I love it ~ wish I had your ability of restraint at this time of year. I do know I *overdo* but I just can't seem to control the urge for *just a little bit more* DH says he has to keep moving around or I'll attach a bow around his neck.

Merry Christmas and I'd love to see more of your decorating.

"I think you need more balls in your holiday decorating."

Yes, and maybe a nice red toy soldier NUT CRACKER or two?

I am enjoying this conversation as I just put out my Christmas decorations, including the tree, and I'm just so sick of my decorations! I put out about 50% of what I have done in past years and even with that, I feel like: Blecch. Part of the problem is that my house is small and already full of enough Stuff! Now I've added more Stuff and I feel like my house looks like a consignment shop. Maybe I should just put price tags on everything and invite the neighbors in.

Your decoration is just the mood I'd like to have, but my kids are attached to my collection of plastic Rudolph and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town figures from CVS (bought on a whim when we had a party one year -- am I sorry now) and my collection of Santas...

Sueb - You are the momma and can do whatever you like. if you're sick of the figures then get rid of them. Or let your kids have them in their own spaces!

Kitchen, I love my OED but my kids always want to play with the magnifying glass! I always give OEDs as housewarming gifts (to people I am close to) and I know they all think I am odd! But you can bet it will never be thrown out.

New home - what do you mean by a wide angle shot? what do you want to see?

Oakley, pitifully that's all I have done. Except my front doors but I posted them. I bought boy scout wreaths for my gates and made DH snip the red bows off. I instructed him to snip off the red berries to but he said they were glued to the pine cones. I bought a gorgeous succulent wreath (someone here turned me on to those). I love it but it is dull for even me, so I am working on that. And we just put up the trees today. So far just lights on them.
I don't like color at Christmas or any other time. In my house or my wardrobe. We have a spectacular red Japanese maple that I barely tolerate. Good thing none or our kids were redheads.

Rucnmom, Touche!

Newhome I forgot I have two tin toy soldiers. RED! I actually like them.

Sueb, I know what you mean about getting sick of them. We all do I think. My poor son asked again for colored lights. I told him I will put a strand in his room! My girls (8 and 9) chorused ... white lights are prettier! So there is only one Ive not brainwashed yet.

That's a pretty serious phobia. Don't pass it on to your kids.

Too late, Natal. 2 of 3 similarly afflicted. It appears to be a dominant gene.

mtnrdredux, it sounds like you really do have a phobia of the color red! Do you think you had a childhood traumatic experience that involved red or- ??

I think that what you have done is very, very pretty in an understated way. I'm like sueb- I wish mine was more like yours!

Have you considered family therapy?

mtnrd, your arrangement and les's suggestion about magnolia leaves reminded me of a blog post I saw just this morning...

Becky, who may or not be responsible for the succulent wreath (do we get to see it?!)

Here is a link that might be useful: Warm winter arrangement (with magnolia leaves)

I love your urn and your understated style. It suits your home perfectly. Your home is so beautiful that anything more wouldn't allow it to shine. I agree you do it so well. I understand that you have a personnal phobia with the color red but I'm curious as to why so many people dislike red, green and gold for the holiday. I just went on a house tour and not one house had red and green. I too think my style is understated elegance but I admit Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without my red, green and gold. Is it an age thing?

Still waiting for your big reveal.

I just wanted to see what your foyer looked like with the table in the background. Looks like it's a beautiful large area.

beckysharp - I love that arrangement! I wish my magnolia was not dying. Barely a leaf on it. :( I had to settle for other natural materials from my yard along with some pine boughs from a local Christmas tree farm. A bow in burgundy and gold, I am all set. Now, if only I could get it to last throughout the winter season. I do have ornamental cabbage and pansies tucked in there, as well. Those should at least be protected throughout the harshest of our winter and come back looking bright for Spring.

Here is a link that might be useful:

roses, I just put the CVS figures in the basement family room. Phew. I feel so much better.

I love your urn, and the way in which it was presented to us. The holidays are personal--decorate how you want to for them!

I almost did a brown and gold Christmas in my dining room, but moved it to the bedroom. It's understated and calm and lovely.

So, this one is out of the running?

