!
Susan, thank you for taking the time to visit!
It is stunning, and I’ll bet it is even more beautiful at night with all the lights. I especially love the tree in your Master Bedroom.
All so beautiful
Merry Christmas
Donna, nighttime is my favorite time 😉 Merry Christmas to you!
Love the rustic touches!
Have a great idea….
You should have a contest for all of your readers,and the winner gets YOU, to decorate 2 rooms in their house!!!!!
Penny, you are so sweet- I love it!!!
Every scene is spectacular! You have given so much thought to incorporating every piece beautifully. Thank you for sharing this true labor of love. Merry Christmas!
Nan, I love you so. Wish you were here this Christmas!
Absolutely gorgeous, love your beautiful home decorated for Christmas.
Wendy, thank you so so much. Wishing you a beautiful holiday season!
Just beautiful Kelley, I love Magnolia leaves mixed in with evergreens this time of year. Classic southern.
Lauren, me too- and love that they last longer than others!
WOW! please tell me you have help setting up and decorating all of the gorgeous trees!
Vicki, I did not hahaha. I started setting up early to help with time commitment 😉
Did you paint your fireplace?
Hi Shanda, Yes. We repainted the living room with Sherwin Williams Alabaster and only put primer on the fireplace. Here’s a link with more pics and details on our mini living room makeover.
https://kelleynan.com/fall-living-room-decor/
Just beautiful! What a treat to tour your home on this rainy morning. You give me goals for sure. I am basically stealing your living room ideas and I didn’t know I needed it but I’m totally buying the marble and wood cutting board. So much fun, thank you and Merry Christmas!
Sharon, you are so sweet! And that thing is huge and has become one of my favorite pieces to display on 😉 Wishing you a VERY merry Christmas! xoxo
I’ve been anxiously awaiting your Christmas Home Tour and you did not disappoint. Everything is gorgeous! I love all of the trees…. each one is so unique and beautiful. The elements of emerald green mixed with the black is spot on!!! Thanks for giving us inspiration and sharing your beautiful home!
Valerie, thank you so much for making me smile- I love sharing and so appreciate your warm words. Wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas xoxo
Seriously gorgeous!! I was just finishing my tea and Walkers shortbread cookie when I saw your post….Darn…I had to reboil the kettle make myself another tea and eat another cookie too!! Thankfully I have the house to myself right now and was able to sit back and obsess over every one of your photos!! Your home is truly a home…so warm and inviting. Well done Kelley!!! Merry Christmas.
Oh my goodness! haha- that is awesome. Thank you so much for taking the time to visit with me and for taking the time to drop me such a sweet note! xoxo
It’s absolutely stunning Kel! Every single detail! Just so beautiful. And your photography is out of this world.. I want a personal tutorial next time we are together! I hope that isn’t too far away. Love you sweet friend! Wishing you the happiest holidays this year! xo
Erin, I just <3 you to pieces and good grief- yours is amazing! And seriously, WHEN?! We missed each other all year!!
Love it! So pretty and I love the light and airy feeling of it all! Can you share where you got your master bedroom light fixture and the hutch in your breakfast nook?
Debbie, thank you so much! You can find the light here: https://rstyle.me/n/czyydxb5rpf Unfortunately, the breakfast sideboard was a HomeGoods find several years ago…
It’s all gorgeous but my favourite is your bedroom tree. So romantic and magical! I’d never leave my bed.
Joanna, thank you so much! If I could only have one tree aside from our living room tree, it would be the one in the bedroom. We enjoy it so much in the evenings!
Absolutely stunning and YOUR.TREES.ARE.THE.BEST!
Heather, THANK YOU! You are the best! xoxo
Absolutely beautiful! I love your style and was looking forward to your tour. It did not disappoint! I, too, tried not to bring out “all the things” this year, and I like the lighter, airier vibe it lends in both your home and mine! (We have a very similar floor plan!) Enjoy the season, and thank you for the inspiration!
LC, it keeps me calm and less stressed about all the stuff! Enjoy yours and have a wonderful Christmas! xoxo
Thank you for sharing your beautiful home. I have been following all of your new additions. I can’t decide which tree I like best!! Each tree is prettier than the next! I just LOVE all the ideas you keep coming up with, I love the way you incorporate what you already own and turn it into Christmas! Love your ideas! Thanks again for sharing. Have a wonderful Christmas!!
Joss, you are so sweet; thank you, thank you! And it helps so much to not worry about hauling out EVERYTHING new and Christmas-y and adapting what’s already out! Wishing you a wonderful Christmas! xoxo
Very pretty Kelley, I love all of the turquoise and black you utilized this year, it is very unique and stately, with just a hint of modern to go with your fantastic southern style.
Jen, thank you! The lighting makes it look a little more blue; in person, it looks more deep green. But, I’m so glad I went with it this year! Merry Christmas to you guys!
