We can't believe it! It's Christmas week already!
Today we're giving you a glimpse into our lives with a Christmas home tour with our co-founder Sarah. We also included an interview with this woman of many hats (photographer, artist, wife, mom, believer, volunteer, advocate, mess maker & ground breaker) as she shares some of her Christmas traditions and ideas.
The Arrington's love their 1926 American Foursquare nestled close to downtown Birmingham. When Sarah's husband purchased the house 3 years ago it was in need of some love. With a background in construction, he took it on as a project & they love being able to work together turning it into a cozy family dwelling.
Christmas decorating starts the day after Thanksgiving & not a day earlier. "I think you should enjoy every season. Take it in & follow it through until the end. Thanksgiving Day is turkey & dressing and fall air. The day after is fraser firs & Christmas jingles," says Sarah.
Upon entering the home you are greeted with a beautiful staircase & a small sitting area usually filled with shoes & belongings at the end of a busy day. An antique cane back sofa that the couple found at a thrift store & restored goes perfectly with the home's style.
A simple pine garland drapes the stairs with red burlap ribbon & mercury glass ornaments. Small touches of Sarah's style are mixed in. "You could say my style is Vintage Remix. Well, really I don't know what you would call it. If I like it I buy it. I love old elements but also surprise myself sometimes by throwing in something new," she says.
This vintage deer family is one of her favorite Christmas decorations found yet again at a local thrift store. A small basket of pinecones is a simple way to add a seasonal touch.
Antique printer trays stacked vertically on the wall are spruced up with small jingle bells & simple cuttings. "They almost look like twinkling lights against the dark wood of the trays. I had leftover jingle bells laying around & thought this would be a fun touch!"
Moving into the family's living room we're greeted by the family dog, Zoe a 9 year old Golden Retriever. "She's a little perturbed right now. The Christmas tree is sitting where her bed usually is." This space is where the Arrington's spend the majority of their time hanging out with friends & playing with their 9 month old daughter.
"A few years ago, we came home with the shortest tree on the lot. J is always looking for a deal & I think we paid $20 for this particular tree. At first the idea of a small tree turned me off because I grew up with always having a tree that was just a few inches from the ceiling. The bigger the better. I'm sure I was a little upset, too. But that year there was something so special about the simplicity of that short little tree as I stared at it night after night. So, for the past few years we get short trees."
Sarah found an old galvanized watering trough to put the tree in this year and used black & white herringbone ribbon and red wooden beads to mingle throughout its limbs. Vintage glass ornaments mixed with new mercury glass ornaments added pretty reflections throughout.
Vintage touches are throughout the room & get a few clippings for the season. Sarah collects these vintage French tip plates to use as coasters. They used to be used in restaurants for guests to leave their bill & tips for the wait staff. Old bocce balls are also a fun way to add color to a space.
Things get a bit more formal in Sarah's dining room but her signature style still remains. An antique carved buffet gets a mix of Christmas charm including Sarah's collection of tiny vintage ornaments.
An antique mirror is adorned with a simple wreath and china is displayed on top of a salvaged mirrored door. "Taking an item & using it in an new, unexpected way is part of my wiring. I would come home from a junk sale with a car load if we had a place to store it all. J would probably just shake his head."
The old mantle in the home (one of two) is Sarah's favorite spot to decorate. Pine garland mixed with red dyed pinecones set the stage for her silver platters & mercury glass votive holder.
Stockings from West Elm spell out the essence of the season with zinc letters spelling "JOY". Sarah found the vintage Greek key patterned tablecloth at a yard sale earlier this year.
Going upstairs the decor stays simple. You enter a small family room at the top of the stairs. In the morning this area is filled with their daughter's babbles and laughter & at night snuggles and music sessions with Daddy.
"I love this space. It's fun, unexpected & the perfect spot to come together as a family." A few of Sarah's thrift store finds hang on the walls & an heirloom music box from her husband's childhood sits on the side table with a few vintage bottles. Colored glass beads drape across a salvaged mirror with surprising reflections.
Their daughters room gets its own silver tree adorned with pink & gold vintage glass ornaments. "I'm sure these will get broken in a few years," Sarah says and then bites her lip, "Next year it'll probably go on top of her dresser." For now though, a vintage stool is the perfect place for this adorable tree.
A few small touches including a gold garland over the couple's bed & another tiny silver tree with vintage ornaments wraps up the home's decor. Simple yet meaningful touches.
We sat down with Sarah for a few questions to get to know her better...
What is your favorite item to decorate with for Christmas?
Vintage ornaments! You can find them all over the place & they always have the best patina. A close second is live greenery. I always go to the local farmer's market & grab clippings & long strands of garland that can be used all over the house. It smells like Christmas & usually looks better than the fake stuff. If you already have fake garland, you can just add in a few clippings to beef it up. You can also use clippings & floral wire to make your own garland.
Do you have an Christmas traditions?
We usually don't spend much on ourselves for Christmas. Which is good because neither of us can stand Christmas shopping crowds. It's a time of giving for us as we celebrate God's greatest gift. Every year, we sit down, J & I and eventually our daughter, and we pray as a family for several organizations to donate to. We write checks to these places & pray for God to use them this Christmas & throughout the year to impact people's lives for His glory. We also spend time with the various ministries we are involved with giving our time & resources to those who need them more than we do. It's the best gift we could give ourselves & the best way to show our daughter how to love God and people.
Favorite Christmas song?
"O, Holy Night" The line that gets me every time is "Long lay the world in sin and error-pining, 'til he appeared and the soul felt its worth." Those words pack a punch & offer so much hope. And I'm sure there is no judgement if I say Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas" is a close second.
Thank you for joining us on our Christmas home tour. We hope you are blessed this Christmas with the company of friends & family and memories to last a lifetime!
