I got out of bed this morning and was ready to do some more Christmas decorating. I had toyed with the idea of going to the studio and doing some work there, but the kitchen was calling my name. It needed a bit of cleaning and I really wanted to give it some festive touches. In typical “Marian-fashion”, I got so into what I was doing and didn’t want to stop, so breakfast didn’t happen until 11:00 and a shower didn’t happen until 2:15. I throughly enjoyed the process, though, and the result.
The range hood is my favorite part. The boxwood wreath is around the cow head (Julia) year round, but I tied some homemade wool poms around her neck for a little something extra. I nestled some greenery, pine cones, nuts, dried artichokes and more poms along the “mantle” and hung mini stockings filled with cinnamon sticks and fresh evergreen sprigs.
A sweet reader, Anna of A Good Home, made these mini burlap stockings with clay monogram tags for each family member a couple of years ago. They look so perfect there, so thank you for your generosity! There are some of these mini-stockings as well as larger versions and other cute things in her Etsy Shop.
The cinnamon smells amazing, too, mingling with the fresh pine.
On the balance scale to the left of the stove, I added a couple of small presents, pine cones, greenery and nuts.
On the window to the right of the stove, I hung another wool pom-pom garland from Anthro. I put some greenery on the sill and a dala horse I found in my Oma’s attic. It was still in the original package with the price…3 Deutsche Marks.
I found the skinny candles at Hobby Lobby,
At the opposite end of the kitchen, I drew a little Christmas chalk art, reminding us the true reason we celebrate December 25.
I had to laugh, because it looks a little like “Unto us a child is corn”, but I figured most people would know it says “born”. Now everyone just sees “corn”, I’m sure.
I tidied up the home office a bit for the photo shoot. It serves as our “landing zone”, so it’s usually piled with coats and backpacks. It’s a little thing, but I love the plaid bag from Pottery Barn. I bought something there when Jeff and I were on our getaway and the salesman asked if I wanted a bag or not. “Getting a nice bag is one of the fun parts of shopping in a store like Pottery Barn, which I don’t frequent very often. Yes. I want a bag.”
I added a couple of small touches to the home office – lining the windows with pine cones…
…and turning the vintage perpetual calendar to the anticipated day with a sprig of greenery in front.
Back in the kitchen, the “baking center” sports a fresh evergreen swag and some more pine cones. For a magazine shoot, I would remove the microwave, but there it is. We have a microwave and that’s where it lives.
While I was making a mess clipping all of the greenery, I decided to add some to Gwendolyn’s frame…
…as well as the top of the hutch in the family room. I am out of store-bought garland, so I used trimmings from the Christmas tree and our yard. (I think one of the boxwood wreaths is slipping a little lower than it’s twin! They are just affixed with duck tape, so that sometimes happens when I open it to get a pitcher.)
As I was out trimming greenery off one of our trees (in my jammies), a flurry of snow started to fall. It was confirmation that it was the perfect day to stay home and decorate.
31 Responses
Lovely, as usual, Marion! It must be wonderful to have such a picture perfect house all the time!! I especially love your wonderful chalk message!! I pinned it! Still wishing for some of your organizational secrets, Ms. Proverbs 31!!
Liz
Oh, there was quite a bit of picking up before taking these pictures. My counters are a magnet for junk just like any other home, but people don’t want to see pictures of my junk all the time. I’ll have to show some “every day” pictures just to keep it real. 🙂
Hi,
What a beautiful kitchen. I love your cabinets, but then I love the look of beadboard. Come visit my home tour, if you get a chance. Happy Holidays!
Your home is lovely. Thanks for the invite over. I love the wall papers and that staircase is yummy! 🙂
Everything is so lovely! You are hilarious with the ‘born’/’corn’ reference. I didn’t see ‘corn’ until you said it!! Ha!
wonderful! especially love that boxwood wreath! great job 🙂
Beautiful kitchen Marian.. I especially love your range hood display!!
I love all the little touches–and I love how natural it all feels. Beautifully done. (By the way, my Mom’s name is Marian, spelled exactly the same way, too.)
Oh Marian your kitchen is divine and totally my style! Love all the natural Christmas touches–we are so similar in our decorating styles–especially for Christmas! Beautiful! The link in “website” is a pic of my old cabinet full of ironstone adorned with a pine cone wreath and burlap/chalkboard banner. You inspire me so much!