Thanks, Xantippe. I love my urn too. I got it at this great place called R.T. Facts here in CT; they also have a good website. Cool stuff but no bargains.

Great idea, Sue, they can still enjoy them there.

New home builder. Our entry hall was, on the original plans, 36x20. We divvied it up into several smaller spaces so it wouldn't look so odd; the area with the table is about 25x15, and I put my old dining room table in their without the leaves. The attached link has more photos.

Oldhouse1. I don't know, but when i googled "why do so many people hate the color _____", "red was the first choice that came up! I think people who are creative might find red and green too limiting or unoriginal for a holiday scheme. Others might find it too bright and jarring. I mean, do you often see a red and green decor otherwise (sometime but not often and not recently).

Yes, Becky, the succulent wreath is your fault! I hung it over the DR fpl, which is old stonework. It kind of looks like it grew there, which is good and bad! Will post a pic after I liven up the mantel, or maybe post a "help" pic before that?

Nancy B, Natal, ny DH really does think I have a pathological aversion to red. I tease here, but I just find it is too jarring a color for me to live with. And I think I resent being pushed into using some red by a kitchen designer I once used in my old house. I did have a red dining room I liked . My old dining room had wainsocting about 6' up, and then very heavy molding at the ceiling. That was all painted white. I had the walls done in a custom red that was veering on fuchsia. I liked that with the white trim. In redoing our farmhouse, I wanted it monochromatic and plain. I don't want anything that looks decorative per se, just things that are decorative by dint of their quality or workmanship.

Here is a link that might be useful: entry hall

I get not liking to decorate with a certain color (I've never cared for red walls), but a deep-seated aversion to all things red ... especially when you see the color in nature and can barely tolerate it? Did you seriously ask your dh to snip the red berries off the pine cones?

Mtn, I'm right there with you--and for those who are wondering, well my answer is simple. I do not care for red nor most shades of green. So years ago I tossed the red/green holiday color scheme because it doesn't work for *me*.

I do silver and white. Period. That's actually a refinement; for awhile after I jettisoned the red/green stuff I was going with white, silver and some occasional touches of gold. Realized after awhile I don't like gold either as a decorating color so now it's down to those colors.

If I can either find my battery charger or get a new one I will post some photos.

And FWIW mtn, I love your decorating scheme and find it absolutely perfect for the holidays!

And to be a bit grinchy...I think it is a touch rude to even ask why someone doesn't do X or Y or use Z colors. It's their choice, not ours, right?

A colorphobe? Nah ..

You just prefer naturals and neutrals is all. I like Les's idea of magnolias. Take a walk around your property with sheers in hand, a snip of this a snip of that. When I choose to do a garland that's what I do. We live on only an acre in town, but there's boxwood, holy, magnolia, white pine, acorns and pinecones all for the gathering. I'm sure you probably have much more than that on hand.

I think it's beautiful! Simple, elegant, and tasteful.

I've seen other pics of your house, and the whole thing is just gorgeous. I'm also a bit of a color phobe, and I love vintage/antique with a smattering of eclectic, so it's all right up my alley.

I've seen you mention your craft room, though, and haven't seen pics of that. Finishing my craft room is high on my priority list for 2012, so I'd love to see it.

I don't think it's rude to ask why no colors at Christmas. I definitely understand it in regular decorating. I have an aversion to most green walls but I love green accents.

At Christmas it's so bleak outside, monotone actually. Why not have some cheery colors indoors at Christmas instead coming inside to the same monochromatic colors? Reds, Whites, Greens, Blues..all the Christmas colors put people in good moods, especially if you have children.

I guess no Elf on the Shelf at Mtn's house? lol

Not rude, but Mountain has explained this before. There are many here who don't use green and red in their Christmas decorating - myself included.

We have alot of pale colors in our Christmas decorations although I do have some deep wine colored glass balls mixed in on the mantle. I love the calming neutrals - white/gold/silver is so elegant. Our bedroom tree is done in white/gold and an deep aqua ornaments.

tina (no elf on my shelf either LOL)

We don't celebrate x-mas so we don't decorate for x-mas, but, if we did, I would totally decorate the way mtnrdredux does. IMO, it's beautiful and tasteful. And this is coming from someone with a red living room!

