The Holiday House Tour, for people who comfortably live in their homes
Happy Holidays! Is your house decked out in holiday cheer? I have seen the most gorgeous home tours. You can’t swing a piece of dumpster dove furniture parts and not hit a fabulous house tour around blog land. Today I have my version to share with you.
Want to join in on the fun but feel like your house is not share-worthy? Think again; I am keeping it real here. Every room in my house has unfinished projects and probably something surprising that will pop up in pictures.
Ho, ho, ho. Oh no, here we go….
Let’s Head Inside for the Holiday House Tour
Step inside! My entryway looks spiffy with a garland filled with red berries, gold pine cones, and me! Still in my gym clothes, from never making it to the gym the day I took this picture. Real-life folks.
Here is a better shot:
The Holiday Stairs Tour
Check out my stairs! I wrap a garland and lights every year around my banister. I was hoping to have that banister painted this year and the stairs replaced and painted. The stairs are replaced, but that paint hasn’t made contact with any of that wood. The chair is awaiting an upholstery job, and there may or may not be a smattering of faux pine needles and glitter dust along the top.
The Holiday Living Room Tour
Let’s move on to the living room. I have an open-door policy. You open the door, you are in my living room and dining room, and can see my backyard! It provides a lot of natural light but can also make decorating a little challenging. This year I finally took the plunge and bought a grown-up couch and an area rug. Now, this room has to sit straight and act like a mature adult. (the room does, not me).
If you missed my closet organizers turned bookshelves, you could check out how I did that HERE. I added a little Christmas warmth, and the mirror added a little more reflective light.
The Tree Tour
I see a tree! And the star is leaning towards Bethlehem! I love my ornaments. Some were given to me by friends and loved ones. Little things my kids have made. You can never have too many glass balls. I had planned to have a lovely ribbon cascading down the tree, but I remembered this plan after all the ornaments were on. You can’t work backward at this point. There is always next year.
How about some Christmas Carols? Mostly we have heard the theme song from the movie UP for two months now. My daughter Rachel will be playing it at her piano recital this Saturday. Can you hear it in your sleep? I can!
The Holiday Dining Room Tour
I love my glass cloche. Normally the cloche is filled to the top with ornaments. I stored all the glass balls that go in there in a bag. I went to go put them in and just sort of poured the bag in. I didn’t notice over the year, several of them had broken. A normal person would have poured the balls out and removed the broken glass. Not me. I just turned it around, so the broken glass doesn’t show as much. In my mind, it just added a little more sparkle.
Ahh, the dining room. I made the wreath hanging over my mirror several years ago, and I think it will hang in for one more year before the balls start falling off. I have some other handmade items I have made for the holidays on my buffet. No close-up; they are prettier from afar!
Turn around and check out the view. Pretty sure that is dog hair on the back of my couch. I would have removed it for the picture, but it would have shown up elsewhere.
My oversized chalkboard. A big window was given to me by a contractor friend. Years ago, I turned it into a giant chalkboard. It makes me smile every time I look at it.
I do change up what is hanging around on my dining table pretty regularly. I bought this vintage colander from a friend at Paris Flea Market and filled it with old Gold and Silver Glass ball ornaments. Look closely, you can see my reflection in the balls. Aren’t cameras the coolest things?
The Holiday Family Room Tour
Moving on to the kitchen/family room area. Bench made entirely out of junk and bookshelf made over with junk pieces and wheels greet you on the way in. Plus, one of my dog’s many tennis balls.
This is a big room, so I made little zones out of it. We have a corner where we play games, my kids do crafts, make a mess, etc.
The bookshelf was some sort of junk I found at my favorite store for junk. Urban Ore in Berkeley, CA. The desk is not up to par, with fingerprints all over the computer screen, so you only get the best view.
A warm corner with my fabric nativity scene my mom gave me years ago and our Christmas Goose that plays three songs in “quack.” My cousin gave me the Goose when my almost 17-year-old was a baby. It has survived three kids, all over 12 now! I didn’t clip the hanging thread off my old Target Joy pillow, either. Remember, this is the how I live tour. There is no detailing of pillows.
I have a skinny mantle in an oddly placed corner. Don’t know why the builder stuck it over there, but we go with it. The P E A C E stocking holders need good polishing. Every year I vow next year I will polish them. By the time they go up, I am over it. The tarnished look is in anyhow. Alison’s stocking needs to have the hanger sewed and fixed. That is always on the next year’s list too. Have you had enough reality yet? Well, there’s more!
The door to my office is shut for a good reason. Also, you wouldn’t be able to see the gold panels if the door was open. The bottom of the hollow builder door got a large hole placed in it a few years ago by a very angry little boy. I covered it up with a piece of Luon that I painted gold. I was going for the kick plate look. I think it came out O.K., and no more doors have been kicked. The little Joy wood block I made a few years ago from scrap wood. The festive snowman hanging on the door was a White Elephant Gift from our annual Christmas party. We have grown to love him like one of our own.
The Holiday Kitchen Tour
Nothing says Christmas like a card from the movie Goodfellas. Given to me by a friend who knows I have an abnormal obsession with mobster movies. I overlooked the black grout at the top of my farmhouse sink until I took this picture. It got bleached and cleaned today, but I didn’t retake the picture. I thought this picture might make you feel better, in case you are a comparative type who worries about whose sink is cleaner than theirs. By the way, the little guy hanging on the right is my Voo Doo doll from New Orleans. It keeps the bad days away. In case you were wondering what my secret to a perfect life is.
