Pretty Handy Girl’s 2014 Holiday Home Tour
Welcome to my Holiday Home Tour 2014! If you are just arriving here from The DIY Showoff, welcome! If you came here first, be sure to catch up on the other tour participants by following the links at the end of my post. A special thanks to Chris from Just a Girl for putting together this fabulous tour.
I’m thrilled to be able to open my door and let you in to see all the decorating I’ve been working on. I admit to you that my home doesn’t normally look this clean. And there may be a pile of papers or shoes behind a door, so watch your step.
I love to update fake pine wreaths every year by tucking new elements inside. This year I used some tree picks from Lowe’s. You can see my old Presto Chango Christmas wreath if you want some more quick ways to dress up a cheap wreath.
The front door wreaths benefited from a few sprigs of cut holly from the yard.
Adding some ornaments to my little red wagon planter will take the place of plants until the spring.
Come on inside the foyer, I know it’s a little cold outside.
The kids’ advent calendars are filled and await their eager hands each morning. The colorful little houses look right at home on my IKEA hacked cabinet.
This year I wanted to add a lit garland onto the stair railing! If you look closely you might see a white cord taped around the baseboard leading into the office. I refuse to be dissuaded by the lack of a nearby outlet.
From the foyer we’ll mosey on into the kitchen.
It doesn’t take much to dress up the bay window seat and breakfast table. A few garlands and some colorful pillows!
The little international doll garland is fun to hang in the window. But, EVERY year I spend 20 minutes untangling them. They like to cling to one another.
The kitchen desk gets in the spirit with some vinyl star decals from Leen the Graphics Queen.
I usually tuck a new painting in the hutch over the desk. This year I added a watercolor that I inherited from my grandmother. Her good friend Nava Horstick painted it. See if you can spot another one of her paintings in the living room.
Instead of rosemary, this year I covered the star frame with gardenia clippings.
We opened the doorway from the kitchen to the living room a few years ago and it was one of the best decision we ever made in this house. The opening was widened 2 feet on each side, but it gives a more unobstructed view.
The snowflake pillow is from Lowe’s.
You can make your own giant vintage chalkboard by following my tutorial.
I bet you’d never guess that cute lantern used to be a dated light fixture that I bought for $5.
I used the same tree picks that I used on the door wreath to create a garland on the mantel. Lowe’s had them on clearance last year and I snatched up a bunch.
The acorns will always find a way into our holiday decorating. We live in Raleigh, NC, the city of oaks. Each year our city drops a giant acorn at midnight on New Year’s Eve.
Did you spot the other inherited watercolor? I also inherited this set of white angels from my grandmother. The log pillar candles are another easy DIY project. It’s so nice to use decor that reminds you of friends and family that are no longer with us.
This year I couldn’t stop decorating just our Christmas tree. I added vinyl stars to the walls and ceiling to frame the tree.
See more of my Christmas tree in this post.
I couldn’t end this tour without bragging about my sons’ tree they decorate every year for their stuffed animals. They spend hours making and wrapping presents for their animals.
I hope you’ll stop by tomorrow to see my tablescape in the dining room.
Hope you have a wonderful holiday!
On your way out I hope you enjoy the light display on our street! All our neighbors made giant lighted ornament balls and we hang them on either side of the street every year. This picture doesn’t come close to showing how magical and ethereal the display is!
Be sure to head over to Kristin at The Hunted Interior for her home tour tomorrow morning starting at 7am EST. I guarantee you will love her home and her decorating style!
Just getting caught up? Here’s the line up so far:
Monday–
Tuesday–
Wednesday–
Nesting Place
Thursday–
Friday–
If you are still looking for more holiday decorating ideas, you can still see my 2013 Holiday Home Tour. (Gotta love time travel.)
Happy Holidays!
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Hello! First time visiting here, but I am glad that I found you! Being another kindred spirit in the DIY and power tools dept., Love Your Site!!!
Also, your first tablescape turned out great. I’m not so good with them, either, but I keep playing. You can find cheap chargers at your local thrift stores. 🙂 I look for those old silver-plate serving trays. Several friends from the tea society that I have been in for 15 years now buy them, too. One lady paints hers white and they look lovely!
Happy Christmas to you,
Barb 🙂
So beautiful! You did an amazing job. And your house is so clean! 🙂
I would love to win the Pallet idea book, always looking for more ideas. Plus you have given me a lot of courage to try to do things I have never tried before and I love it. thanks, Brittany
Your house is absolutely gorgeous Brittany! You’ve done such a fabulous job. Everything looks so incredibly festive & you have my favorite colors! X
Thanks Colleen. Love the blue and reds together this time of year!
This is just lovely! I especially love the idea of adding live greenery to artificial wreaths. Leave it to you, Brittany, to turn the light bulb on in this head!
I am a big fan of yours and borrow your confidence when tackling things around the home that I could not have ever imagined I could do before now. (A couple of weeks back, I repaired my own refrigerator that had a defrost cycle problem. Yep, I wore my Big Girl Pants that day.) Your tutorials are the best. Have you written a book yet? If you haven’t, you should.
OMG Ann! I love you!!! I’m so proud of you for fixing your refrigerator. That’s one I haven’t had to tackle yet. Can I call you when I have questions ;-)? Nope, no book yet. I don’t know if it’s in my cards. There are so many other tutorial books out there already.
Hello Brittany!! I’m loving your gardenia star and those green front doors!! And the wagon full of ornaments — so fun and festive. Your chalkboard art is brilliant! Thanks for a beautiful tour. 🙂
Thanks Melissa. Are you still impressed if I said I was too lazy to empty the wagon and planter so just dropped the ornaments inside? I appreciate that you took the time to leave me a comment. It’s a busy time of year. Have a wonderful holiday.
Nice job, Brittany! Loving that green chalkboard as a focal piece and what a great idea with the boa on the tree—so clever!
Thanks Jenna Sue. I love that I can change the message per the season ;-). Thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment. I know how crazy busy things are right now.
Your Christmas decor is beautiful.
Thank you Debbie!