Asking someone that doesn't like the color red why they don't use red to decorate at x-mas is like asking someone that doesn't like a certain holiday food why they don't eat that food on that holiday. They don't like it. Simple as that.

oh Mtnrdredux - I totally covet that urn! It is chippy, white patina perfection (sigh). The whole table is just wonderful. I especially love all of the textures.

I prefer decorating with white (and some green) this time of year... although I do break down for color with vintage Christmas balls, because I cannot resist them!

I think holiday decorating is even more personal than regular house decorating, because it's often connected to one's childhood and memories.

I grew up with restrained, almost limited Christmas decorating, partly because we lived in a NYC apartment with only one upper cabinet to store decorations, including those for the tree, and partly because my mother and her mother, who lived with us, were European and held that the tree (live) itself didn't turn up until just before Christmas Eve. It had white lights, red and silver German glass balls, various candies, and lead tinsel. That's my Christmas tree standard : ) . We also have the Swedish angel chimes (always white or amber candles, never red), because my family always had them.

So when I visit a friend's parents in November and see that every available surface, most of which is mauve and burgundy from January to October, has been added to with red and green (especially tomato red plastic bows), and silvery plastic tinsel, and the artificial tree has colored lights, my reaction is to quake inside. To my friend, though, this is what Christmas is *supposed* to look like : ) . To her mother, when she visits here, it always seems as though, even on Boxing Day, I haven't finished decorating, because there isn't nearly enough stuff, and definitely not bright and sparkly enough. I also have to fight my husband's preference for red poinsettias, which I loathe and without which he thinks it's not Christmas. It doesn't help that I'm not crazy about the white ones, either. I usually try to distract him by forcing some white amaryllis (in a blue transferware chamber pot!) and blue hyacinths.

Then, in addition to my idea of how things always *were* at Christmas, then there are my own preferences, especially for more natural items. We usually use spruce boughs from trees on the farm, and shed antlers. And this year, after seeing the PB birch candles (we don't have PB in this part of Canada and shipping is crazy), I asked my kids, ages 11 and 12, to make some from a fallen tree and the drill press; I know, I need some more cedar from the garden (not much else is green here in the winter six hours north of the US border), but it was -20C the other day and my fingers were freezing after puttering around outside for a bit. So I guess my Christmas style is

Frankly, I love the variety on view at GW, even if much of it isn't what I'd choose for my own house. It's lovely to look at it all, especially things that for me are so new and different. I suppose it would never occur to me to ask anyone, including my friend's mother, why she doesn't like the same things I do, whether it's Christmas decorations or clothing (I've never, since sixth grade and one unfortunate skirt my mother bought, owned/worn anything green, and my daughter feels the same way about purple).

Becky

laurainlincoln, I would love to see more of your home, if you have any pictures to share. Very charming from what I see. Understated elegance at its best.

Mtnrdredux - I aspire to your sense of style and elegance.

It certainly is not rude to ask why someone does or does not do something but it is terribly rude to continue to harp on the issue.

Kelly - thanks.

Oldhouse1, I agree, I always like LaurainLincoln's photos. I especially love the juxtaposition of that simple bowl (roasting pan? washtub?) with the shiny orbs!

Becky, I love your taste too. The centerpiece is lovely. We lost some birch on our property due to Irene and the only upside is the lovely logs. My Mom was not fussy about decor and tolerated all the tackiness that kids want at Christmas. I guess that skipped a generation!

Katyb - I like the metals!

JillinNJ, thanks!

TinaM - pastels sound pretty! Got photos

Oakleyok, I think when im done you will agree its cheery ... it is to us because its special...

Thanks, Franksmom. I posted my craftroom but i googled it and dont see it anymore. I will post it for you.

Zipdee _ I am going to do that!

Running - thank you!

Natal - Yes, I did ask him to try to snip off the berries. Someone roped me in to buying a boy scout wreath (its hard to say no to that, but im ready next time, i will ask if i can just donate instead). I didnt want it on my front door, so i decided to get three more and hang them on the gates. But my front door already has boxwood wreaths with gold/rust velvet bow and so they didnt coordinate at all.

