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SEASON’S GREETINGS As bright red bows and fresh green wreaths adorn the doors in and around your neighborhood, please join us in welcoming and celebrating the holiday season. This year, we’re highlighting creative design ideas in 10 featured home tours that span the country from historic Virginia to the rugged mountains of Utah. This special issue of The Cottage Journal is packed with elegant style tips for décor that’s steeped in rich tradition as well as fresh ideas to add a contemporary touch to any home. Grand trees bedecked in ribbons and shiny baubles, piles of packages wrapped in coordinating prints and patterns, and cherished collections with unique stories of origin are all brought out for display, helping us usher in the most magical time of year. From our hearts…
After decorating this Utah home four Christmas seasons in a row, it’s safe to say designers Rachel Folkman and Chelsea Kasch know how to fill their client’s home with holiday cheer. But when the season rolls around again, they’re not afraid to find a fresh take. “We do love changing it up each year,” Rachel says, “and we love that we have these clients who love to change it up.” Which is why they were excited when this homeowner chose to embrace an iconic holiday hue that she tends to shy away from year-round. “She really loves red for Christmas,” says Rachel, who—along with Chelsea—was excited to approach the design with new material and a slew of novel ideas. “She had a mix of old things that she held sentimental…
Covered in a blanket of freshly fallen snow, interior designer Pamela Harvey’s brick Colonial boasts quintessential Virginia curb appeal. Fresh evergreen garlands wrapped around the stately columns and a trio of fresh wreaths on the front door create a warm welcome for her holiday guests. Upon entry into the center hall Colonial, Pamela’s creative and often unexpected touches give the home an exciting burst of personality. “In [designing] the home, I wanted to keep a lot of the classic and traditional lines and also make it more modern,” Pamela says. “I call it traditional with a twist.” The living and dining rooms are positioned opposite one another and mirror similar black-and-white color schemes and a blend of playful patterns. “There are a lot of uses of color, yet the majority…
“Every year since we’ve lived here, the kids excitedly race out of bed on Christmas morning to open their gifts in our family room,” says interior designer and blogger Jewel Marlowe, describing holidays spent in the Fairfax Station, Virginia, house she has made memories in with her husband, Gary, and their four children since 2018. “I tend to add the most elaborate décor in [the family room], just based on the scale of the ceilings and the cozy fireplace,” says Jewel, who shares her design know-how on her blog, Jeweled Interiors. “We probably use this room during the cold months more than at any other time of year. It’s just so cozy to sip hot chocolate or play board games together in here.” After one look at the festive room,…
When Jody and Larry Cochran set eyes on this 1950s ranch-style home situated on a sizable corner lot in a charming neighborhood in San Antonio, Texas, they knew it was the perfect place to raise their three daughters. Now empty nesters, the Cochrans—and their two goldendoodles, Chula and Murphy—enjoy the holiday season as it brings the family back together under one roof. Since purchasing the home 24 years ago, Jody has worked with designers to brighten the interiors and impart her love for prints and patterns. “The home itself was very dated—it needed a lot of love,” says Jody. “We’ve kind of redone every single thing in the house over the years.” Initial changes were made with the help of San Angelo, Texas, designer Richard Round, a close friend of…
Over the years, Lynn and Bob Roden established many holiday traditions as their two children, Monicka and Matt, grew up in the Vestavia Hills, Alabama, home the couple built in 1994, but Christmas 2021 was set to be a special occasion with their daughter getting married in late November. Knowing their house would be a primary gathering place for family and friends joining in the revelry, the Rodens decided to go all out in embellishing the abode for the season. Teaming up with Shelayne Thompson of Shelayne’s Botanicals & Holiday Décor, they began their elaborate plans in early summer, and come November, they’d created a true winter wonderland tailored to the family with well-loved ornamentation and treasured collections tucked in amid an abundance of added trimmings. “The Roden home has…
