Christmas Inspiration | A Cozy Cottage

I hope you all thoroughly enjoyed your Thanksgiving celebrations!  Ours was relaxed and cozy, so even though I hosted I felt full of energy to start getting our Christmas decorations out this weekend.  I'm sticking with my vow to skip fresh greenery inside this year (unless it is in water - vases, tree stand, little pewter pitchers...).  I've tried it ALL and no matter what, fresh greens look great for 1-2 weeks tops and then I start to regret having used them.  I'm not sure if the air is drier in our old home?  But whatever it is, faux is the route I'm going inside when it comes to garlands and wreaths this year. Outside, I'm still using fresh greenery and I will also use real in our dining room but I will wait until the week of Christmas to use inside.   I've decided to embellish the faux garlands with lots of pinecones (real ones!  they don't dry up! ;)).  I've also added a few containers with paperweights (God willing, they will bloom) and tucked a little fresh topiary tree here and there to balance things out.  I will post pictures in a week or so.  In the meantime, I have a treat for you....

Last week I escaped by myself for a couple hours at a favorite bookstore.  I grabbed coffee and HUGE stack of Christmas shelter magazines and savored all the homes while gathering lots of inspiration for this year.  My favorite was the Christmas issue of the Cottage Journal. Excellent from cover to cover.  It was the only magazine I couldn't bear to put back on the shelf.  Every now and then I come across a home that I know will stay with me for many years to come (see here and here for some I still love).  This Alabama home, designed by Bill Ingrim, now has a new owner and I adore what she has done with this sweet 1,700 square foot space.  Here are a few of my favorite shots that were featured in the article.  There are more pictures in the magazine, including a bunk room addition for her grandchildren.  (For the record, I scanned all these images - just like the old days of blogging!!  The time before pinterest!  I couldn't find the images anywhere else online yet.)

^^ wall + trim color: Creamy White, Benjamin Moore.  I love the little touch of gray on the plate racks filled with ironstone, the painted floors (from previous owner) and the built in banquette that almost hides the kitchen counter on the opposite side.  The wreath, paperweights, and mini trees are the perfect Christmas touch, feels festive + cozy without adding clutter. ^^

^^ I adore the table top tree in the blue and white bowl.  you might see this idea again, hint, hint... :) ^^ 

^^ Closet turned butler's pantry, food is stored behind the skirted bottom.  Years ago we turned a large closet in the playroom into a spare pantry - I wish I'd seen this image before because I would have made ours much more charming.^^

^^ My favorite room in the house.  It's perfect. ^^

I was going to do a little before and after so you could compare the new pictures to the old since both have been published, but it's late and I'm going to turn in, so if you are curious, here is a link to Bill Ingrim's version of the same home.   Which do you prefer?

(image source: the Cottage Journal)