I think the decoration on the range hood is my favorite so far. It looks so beautiful with the boxwood wreath on the cow and those cute little burlap stockings hung on the mantel.
Do you know where you got the white birdcage on the china hutch? I have looked for one similar but haven’t been able to find one.
I actually got it at the “junque swap” I did with with The Graphics Fairy several years ago. It was one of my picks! 🙂 So, I have no idea where it originally came from.
Love the pretty festive touches! And that calendar in your office – gorgeous find!
How long do the boxwoods wreaths stay “good”.
warm and inviting…like a steaming hot cup of my favorite tea
Marian, your kitchen looks perfect. I also love decorating with what I have shopped from the yard. When some of the pictures you have taken have a ceiling shot, or rather a view including things hanging from the ceiling, are you standing on a chair, or using a special lens? Just wondering.
It’s a wide angle (35mm) lens. I use that so readers can see more of the room and how everything relates.
Haha! “Unto us a Child is corn” actually I didn’t see corn. I saw born. But now my brain is seeing corn because you said it. Ha! Love all the greenery. I did a knock off of the swags you made for your corner cabinets. I have the same corner cabnets. Its my ode to MMS style. But its easy and fun when you share the same taste – Thanks for the inspiration!
Everything looks perfect! I especially like Julia’s poms – a little bit of understated humor never hurt anyone, especially not a cow’s image. 🙂
I forgot to ask, where did you get the boxwood wreath for your kitchen guernsey?
I want to come bake in your kitchen! It’s so light and bright–I’ve been threatening to paint all of our cabinets white because I’m sick of all the dark wood in our house. My husband loves stained furniture so it is a battle it convince him how beautiful painted furniture can be. My studio (which is in a grain silo) is my place to retreat for color and light but would love my house to be the same. You inspire me with your style. By the way, Christmas is on Thursday here in Texas (not Tues). Must be the different time zone, lol!
Happy holidays!
Bambi
I want to come bake in your kitchen! It’s so light and bright–I’ve been threatening to paint all of our cabinets white because I’m sick of all the dark wood in our house. My husband loves stained furniture so it is a battle it convince him how beautiful painted furniture can be. My studio (which is in a grain silo) is my place to retreat for color and light but would love my house to be the same. You inspire me with your style. By the way, Christmas is on Thursday here in Texas (not Tues). Must be the different time zone, lol! I didn’t notice corn but zoomed right in on the day on the calendar!
Happy holidays!
Bambi
So sorry–didn’t look like the first comment posted so I added to it. Didn’t meant to comment twice!
Bambi
Marian, your home looks beautiful! Would you be willing to provide a tutorial for the homemade pom-poms?
Marian,
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I spent much of this after looking all over town for thin candles but to no avail. Did I think to stop in at Hobby Lobby? Yes. But did I? No! I was trying to do one stop shopping at Target so I could get a package off to our eldest.
Your home is truly lovely! Thank you so very much for the inspiration! With the exchange student moving in (yes i know they don’t normally exchange families but the fit just wasn’t good), a feverish teen, concerts, programs, inspections at work (Uncle Sam why must they be big inspections in December and January???)… well we fell a little behind. The tree is going up today!!
Have a lovely day!
Marian,
Such a beautiful home! Absolutely lovely.
Your kitchen is so pretty! I love the countertops. I have always wanted wood countertops. The stockings are adorable.
So beautiful and fresh! This is silly, but you admitting that your little boxwood wreaths are attached to your white office cabinet with duct tape made my day. Keeping it real!
Hi Marian! I made you those stockings and I’m so glad you’re getting to use them!! Your whole kitchen looks amazing 🙂
Ah! I’m so glad I heard from you! I hunted and hunted through my inbox to find who made them for me and stupid me separated them from the stockings. Ack! I’m linking to you now. 🙂
I love the counter tops too! We are reusing a bowling alley for our countertop kitchen renovation soon. I was wondering what finish is on your countertops? We used a mineral oil technique in the butlers pantry, but I am worried it won’t hold up in the actual kitchen? Any ideas?
Can you share the source for the cow head over the range?