Thank you for the link. Can't wait to take a look!

Okay, here is my cloche tricked out for Christmas, color-phobe style.
{{!gwi}}

The corner fpl in our dining room, also colorphobe style ---- think i need some greens
{{!gwi}}

The tree in the dining room (we are calling this our girly tree). That is not red you see, it is fuchsia.
{{!gwi}}

And for Becky, our succulent wreath in the family room. Pretty but a tad dull even for me. Can't figure out how to enhance it.
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}

Our family room tree is still in progress...

to each his own in making one's home festive for the holidays... i can totally get some people's desire to decorate/or dress in all one color or even an absence of 'color' - lots of different styles is what makes it all (and this forum!) so interesting! and beautiful!

but, it's nice to hear you allow your son's voice to be heard for his own room!! (and hopefully for his wardrobe too!) that's important, imo! too much control is suffocating!

Just as a point of information, that red tree was intended as humor.

I love what I see in your Christmas decorations. The cloche and the white chippy urn are my favorites!

Ditto what Sis2two said! I LOVE your natural decor, and if a friend hadn't broken my cloche while playing with my dogs, I'd have mine filled just like that. The old seltzer bottles add a wonderful warm touch of green.

This was my riotous mantle for Christmas 2008.

ooh.... love magnolia leaves my3dogs

See .. fuchsia, totally not a colorphobe! :)

I actually really like your succulent wreath, a lot! I think it might be getting 'lost' where you hung it though. That's a large expanse of stone for the wreath's size. You might like it better in another place.

Thanks oldhouse1! Actually if you click on any one of my photos it will take you to my house album - lots of pics in there - excuse the random ones (some of them were to share specific things on GW like window trim or counter stools :)

Ps love your GW name - I am a total old house lover too!

mtnrdredux - I cannot get that link to work, but I must say that I am impressed with your newest photos.

Also impressed to see the bicycles outside your window. I cannot remember the last time I saw bicycles sitting around someones home, except the ones we ride at the beach. brings back memories of my children, and my youth. Kids today seem to stay inside more often than not.

Agree that the wreath is too small for the stone wall.

You're right. Sorry, I left off the first "h" in http somehow! This should work.

Before we moved here we were on one acre on a fairly active road, and they barely knew how to ride bikes at all. Now we have nine acres and they ride around the pond!

Yes, darn. I fell for that spot because it had a spotlight and hook! But the scale is sad.

Here is a link that might be useful: entryhall

Mtn, it's beautiful! Not what I was expecting at all. lol. See, you do have color. Lots of it in fact.

Love the mantel and the stockings. I also have an area in my house I call the Girly Center. All pink and white. It's not the greatest but I got a wild hair, what can I say?

You did good. :)

Simply beautiful! Thank you for sharing. Your home is now my #1 dream home. While our first home was a small white cottage (no picket fence, so I added one on either side of the house) and our third home was a two story white Dutch Colonial, I have always wanted a two story white rambling home like yours. And oh my goodness...those grounds are to die for!

If your biggest flaw is lack of color (which I seem to embrace after seeing your home and thinking about all the red that I have lol) and a wreath that is out of scale, then, I think you have a great deal of doing right! Could you add a larger wreath of the same material around the smaller wreath and then add some pine cones, or something brownish gray to tie the stone into the wreaths?

And I thought that I was neat until I saw your pantry. Goodness gracious!

My favorite part of your reno is the Cloak Room. Reminds me of my old elementary school. We had the same type of cloak room in every classroom...hooks, bead board walls and heart of pine floors.

I am sure that you mentioned it someplace, but I have missed it. Is your home in Connecticut? Reminds me a lot of my grandparents home and grounds just outside NYC in New Canaan, CT. I may have already asked you that. lol

newhomebuilder, I'll have to tell my three kids what you said, and they'll be delighted, because I holler at someone at least twice a day to put bikes away in the garage instead of leaving them by the front door or in front of the garage door blocking the path. Because somehow they figure it's important to have the bikes RIGHT THERE at the ready. I'll never get them put away now...

