Christmas Tour of the Formal Living Room and Dining Room
I recently shared the Christmas Mantel in our formal living room and today I’m sharing the rest of this room’s decor along with the Christmas decor in our dining room.
I’m joining a talented group of blogging friends for a It’s a Wonderful House Christmas Home Tours hosted by Angelina of Petite Haus. If you’ve never seen Angelina’s beautiful home, I encourage you to visit her blog. If you are here from Raising a Farmhouse, welcome! I know you enjoyed seeing Summer’s lovely home decorated for Christmas.
You’ll find links to all of the bloggers’ homes shared at the end of this post.
Christmas in the Formal Living Room
I called this year’s Christmas mantel a Traditional Southern Christmas Mantel since it incorporates the classic Christmas color of red, green, and gold. Don’t miss George Washington peeping out from the fireplace!
The table between the two chairs in front of the fireplace is a favorite spot to decorate for the season.
On the table is a vintage candle that belonged to my mother-in-law. Most of my vintage postcards belonged to family members but this one postmarked 1917 isn’t. The red book on the bottom of the stack has a 1912 copyright and the smaller book on top of it a 1903 copyright. The shoe brush is from my dad’s shoe polishing kit. I remember my dad using it to polish his army boots, and as a teenager, I used it to polish my riding boots.
The chest between the windows belonged to my grandmother and I adore its glass knobs. If you visit my home during the day, you’ll find my dog lounging on the sofa.
I filled my grandmother’s wooden bowl with wrapped gifts. A small tree from Target’s dollar spot is “planted” in split pea soil in a vintage flower pot.
Bells from the dollar store are twined around the tree.
The brown crock was also my grandmother’s as was the green dish. Granny left a note in the dish that she she wove a basket around it in bible school when she was a child.
Every year since we’ve been married, my husband gives me a Swarovski snowflake ornament. I display them on a tree that we made that sits on a music stand that belonged to a relative.
As the light moves from one side of the room to the other as the day passes, the snowflakes create refracted light patterns on the walls and ceiling.
I leave this tree in place through March.
A table to the right of the tree holds an oil lamp converted to electric, a milk glass compote filled with glittered pinecones and Sumac, and a red glass candle holder that was my grandmother’s.
Tiny holes in the lamp shade make the scene come to life at night.
Christmas in the Dining Room
I rarely share this space and if you are a regular here, this may be the first time that you’ve seen it. The dining room adjoins the living room and also our screened porch. You can see our porch decorated for Christmas here.
This chest, the art hanging over it, and the Madonna belonged to my grandmother. My mom gave me all of my antique lamps.
My father-in-law was taking this vintage candle to Goodwill and luckily I intercepted it. I found the old key in the chest drawer.
The oak dining room table that my grandfather restored for my parents holds a vintage table runner and a wreath that I made using Sweet Gum seed pods. The chairs around the table belonged to my great-grandmother.
The oak buffet holds a dried arrangement by the talented men who used to run Buffalo Springs Herb Farm. I purchased the pinecone candle holders for my grandmother when I was in college. When my grandmother moved into a retirement home, they became mine.
I hope you enjoyed seeing my formal living room and dining rooms decorated for Christmas. I’ll be back on Wednesday to share how I decorated our family room for the season.
Next on the tour is A Purdy Little House. You are sure to enjoy Sue’s Christmas decor.
It’s a Wonderful House Christmas Hop
Enjoy visiting each of these bloggers’ homes decorated for Christmas.
Petite Haus || Raising a Farmhouse
Virginia Sweet Pea || A Purdy Little House
Back to the South || Frazzled Joy
Lincluden Cottage Life || White Arrows Home
Paula, your living room and dining room look so beautiful and festive. I always love your Christmas decor but especially love your little crystal snowflake tree. It’s stunning! Have a wonderful week!
Gorgeous tour, Paula! I can’t get enough of your beautiful fireplace area. I love the colors you used and all your unique pieces. Have a great week!
Shelley
Thank you, Shelley!
Paula
I love your traditional mantel! The red candles add a nice pop of color. The vintage postcard is so sweet – I love the cute house on it. And ahh yes, your Swarovski tree! Earlier this year I remember *someone* had a Swarovski tree and I couldn’t remember who, because I thought it was a great idea and wanted to do that too! I love how you displayed them. It is so beautiful! I bought a Swarovski ornament from last year and put it on my “frosted” tree… don’t have enough to make a full tree! Thanks for hopping with me!
Your Christmas décor is so elegant, Paula! I remember your Swarovski tree from last year…I still think it’s gorgeous! And I love your idea of using vintage postcards as part of your decorations.
I like how the year round bones of good furniture and placement shine while the Christmas items are nicely tucked here and there. Lovely. My favorite is the snowflake tree; I like how it catch s the light
Thank you so much, Gail! I love my snowflake tree and I’ll enjoy it through March. It really helps to have something pretty to see on glum winter days.
Paula
Lovely and elegant.
Marilyn
I loved your christmas home tour with all your fabulous vintage finds. Your mantel is stunning and it makes me want to run out and buy a pretty wreath and mirror right now. Well done and Merry Christmas.
How beautiful! I love all things vintage and it looks like you have many treasures! So many sweet Christmas ornaments! Your house looks beautiful for the Holidays!
Everything looks great always like your vintage ornaments and how you put everything just so.
Thank you, Laura! I love using all of my vintage things for decorating.
Paula
Love your home and all your beautiful antiques. It is so wonderful that your home tells a story . We have a lot of family pieces and they mean the world to me. Thanks for sharing with us.
Thank you so much, Yarlette!
Paula
Hi Paula,
Your home looks so festive and cozy. Beautiful photography, too.
I love the way you displayed your swarovski ornaments. Did you make the tree stand? I have mine hanging in my windows right now and love the way the light passes through them, but I’m beginning to think it might look a little junky. I actually removed the ribbon and hung with thread, but I’m thinking I might like what you did as it’s more effective to have them all hanging together. Love how you decorated too. It’s very festive, but not overpowering like my place! 😩
Thank you and thanks for sharing
Thank you, Kay! I did make the tree, here’s a link for that post.
Hanging the ornaments in your windows sounds lovely to me and after Christmas you can leave them there to enjoy all winter.
Thank you so much for commenting. I hope you’ll keep visiting my blog.
Paula