Now that you have seen it all, including the kitchen sink, our visit is ending. Turn back around, the door is the other way. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and come back soon. You can see my shiny sink now!
I love that you kept it real! That is what makes your blog so endearing!
THANK YOU! As much as I love seeing what everyone does for the holidays the perfection of it all was about to put me over the edge. Can anyone really live like that for more than 8 hours (at night while the kids are asleep)?
Love your blog!
You’re house is beautiful! Makes me want to come over for a cup of coffee (or a glass of wine) and just walk around to check everything out!
Karen there are few bloggers who’s homes I want but YOURS. Oh my word I am in love. All the little areas that you have made up are perfect in my ADD brain. It’s just gorgeous. Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS my dear friend
Hugs, Karin
your home is beautiful and you rarely show it off! i LOVE that dining room- so cozy and a perfect place to hang with those you love!
I think it looks wonderful, Karen! I went rather simple this year and felt it wasn’t worth posting either, however, if nothing else it will be a memory jogger for next year when I want to go back and see what I want to do then. Love all the Christmas pillows!
Your home is so lovely and inviting. I love your “real life” take on Christmas…very much like what goes on in my house. very refreshing
Oh my goodness….where to begin!! lol Your home is lovely first! Second…I just love you and your “real” home! I have one too…I just didn’t show all the mess (conveniently outside of the photo edge 😉 )
Your leaning star…towards Bethlehem. Oh my. You are a hoot! And the broken glass…I have a broken sand dollar inside of one of my lanterns…I didn’t remove it, I turned it around too. lol
And the dog hair…oh my goodness so funny, it will just appear somewhere else. I may or may not have removed a little from one of my photos that showed up under a piece of furniture. 😉 (sneaky golden’s hair, it’s everywhere!)
Beautiful home Karen…thanks so much for sharing
xo
Nancy
Your house looks great, Karen! Thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas to you!
WOW Karen your home is spectacular and all decked out. Just gorgeous. Happy Holiday,Merry Christmas, Happy New year, cheers, and all that good stuff. XO
Karen, it looks so lovely, comfy, and perfect!! Great job and thanks for sharing!
your home is as perfect as you need it to be.
My favorite part is that you highlighted all the important things… ornaments made by your kids, gifts from friends, the voodoo doll from New Orleans, a door fixed after an expression by an angry boy. These are the things that we make memories from and these are the things that make it home.
Thanks for sharing and reminding me.
Thank you for opening up your home to us. I love it! Merry Christmas and hope to see you next year at your paint classes.
I LOVE your home! I want to live there. 🙂
That was the best holiday tour ever. If I did one, I would need a shovel to move crap out of the way from one room to another so each room would look decent for a picture.
Karen- I knew we were alike! I, too, like to “dress up” in my gym clothes. Alas, I never seem to make it. However, people really seem to think I work out…..a lot! HAHA
Love your home and your touches!
XO, Kim
I have a dirty sink but no voodoo doll! Now that I know the secret to a happy life – maybe Santa will put one in my stocking!
Love your dog haired, pine needled house – for real!
Kelly
I love your home and tour. And YOU. As I think back over 2013, meeting up with you again (TWICE), live and in person, ranks at the top of the list. You are a real person, filled with real passion and real love. Thank you for sharing your home with us.
what a beautiful home tour! I just love seeing how everyone decorates for Christmas! My hubby grew up in Fremont–his parents are still there…not too far from you.
Your home is beautiful and your Christmas Tree is absolutely LOVELY!!! Thank you so much for sharing it with us at our Christmas Extravaganza Party!! Pinning 🙂 xoxo
Your home is lovely Karen, real life and all! I keep my office door shut too…and my basement door and my…well a lot of doors! All too often when I take photos of a project, there is a hot mess behind me that you can’t see! And don’t even get me started on the dog hair…and cat hair too. Right now I’m enjoying a peaceful night because for once the house is all clean and neat. We had our parents over last night for my son’s birthday. I need to have company over every week, just so I can enjoy a clean house more often. Have a merry Christmas!
Lovely tour! Wishing you a very Merry Christmas! x
Just beautiful! You are one of the features today at the Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Pop on in and check out your feature. Here is the link to this week’s party. http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/2013/12/make-it-pretty-monday-week-81.html Hope to see your prettiness again at the bash! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Girl, You know how much I loved this post and its my turn to pick features!! WOOT WOOT
I loved this project so much! Its being featured tomorrow on the TWIRL and TAKE A BOW link party!
Be sure to come over and grab a button!
Thanks for linking up! I can’t wait to see what you do this week!
Hugs
Karin
http://arttisbeauty.blogspot.com/2013/12/twirl-and-take-bow-link-party-and_17.html
Have a super wonderful fabulous Merry Christmas!!! <3 🙂
Love your home Karen! Have a blessed Christmas with your sweet family.
Love & hugs,
Patti
This post is hilarious and sweet, just like it’s author!
So, you’re the one who stole Nancy’s gavel! I’m glad we’re keepin’ it real! LOL OOPS! I just realized this is an old post. Oh, well…I’m just keepin’ it real!
Hi Karen! I am so grateful for you keeping it real! You should see my decorations. HaHa. My body is in bad shape right now so I just put stuff out
No rhyme or reason but I can look at them. Noone will see them but me anyway. I really need to get out and make friends. Lol