Mtnrd, lovely wreath, but yes, it is rather dwarfed by the large stone wall. I agree that if the wreath needs anything, it's maybe a new location...

my3dogs, love the 2008 mantel!

Becky

Hi Newhomebuilder,

Thank you! It is our dream home too, on days when the reno/GC process doesn't feel like a nightmare! It was all about the grounds for us, we fell in love with the peaceful, verdant seclusion of it all.

The wreath is the largest they make in succulents, and it was destined for the DR fpl, but the spotlight there is malfunctioning. I noticed the hook and spotlight on the LR fpl chimney, and got lazy. Need to move it back!

As I said in the other post, we needed to create a 36x20 structure on the first floor to support our addition of 2 kids br and a ba on the second. So we were in the unusual position of having surplus space. We had friends with a cloakroom and thought it was just the most civilized feature for parties!

Yes, CT. You are every warm, in fact i just came from breakfast with friends in New Canaan!

Are you serious! And to think that I have not been up to CT sine the mid 1960's. I have a pretty good memory for past detail. I just wish that I knew the address of my grandparents house. My mother cannot remember. I have often wanted to look it up on Google.

Well, thank you again for showing us your home. Any chance of seeing the kitchen? My favorite room in the house.

Ahh. My kitchen? Let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories ...

I am in the midst of a row with my GC. The kind of row that costs by the hour.

In the meantime I have been almost done since July. And I want to wait to post it when it is "done, done" . Plus it was a very unusual "before" kitchen and my after kitchen still has a very unusual layout. For example, it is landlocked with no exterior windows! So i want to write that up because I think it is interesting. I will get around to it someday! And when I do I will cross post here.

Oh fun...can't wait!

Finally got a picture of our "main" tree in the family room.
{{!gwi}}

That tree is lovely, but I think I see . . . fuschia.

Kitchendetective's tree looks fuschia on my monitor too. You can put it in the kitchen that can't be seen :)

mtnrd - Just getting to open this thread today. Love your decorated urn. Only suggestion would be to put something in the bottom to lift the orbs up a bit. How about the magnolia leaves as suggested by les, or even easier to find, just a few balls in the colors in your ribbon (which BTW is beautiful).

I don't think that not using the traditional "red and green" for holiday decorating makes you a colorphobe at all. When I first opened this, I only saw your initial front hall photo and a few of the responses. I've now returned to check out the remainder of the posts, and see you've decorated your home beautifully. The trees are very festive and elegantly decorated.

Oh, and kitchendetective - even my long deceased grandmother (whose home turned into a complete winter wonderland of all things red and green at Christmas) would cringe at the sight of that RED tree. I will apologize in advance to those who have that particular tree. If you you like, by all means, go for it.

I love red. I don't own a red piece of clothing, but for Christmas and in home decor, I do love red. I thought I hated white until I've recently seen ttodds and a few other posters homes with white paint. What I disliked in actuality was my inability to make white work. That is truly a talent, and those here who've done it, I take my hat off to you.

Whatever makes you happy is my motto. Heck, my ex-step MIL did a 9' black and gold tree when my DD was just a toddler. Imagine my parents' surprise when they attended a Christmas Eve dinner at my inlaws' home. My DM grew up in her DM's home which had more Christmas stuff than most Christmas stores. No horizontal surface escaped my DGM's Christmas touch. I can only now remember it with fondness and without nausea, but when she was doing it and I would take a date to a Christmas party or whatever during the holidays, I was mortified. While I don't mind, and actually like Christmas red and green, it can be too much, and my DGM was proof of that. She purchased very expensive things, but her home literally screamed Merry Christmas from the moment you exited your vehicle at her home. I lack that genetic nack of over-decorating thank goodness. My DH is not a lover of Christmas to start with. It is a wonder he married me after seeing how my DGM decorated for the holidays. I mean, every needlepoint pillow was switched out to holiday needlepoint, bath mats, shower curtains, you name it and during the month of December, it was holiday themed. Oh, I sound terrible. I loved her like nobody's busines, but her holiday decorating was over-the-top and then some.

Everything you've shown us is tasteful, and that to me is so much more important than which color you choose for your holiday decorating.

Looks like things are very merry in your home this holiday!

TFS