Live Breathe Decor

I’ve mentioned before that one of my favourite magazines for Christmas decorating inspiration is Traditional Home. I’m not really one for modern Christmas decorations (wreaths of coloured baubles and the like), and prefer a more traditional approach; really I have always been seduced by that luxury of lots of foliage, beautifully wrapped gifts, deep colours, twinkling lights in a dark room, crystal and silver..

but it doesn’t have to be red and gold, I saw some gorgeous white ornaments and decorations in Bed Bath and Table yesterday (all on sale too). I’d just like the white-laden tree to sit by a beautiful traditional rug in warm colours! Anyway, this home to me is perfect for this sort of nest-like Christmas decorating.

I’m drawn to the warmth of all that unpainted beautiful timber in the floors, doors and architraves, the stone and brickwork and the traditional furnishings. I love that all the natural materials are celebrated and not covered up – my mum would say it has integrity (we had a heated discussion on this topic when I wanted to use stone to cover dark brickwork on the outside of my parents’ house- mum argued forcefully that to cover her ‘good, honest brickwork’ would be to rob her home of integrity – yes, house talk is serious business! I’m still not sure whether ugly integrity is worth displaying..)

What a fabulous upstairs bedroom (above) – I’d love to sleep in a bedroom with a fireplace and a pitched ceiling line like this!

I do think when I look at this office how fabulous the bookcases would look painted grey! But don’t the timber shelves, traditional rug, brick walls and Christmas greenery go well together?

Have a wonderful weekend!

Naomi x