Holiday Doors Part 2- Is one YOURS?



You asked for it, you got it.  I did some more snooping and came up with my next crop of Favorite Holiday Doors.  They just keep getting better and better.

Enjoy!



                                                         

                       

                                                            

Delightful Decor, Right Next Door

Some of the best Christmas designs are right next door.  Whether planning for a Christmas soiree, preparing for in-bound guests, or just decorating for those who live in the space -- adorning your home for the holidays is a gift in itself.  The best part is that it doesn't haven't to be perfect, permanent or polished.  It can be YOU, in the form of decor.

Raleigh is full of talented and design-savvy women who add such wonderful touches to their home.  Here are a few views of the delightful decor, right next door.

Enjoy.

Home of Mandy Moore
Wonderful use of simple elements to create the refined.  Note the fresh cranberries in the hurricanes.  Elegance is in the details!

Moore's centerpiece continues in the simple approach.  Roses in champagne glasses - I love it!

Nothing says Christmas like Nandina berries.  The scale of this arrangement set in front of the mirror grabs your attention as soon as you set foot in the Moore home.

 

Home of decorator, Kelly Jones.
Simple, tailored mantle.

I love the neutrals, golds and greens. Very elegant. 

Jones' gifts.  Love packages with a theme!

Jones' nativity sits in dining room between pair of white vases. Love the chic sticks!

I love how she displays her token gifts wrapped in clear bags with green satin bow.

Home of Mrs. Bonnie Cerwin
This elegant antique gains holiday flair with the rich garland draped over top.  Note the gilded angel on top.  Superb!

Again, Cerwin adds glory to her antiques with this similarly themed- garland draped over the gilded mirror.

Perhaps my favorite Christmas tree.  Adore the fact that it spans 2 floors and is the focal point of the foyer.  Note also how the colors and antique pieces are showcased in the neutral pallet of Mrs. Cerwin's home.

Great view of Cerwin's mantle.  She says she changes it every year. 

Home of Christina Allen of Fleur Boutique.
Allen presents design perfection in her own living room.  This space is a perfect example of how a setting can be livable, elegant and warm at the same time.  Love the old-fashioned familiarity of the Christmas tree combined with the sophistication of the furniture.  Also, note the different tones of blue used throughout the room.  

Another view of Allen living room, with added plus of precious child.  

Close up of Allen's minimalist nativity scene.  

Close-up of one Magnificent Mantle.  This is definitely one of my favorite mantles of the season.

Wonderful example of Allen's feminine touch.  

As a footnote:  Christina Allen is the daughter of Mrs. Cerwin.  How interesting to see where the sense of design carries over.  What a legacy!  And to see how both homes are graced with such feminine sophistication is really a treat.

All, thanks for sharing your homes with me.  It was a real delight!

Goodwin Home Makes Good for Christmas

What an amazing perk to my job.  That I get to wander around these fabulous homes, of these fabulous women -- it is just a thrill!  The home of Elizabeth Goodwin is not exception.  In fact, it is simply exceptional.  

Elizabeth Goodwin is an accomplished decorator, a much-followed blogger (you must check it out -  Life of Style) and the mother of THREE.  With a personal style that cannot be copied or bought, she is unique and true to her innate sense of aesthetics.  I was, therefore, privileged and delighted to get a peak inside her home and to see it with all the bells and whistles of the season.  And it was a wonderful thing to behold.

Enjoy...

The designer, Elizabeth Goodwin.

Note the slipcovered wing chairs used at the head of the dining room table.  So chic!

The puddle of the drapes is divine.

Close up of elegant nativity scene.

Close up of dining room centerpiece.  Love repeated use of white and green.

Wonderful addition!  How charming to dress the dear in garland.

Simple, understated mantle.

Full view of living room.

Nothing works like fresh flowers on a kitchen island.

A Raleigh Home at Christmas

To be sure, homes are decorated for this wonderful season all over the United States.  Just flip through the pages of any design magazine's holiday issue and you will see room upon room decorated to the hilt. Open your browser and you will find blog upon blog highlighting designs worth perusing.  But above and beyond all that, I am personally most touched by the homes of those right around me.  

I am even more intrigued when I have worked with the designer and homeowner in the planning stages of the home, and then I come in to see the final product. One such house is that of my friend, Cooper.  With the studied and experienced direction of Molly Painter of MWP Interiors, Cooper's home proves to be a delight to behold.  

With a stacked social calendar, Cooper hosted several holiday events in her home leaving every corner touched with treats of the season.  As such, I was thrilled when she allowed me to meander through her charming home to take a few snap shots of her holiday decor.  And what a treat it was! There was so much to see I could not possibly put it all in one blog. So stay tuned ... there will be more to come.

Enjoy!

A perfectly feminine entrance.



 A chest in the foyer houses a glass bowl filled with festive colored balls.

 

Real garlands and a fluffy silk bow makes an elegant stament.



A spectacular formal dining room of silvers, grays and fuchsia.  

Perfectly sophisticated centerpiece for dining room table.  Note the use of cascading ribbons.



Simple Greenery. Simply Stunning!

The Living Room featured the Christmas tree draped in silk pink ribbon.

 




The all white nativity sits on the Greek key sofa table flanked by greenery and a pair of lamps.





Living room, with precious child.




Another view of the tree.



Even the study got some bows!

And let's not forget THE ELF!