Christmastime is a truly magical time. I feel it brings the child out in all of us.
As a little girl, I remember watching my mother taking out our Christmas decor
the moment December rolled around. The feeling I got when I saw her pull out our tinsel and ornaments was the most joyous of feelings.
Fast forward to the first Christmas I shared with my husband in our new home in 2001
as newly weds, I felt the same joy I felt as a little girl. I now had to start my own traditions and start
from scratch and shop for ornaments that I would eventually pull out of my very own bins every
December.
When our daughter was born in 2003, Christmas took an even more magical turn. Now,
I was seeing Christmas through her eyes and it was like reliving my childhood a thousand times over; only this time the joy I experienced as a little girl at Christmas time was surpassed simply by
seeing her face light up when she first took notice of our decorated Christmas tree.
Needless to say, the magic of Christmas fills my home with the same joy I
experienced as a little girl still today and then some!
So come on in and take a little tour of our dining room decked out for the holidays.
Here's a little side note: We've only been in our new home for four months, and not all of our
furniture has arrived. We are taking our time in choosing beautiful new pieces to fill up
our new home. Because not all rooms are fully furnished yet, I am giving you simple glimpses of various areas within our dining room that are styled for the holidays. I can't wait to come back next year with a full home Holiday tour. I hope you enjoy this condensed holiday home tour regardless.
The Rustic-Glam Table Design...
I wanted the theme of this table to be ever so clear
the moment my guests step into the room. I feel
that I accomplished this in the wintry rustic
centerpiece that adorns the table.
As you keep reading, you will discover
my inspiration behind the Rustic-Glam table design .
Using natural elements and materials like this galvanized bucket to house
a large faux decorative winter tree was key in
maintaining the rustic winter feel I was aiming for.
The soft branches of these winter trees embellished with miniature pinecones look as if they have just received a dusting of freshly fallen snow. These darling trees remind me of a wintry mountain top at Christmas time.
As seen in this picture of the buffet hutch in the background,
the trees are carried over in various vignettes throughout the room.
The need to keep the rustic vibe throughout the table
was visible in the creamy white berry garland that
surrounds the centerpiece. The garland
grounds the taller objects and acts as a table runner
as it almost naturally seems to wrap it'self around
the main pieces at the table's center.
It's natural looking brown wrapped stem gives the look
of a recently fallen branch on a sheet of fresh white snow.
****
The Place Setting...
For me, the most important element
when designing a tablescape is the place setting.
I feel the place setting is the one piece that
welcomes one's guests to the table in an intimate way.
For my Christmas dining room, I designed a place setting that would
incorporate both the rustic and glam with an elegant vibe in one single design.
Our formal Wedgewood wedding china and Pottery Barn
linen napkins achieves this look.
maintain the muted tones of the overall color palette.
My desire to bring in natural elements stays true
with the use of the pinecones which also serve as the perfect
place card holders when entertaining guests during the holidays.
The silverware is placed on the bare table
in order to further enhance the raw beauty of the table itself
while also showing off the elegance within their own design.
****
The Accent Decor....
Adding additional embellishments
without overpowering the centerpiece
was key. In order to accomplish this,
I kept things low to scale by adding pieces that
would not compete with the more elaborate table essentials.
and bases add that extra sparkle to the table when the
holiday lights are on.
The creamy white bird cages filled with baubles
once their feathery friends have flown to a warmer place
at the first snow fall.
The tall white pillar candle sticks
anchor each side of the centerpiece.
A little touch of Whimsy...
More texture is brought in with the use of this
muted galvanized metal candle snuffer.
And to make it softer and more elegant,
I've tied a silvery ribbon to it's handle which
incorporates a rustic and glam touch to this sweet little instrument.
****
The Buffet Hutch...
When styling the dining room buffet,
I wanted a design that would easily
transition well into the winter months, and
the pieces I've chosen will make that transition quite seamless.
I've incorporated the use of many natural elements through the use of wood pieces such as the plate box, vintage bottle drawer, skis, and breadboard at top.
The faux holiday trees as well as the topiary trees above maintain the rustic wintry theme and enhance the all white buffet by adding a hint of a soft green hue.
The glittery gold CHEER banner is festive
and adds additional sparkle to the room.
The White dinner wear acts as decor
and is very complimentary with the overall
momochromatic palette of the buffet piece.
The small stacked bowls from Hearth and Hand
in their creamy white and black rimmed edges offer
a little whimsy to the design.
The wood plate box not only serves as
as a natural element in the design,
but serves it's purpose for holding extra
dinner plates should more guests join us
unexpectedly.
****
The Blanket Ladder...
Setting a cozy and inviting warm
ambiance is important even in the dining room.
My blanket ladder offers guests a cozy wrap should
they become chilly during after dinner cocktails.
Adorned with
pinecones hanging from a
shimmery ribbon and
my DIY burlap stockings,
the ladder sits in a corner of the room
but not too far from reach for easy access
to a cozy and warm fringed throw.
Additional throws and pillows are stacked
in a tall basket to offer our guests extra comfort while they sit at the table.
****
The Dining Room Christmas Tree...
Nothing more beautiful than the glow of a Christmas tree especially during holiday dinners.
This flocked tree ties in with the wintry
atmosphere that is visible throughout the room.
is natural looking and so beautiful, that I
opted to bypass adding decor.
The nighttime glow is soft and glamorous
very much like the rest of the room.
The Gift Wrap...
Of course, even the dining room tree looks fabulous with pretty
wrapped packages under its branches. I am not a lover of traditional holiday wrap. However, I am a lover
of all things beautiful ,and beautiful gift wrap has always been my thing.
Here, I have chosen, an assortment of papers in muted blacks, natural and white
hues accompanied by metallic ribbons in silvers and blush as well as a little jute twine to enhance
more of that natural texture seen throughout the room.
add texture and glam to the dining room decor.
Additional Embellishments...
The addition of extra touches of the holidays
is visible in the window and wall wreaths,
GATHER sign, and in the decorated banister that sits
high above the dining room space.
also carry well into our dining space. The upstairs catwalk sits
directly above our dining room, so I opted to decorate this side of the banister as well so that it is visible from the dining space. I designed a simple garland and embellished it with baubles, holiday holly and shimmery ribbon.
The wood GATHER sign is inviting and a reminder of what this room is all about.
****
The Inspiration behind the design:
The Rustic Dining Table...
And finally, the piece that was the inspiration for this dining room design.
Our beautiful new rustic dining table.
Our new dining room table doesn't need frills or decor as it looks beautiful on it's on.
Its raw and distressed finish is what I fell in love with from the moment I saw it.
Dressing it up for the holidays just adds even more beauty to this already stunning piece.
When designing the Christmas table,
one thing was clear, I did not want to compromise the natural
beauty of the table itself. In order to keep the table as the main
focal point, I opted to forgo a tablecloth, and only used a short length
white and silver edged runner. This allowed the table's beautiful wood to remain exposed.
I hope you have enjoyed this little tour of my Rustic-Glam Christmas Dining Room!
Wishing you and yours the Happiest of Holidays!
XX,
Betty
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