Kelley – I love everything you do. EVERYTHING. But honestly, your trees are my favorite. I do not know how you get them to look so full and gorgeous. Even the ribbon you chose is perfect down to the last selection. LOVE it all. 🙂
Oh, Tamisha- your sweet words have totally made my afternoon! THANK YOU THANK YOU! And, thank you for taking the time to leave such a kind note. Wishing you the best Christmas- xoxo
Your house is beautiful!
Do you mind me asking where you got the gold mirror above your entrance console? It’s so pretty! Thanks. Trisha
Trisha, thank you! It was a consignment find a few years ago!
Beautiful Home. Love following your blog.
Happy Holidays
Peggy, thank you so much and happy holidays to you!
Kelley, everything is stunning as always! I love the pops of blacks and I really love your new living room design – absolutely gorgeous!! Merry Christmas!! xo
Oh, Bree, thank you so much! Merry Christmas to YOU my friend- I can’t wait to hear about how the house is coming along!
I love your home Kelley, so much inspiration for me! 🙂
Thank you for sharing!
Happy Holidays from Budapest, Hungary (Europe)
Bianca, thank you so much! Sending you a hug from Georgia in the USA xoxo
Kelley, everything is beautiful as always! I also love the color scheme you used throughout the downstairs. You seemed to balance restraint with elegance! Merry Christmas!
Aunt Susan, love you and wish we could visit with each other this holiday season! Soon! xoxo
KELLEY!!!! Everything is absolutely gorgeous, sister! Tasteful, never over-done and always beautifully balanced.
XOXO,
Marissa
My Casa Di Bella
Marissa, THANK YOU SO MUCH! Wishing you a VERY merry Christmas and a fabulous month of December xoxo
It’s all so beautiful Kelley! You’re home always give me the warm fuzzy feel goods! Merry Christmas to you and Dave!
xoxo
Shauna, Merry Christmas to YOU! I know your first Christmas in the Forest Modern is going to be fabulous. xoxo
Love,Love,Love your taste and decor. I am fairly new to your blog and look forward to seeing all you do. Love the trees and seasonal decor. Have a very merry Christmas. Keep the fabulous-ness coming.
Jennifer, thank you for being here AND for taking the time to say “hello”. I appreciate your encouragement and look forward to an awesome 2019! xoxo
It was such pleasure to go thru your tour. Everything was so so perfectly done colors , trees and other accessories.just beautiful!!!
Loved it . ❤️
P.S where did you find the magnolia leaves?
Kay, thank you so much for visiting with me! We have magnolia trees here so I trimmed some branches 😉
Well done Kel! Every room looks beautiful, but I especially love the bedroom… it looks so magical. Merry Christmas to you and Dave!
Tana, thank you!! Merry Christmas to you guys! I hope you’re gearing up for a little break?!
Beautiful Tour!
I have beenn decorating my house too and haven’t had a chance to check in with you. Your tour took my breath away! Every detail is so perfect and the entire house fits so beautifuly together. Each room is special but they all flow together so well. Now I want to rip down my stuff and start fresh…but maybe I will look back next year on this post and follow your style. Thanks for all the hard work you put into your lovely home and sharing with us. Your photography is amazing too. Merry Christmas!
Kelly, you have such a beautiful home.
I love all your Christmas decorations, especially all your trees.
Merry Christmas?
Beautiful and inspiring! Always love what you come up with!! I know I’ve see it before but i can’t find it now, but what type of wood flooring do you have in your great room and throughout your first floor? I am in love… thanks KN
Hi, Camille! It’s Nottaway Hickory Weathered Saddle. THANK YOU! xoxo
Just stunning! I love the way you incorporate the holidays throughout your home and that each location has a unique look. You are very inspiring and I always look forward to what you will do next. Merry Christmas to you!
So lovely Kel! I love how you’ve created simple and elegant looks for each room. Beautiful flow.
Hi Kelley – congrats on your adoption announcement! Very exciting.
I love your runner rug in your kitchen by stove. When I clicked to the link you have listed, it wasn’t the same rug. Do you know what yours is called? Thank you!
I absolutely LOVED all of your amazing touches!
Your tree is our tree’s inspiration this year so I must ask…where did you find the ribbon you used?
Deanna, THANK YOU! Most is from At Home, Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Paper Mart… a little from all over 😉
Love your trees! Can you tell me where you get the net looking ribbon that is on your living room tree?
I believe that was from At Home!
You have created an amazing collection of beautiful Christmas ideas. Absolutely love! Thank you for sharing.
Michelle, thank you! I just can’t help myself at Christmas. It truly is the most special time of year. ❤️
Excellent makeover…! Awesome decoration and tips here. Your home looks great. I love your tips and ideas. You are so creative. I am impressed to see your decor. I wanna do this job. Thanks for sharing your post.
Hi Cynthia, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a note. Your kind words have made my day! It’s that time of year when planning begins for the Christmas season. I hope you will follow along to find what is in store for 2020.