There are many reasons why I love Christmas, but my topic today is mostly about my love of vintage in my holiday decor. I keep things mostly in a traditional theme, but it's really a great time for me to be playful with my vintage items as well. I mix vintage into almost every room of the house during Christmastime, often with just subtle touches. Let's take a little tour through our holiday house, and I'll point out some of my vintage and antique additions.
Dining Room
As you enter the dining room from the front hall, below is what you'd see on the left side of the room. The beaded sashes on the chairs were from Target years ago, and the sheepskin on the wingback chair was part of my gift card reward in
a Frontgate® Holiday Inspired Pinterest Challenge. All but the dining table and chairs and the textiles in this room are either auction, estate or antique shop and show purchases.
This is the first year I've put the Capodimonte Madonna and Child on display (sourced from an antique show several years ago). It is so delicate in its porcelain detail, I've been too afraid fingers or wings would be broken by hanging it (it's heavy), but I've placed it on an easel in the dining room. It may get moved before Christmas Eve dinner, as we're expecting toddlers among the 27 confirmed family member guests for our annual buffet dinner.
Just to the left of the area pictured above is my vintage bar cart, full of antique & vintage items, except for the greenery.
The right side of the room houses my silver collection in an antique French vitrine (partially seen in the far corner).
You've already seen part of
my silver napkin ring collection which is stored in that cabinet (and used for Christmas Eve buffet dinner).
The table centerpiece is simple: hurricane glass / candle, with greens and vintage glass bell ornaments, is resting on an antique pedestal mirror. The orbs hanging from the chandelier are also vintage glass.
There's a swing door from the dining room to the kitchen, and the view pictured below is what you see when looking back. This ammo basket is another new vignette I showed in my
Creating Christmas with Silver and Gold post.
Just across from this door is my wet bar. While the dining room is formal, this area is part of the open floor concept of kitchen, breakfast, and family room, so it becomes more casual in decor.
We are not drinkers, so I decorate the wine rack. and utilize the much needed surface space for serving purposes. I shut the water off on Christmas Eve and cover the sink with a serving tray. As you can see, there are several more vintage pieces on that display. Even something as simple as yarn and thread spools are repurposed as Christmas trees.
TV / Family Room
This is our gathering space, where we place our Christmas tree. Probably one of my favorite vintage (an antique, really) additions to TV / family room is the rocking horse by the fireplace. It came from another retired dealer friend's personal collection a few years ago.
He's weathered and worn from age, but still displays remarkably well. His mane and tail are both genuine horsehair. He's mostly out to pasture (storage), but comes out to play in my holiday decor. (Another item that may have to be corralled on Christmas Eve to keep toddlers from wanting to saddle up).
Master Bedroom
Beyond changing textiles, I don't do extensive decorating in any of the rooms upstairs. One thing that remains on display year round is my wire tree, with a portion of my mesh purse collection. It stands in the corner of the MBR, next to a large armoire.
With a string of lights wound through the center 'trunk', it transforms into a festive seasonal display in the evening. The watercolor detail on some of the mesh bags is really beautiful. I have at least one that depicts a country church with steeple (foreground of photo below).
Another part of my purse collection is displayed in a nearby curio table. One of my seasonal favorites displayed there is the winter scenic beaded purse you see in the photo below.
On the opposite side of the armoire in the MBR is another small vignette, touched up for the holidays with a simple boxwood tree and votive candle.
Living Room
Coming down the stairs, you get a glimpse of my foyer and living room. The Nutcracker display at the right of the doorway is a mix of vintage items, including a pair of old pointe shoes - a nod to mine and my daughters' dancing years with the Charleston Ballet.
In the living room, my holiday decor includes a vintage ceramic tree, Santa, and fabric angel.
Sunroom
I've continued a woodland theme in my casual sunroom for a few years, and this year I've been playing with my vintage stash a little more. I created the vignette pictured below for my table in the sunroom. A sweet rendition of the Lamb of God, I used my vintage metal lamb cake mold and Hummel angel, and placed a votive candle in the center of the metal crown. I simply gathered shed pine needles from beneath neighborhood trees for the base of the wicker tray.
My favorite vignette in the sunroom has to be my fallen birch tree logs in olive bucket, by the French doors. Lights transform any ordinary display into a festive one.
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I've already shared a few of my vintage things in vignettes created for this holiday season in previous posts. There was the
cloche filled with silver baby cups and a string of lights added....
....
my vintage French market cart-turned-floral arrangement...
....
my hot drink stand....
...and my
Winter Wonderland Tablescape...
Christmas is the one time of year Mr. P. doesn't mind 'stuff' around the house and, in fact, expects to see it. I treat that as my wild card and, as you can see, I play that wild card with abandon during Christmastime.
What's your favorite way of incorporating your vintage and antique items into your home displays? Do you have certain vintage items that only get showcased for specific holiday(s)?
As always, your visits, comments and loyal
readership are welcome, and much appreciated!
Rita C. at Panoply
Sharing with any given number of these fine hosts:
French Country's FNF
