Hi there! Welcome to part two of my Christmas home your this year. On Monday I shared my living room and dining room and today I’m giving you a peek at the mudroom, kitchen, and family room. Today’s tour is part of Blogger Stylin’ Home Tours, hosted by Lindsay from The White Buffalo Styling Co. If you’re coming here via Cuckoo 4 Design, welcome! I never leave Julia’s blog anything less than completely inspired – her home and her photography are both so gorgeous.
Let’s start things off today in the mudroom. I have actually never photographed the mudroom before! It’s such a utilitarian space for us and I never thought to give it any real decorating love, but I started realizing how many of our friends come in through the side door instead of our front door and decided that, at least for the holiday season, I would pare down the coats clutter and actually pretty it up a bit.
My trusty wellies don’t get much wear this time of year (too cold most of the time even with the liners) so they make the perfect Christmas mudroom prop :)
Holly clippings from the yard make such an easy, festive swag when tied up with some pretty ribbon.
I couldn’t resist sharing my favorite new coat! Pale blush with a removable faux fur hood so it can be worn in the spring too. It’s on major sale right now – 20% off plus an additional 40% off of that!
I hung a simple boxwood wreath on the door out to the driveway. It really is amazing what a few little holiday touches did to transform this room from pure utility to pretty entry. My first grader walked in after school Monday and said, “Oh! It looks so pretty in here!”
Straight ahead as you walk from the mudroom into the kitchen is this black console table and my DIY windowpane mirror. I made the tassel garland this year and will share the easy DIY with you super soon!
I decided to set my Byers’ Carolers up here this year. They’re my most cherished holiday decorations and will always find a place somewhere in my house each Christmas. They’re handmade right near where I grew up.
I gave them a little reindeer pet this year too.
I think a stack of prettily-wrapped gifts makes any part of the house look instantly festive!
In the mirror here you can catch a glimpse of the simple decorations I set up in the back of the kitchen, where our kitchen table is.
I hung my DIY ornament garland across the top of the windows and tied three mini boxwood wreaths to the lower parts of the windows. Super simple but just a little touch of holiday where we’ll eat Christmas breakfast this year.
Next to the kitchen, in the family room, I added a few Christmas touches to the coffee table but really kept things very low-key in here. The reality is that this is our family lounging space and I wanted to keep the focus mostly on comfort so we can snuggle up all together, eat popcorn, and watch Christmas movies without fear of messing anything up.
Ornaments under a glass cloche add instant holiday charm!
I put two different kinds of evergreen clippings in simple white pitchers.
I sat here and did some of my wrapping and decided to leave a few of the pretty boxes out. They really are so lovely they’re kind of decorations in and of themselves. You can find them here – white large, white small, black large, black small. They’re a great deal for such beautiful boxes.
Since I hung our stockings in the living room, I decided to go with a really thick, full garland on the family room fireplace. I started with a couple faux white pine garlands and then stuck in lots of fresh clippings from the yard. This is a great way to get the look of a live garland with a faux base you can use year after year and free trimmings from your own yard!
I wanted the focus to be the garland here, and I also have to use low profile items on this mantle because of the TV, so I did a simple scattering of pinecones, white Christmas balls, and votive candles along the mantle. I really love the lushness but the simplicity of this mantle this year.
That’s it for today’s tour. I still have more to share – next week I’ll be showing more of my entryway and also will be participating in a different kind of Christmas blog hop, more focused on stories, special traditions, etc. that I’m really excited about. Make sure you stop by Go Haus Go next to see what the talented Emily has cooked up for Christmas! Here’s the full tour lineup for this whole week – I’ll update links as the posts go live.
MONDAY
The White Buffalo Styling Co.
House Seven
Bliss at Home
Mimosa Lane
Swoon Worthy
Claire Brody
Nesting with Grace
TUESDAY
The Makerista
Simple Stylings
Amanda Katherine
The Sweetest Digs
Iron & Twine
Style Your Senses
Dream Green DIY
WEDNESDAY
Hunted Interior
Cuckoo 4 Design
The Chronicles of Home
Go Haus Go
Chic Little House
Burlap & Lace
My Fabuless Life
Desert Domicile
THURSDAY
Rain on a Tin Roof
Michaela Noelle Designs
Dwellings by Devore
A Creative Day Blog
Restless Arrow
DIY Playbook
Julie Blanner
Craftberry Bush
FRIDAY
I have serious mudroom envy!!! It looks so lovely decorated for the holidays. The rest of the house is just as festive and pretty and I adore the natural garland on the fireplace.
Thanks, Julia. I have some plans for the mudroom in the new year. Black and white striped wallpaper and possibly some built in cubbies to supplement what we have – there’s a whole wall of shelving you don’t see in the photos where all our shoes live!
LOVE the garland!! So fresh looking. I bet it smells wonderful!
Thanks, Claire! Can’t beat free either :)
LOVE the garland!! So fresh looking. I bet it smells wonderful!
This is so gorgeous!! I second what Claire and Julia said—your garland is BEYOND beautiful!
Thanks so much, Carrie – I do really like how it came out. I think that big full garland style may be a new staple around here for Christmas!
Your entry is so beautiful with all those pretty touches! And I have a big crush on the way your mantel garland is thicker on one side, sorta of drawing my eye over there and then looking at all the details… such a smart design choice!
Thanks, Rachel – I love how you notice those things :) I kept seeing these sort of asymmetrical garlands and was just loving the look.
You have such a beautiful home and I love all the festive touches. That entryway is a stunner!
xo Michael
Thanks, Michael – that mudroom was due for some love. It’s usually covered in random little girl socks and an absurd number of coats for a house with only four people living in it!
I love all of the greenery and need to do some trimming in our yard for this year for our mantle. I also spotted your Byers Choice carolers right away :) I think I knew you went to college in PA but I don’t think I realized you were from the area – how fun!
Trimmings from the yard are my absolute favorite! And yes – PA my whole life until I moved to Boston in my late 20s when I met my husband :)
It’s gorgeous!! Cozy and welcoming just as Christmas should be!! Love!!!
Best compliment I could get – I just love Christmastime at home :) Thank you!
oh i love that mantle! it’s stunning! your home is always beautiful! i have some of those carolers, too, and don’t hate me but i couldn’t find them a place this year!!!! so they are in the basement singing their woes until next year i hope.
Whaaaaaat?! Just kidding, no judgement :) They’re just kind of extra special to me so I always get them out.
oh i love that mantle! it’s stunning! your home is always beautiful! i have some of those carolers, too, and don’t hate me but i couldn’t find them a place this year!!!! so they are in the basement singing their woes until next year i hope.
Beautiful tour, Jennifer! Thank you for joining in :)
And thank YOU for hosting!
The entry way is absolutely stunning! Your home looks cozy and inviting! Happy holidays!
Thanks, Julie. The mudroom gets used more than the front entry so I’m glad it finally looks a little pretty and not just a dumping grounds for coats and shoes and backpacks :)
Your garland mantel is gorgeous!!!
Thanks you :)
Love how you did the garland, Jen!
Thanks, Gwen!
Love how you did the garland, Jen!
Beautiful decorations. I love how everything is simple and really captures the coziness of the season. Lots of greenery! I love that. And those white and gold boxes! I couldn’t resist picking up some of those for myself for my decor, too. ;-) They are too pretty to pass up!
The greenery is always my favorite. And those boxes are so great, aren’t they?! I’ll definitely use them after Christmas.
Beautiful decorations. I love how everything is simple and really captures the coziness of the season. Lots of greenery! I love that. And those white and gold boxes! I couldn’t resist picking up some of those for myself for my decor, too. ;-) They are too pretty to pass up!
Your home is just so beautiful! Gorgeous tour!
Thanks, Kimberly!
I loved seeing these new glimpses of your home! Your mudroom looks great. Where did you get that amazing wood bowl in your family room? I’ve been looking for an affordable one!
amandakatherine.com
I got the bowl at Home Goods a couple years ago – I keep it on that coffee table always! I do love how chunky and imperfect it is :)
I loved seeing these new glimpses of your home! Your mudroom looks great. Where did you get that amazing wood bowl in your family room? I’ve been looking for an affordable one!
amandakatherine.com
I want to live in your mudroom:-)! So pretty! Loved your styling, Jennifer! Gorgeous as always!
Haha – trust me, you would not ordinarily want to live in the mudroom. But maybe right this very minute ;) Thanks, Aniko!
So many things I love! It’s all beautiful as always! And that garland on your mantel is TO DIE!
Thanks, Jenn. I love the mantle garland too. Actually feeling like it might want some twinkle lights too though…
Thanks, Jenn. I love the mantle garland too. Actually feeling like it might want some twinkle lights too though…
I really like the cozy area off of your kitchen and wondered where you found the simple white pitchers?
They’re from Ikea!
They’re from Ikea!