Decorating & Design
December 17, 2019
13 Cozy Holiday Homes You’ll Want To Spend Christmas In
There’s nothing quite as magical as a home decorated for the holidays. And while all of the homeowners featured below took different approaches — from personal touches to lush greenery — all look like the perfect place to wake up on Christmas morning. Click through to get inspired!
A Merry & Bright Farmhouse
You can practically feel the holiday magic in this cheerful family-friendly farmhouse in Port Perry, Ontario. Homeowner and designer Angela Wheeler’s 4,000-square-foot country home sits on a 30-hectare property complete with a skating rink.
Angela’s husband Josh Malcolm and their son, Will, take a break from doing laps around the rink. The canvas-covered “prospector’s tent” is an ideal place to warm up with a mug of hot chocolate.
Warm up cold hands and feet by the handsome stone fireplace in the heritage living room. This inviting gathering place balances rustic and refined style with a reclaimed-wood coffee table, vintage-like floral drapery and natural greenery.
When decorating their Christmas tree this year, Angela took a whimsical approach with colorful ornaments and nostalgic motifs (think: gingerbread men and rocking horses. It harkens back to childhood memories when sugarplum fairies danced in our heads.
A Lush & Eclectic Heritage Home
In this storied Georgian house in Prince Edward County, homeowners Ian Letts and Shelley Durnin reclaimed the historical beauty of this treasured property by peeling back the wallpaper to reveal worn green paint. “The patina may feel itchy and scratchy to some, but to me, it feels textured and luxurious,” says Shelley.
Florist Alison Westlake of Coriander Girl spruced up the entryway with smilax vine garland for a fresh, festive feel. “It gives a secret garden feel to any space and twirls around banisters beautifully,” she says.
Moroccan touches — like the oversized pendant and jewel-toned coffee table — exude global flair in the “casbah lounge.” To keep all of the attention on the luxe and rich elements, the evergreen trees were left bare.
More is more in the maximalist dining room, complete with elegant wallpaper, salvaged antique tables and a gilt tablecloth made out of Moroccan wedding blankets.
An Enchanting Old Stone Farmhouse
For homeowners Andraya Frith and Graham Kechnie, escaping to their homey farmhouse in Stirling, Ontario has become a Christmas tradition.
“It’s really hard to pry yourself out of this room in the winter,” says Andraya. This cozy living room is the perfect place to open presents on December 25th, thanks to the roaring fireplace, sink-in wing-back chairs and hand-hewn wooden beams.
A towering Douglas fir — adorned with simple string lights, meaningful ornaments and dried orange slices Andraya DIYs herself — illuminates the open-concept living area.
What makes the country abode so special is its collection of family heirlooms, found objects and natural stone walls. In the dining room, a long harvest table can easily accomodate the whole family for Christmas dinner, plus the mismatched chairs add an eclectic feel. “If one of the chairs breaks, it’s not a big deal,” says Andraya. “We just add another old one to the mix!”
Tour more of this home here.
A Snowy Prince Edward County Cabin
The all-white interior of former fashion designer Lorren Leveille’s Prince Edward County home was inspired by a magazine spread of a 17th-century stone house in England, decorated exclusively in chalky white tones. Accent colors look even more vibrant in the wintry envelope, while a sprinkling of mercury glass and greenery add sparkle and life.
A spruce wreath dresses up the bare windows of the salvaged 19th-century barn doors. The frosty look of velvet pillows and a seeded eucalyptus arrangement enhance the cabin’s wintry vibe.
Candy-colored vintage ornaments, a pressed-tin star garland and gifts tied with wide bows add festive color in the white-on-white cabin.
Tour more of this home here.
A Perfect Holiday Getaway Home
Nestled on the shore of Little Lake Joseph in Muskoka, Ontario, this snow-capped cottage is the perfect winter escape.
In the kitchen, a simple wreath hung above the sink adds festive spirit. Polished nickel accents and a copper range hood introduce subtle shine.
The floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace is the soul of the dining room. “I wanted to bring a piece of nature indoors,” explains designer Tim Johnson.
In the principal bedroom, a crystal chandelier and Gothic-style mirror add a touch of glam against the room’s rustic wood envelope. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow for magical views.
A Family-Friendly Holiday Haven
Flanking either side of Grace Castaneda and David Seville’s front door, tall urns stuffed with evergreens create a merry welcome. Charcoal paint gives the couple’s home a modern façade.
Rustic burlap stockings and plenty of greenery — including a tree, wreath and long boxwood garland — add Christmas cheer while keeping to the home’s neutral, clean palette.
To give her dining room a holiday vibe, Grace topped her table with a teal burlap tablecloth trimmed with gold bullion.
In the principal bedroom, a bright chartreuse throw keeps to Grace’s nature-inspired palette.
A West Coast Home With Natural Christmas Decor
Vancouver’s rainy weather and towering pines inspire succulent designer Corinne Isherwood’s pared-down approach to Christmas. Her 5,600-square-foot west side home combines organic elements like wood and brass with a contemporary sensibility.
Brass accents play off white walls in the formal living room, where streamlined modern furniture surrounds a handsome herringbone-pattern brick hearth. “The blue brings so much life to the room,” says Corinne of the vibrant rug by Jan Kath.
A framed chalkboard in the kitchen is used for hand-drawn holiday menus and messages.
Tour more of this home here.
A Picture-Perfect Cottage By Sarah Richardson Design
Towering trees surround Len and Teresa Conlon’s Muskoka, Ontario, cottage. The couple, who live in Arizona, fell for the promise of a white Christmas. “For us, the holidays are all about the tree, the evergreen garlands, and most of all, the snow.”
A long dining table ensures that there’s ample room for visiting family and friends to congregate around. “When we have a gang of people up here, we put all the food on the island, buffet-style, and everyone helps themselves,” explains Teresa.
Wood-planked walls and a stone fireplace capture the cottage’s rustic spirit. An antique rug grounds the lofty space and adds rich color underfoot.
To create a relaxing principal retreat, designer Lindsay Mens Craig chose a soothing grey and white palette.
A Cozy Country Home
“It’s a treasured retreat for our family to connect and recalibrate,” explains homeowner Pheona Wright of her rustic-meets-contemporary weekend home.
White-painted brick walls provide a clean backdrop for Pheona’s towering, 13-foot Christmas tree. A mix of organic textures and time-worn furnishings honor the home’s historic architecture.
We’d love to retreat to Pheona’s spare principal bedroom at the end of the day! A graphic throw and set of striped black and white pillows introduce an element of pattern to the space.
Tour more of this home here.
A Historic Toronto Farmhouse
Miranda Ogilvie and Dana Hanson’s shingled farmhouse has country-in-the-city appeal. A garland and string of Christmas lights wrapped around the porch create a welcoming entrance.
Sentimental pieces are important to Miranda and Dana, who dress their living room tree with a collection of ornaments gifted to them from family and friends, as well as popcorn garlands made by their daughters.
An unadorned band of garland helps define the stairwell and looks right at home next to an heirloom spindle chair.
Tour more of this home on H&H TV.
A Historic House Reimagined As A Pastoral Retreat
Designer Ray Murakami chose simple furnishings for this historic home’s great room. “This room was already beautiful,” he explains. “I wanted nature to be the focal point and didn’t want the distraction of busy patterns.”
This breakfast room is an idyllic spot to watch the snow falling. To give the space an indoor-outdoor feel, Ray installed floor-to-ceiling windows and opted for modern wicker chairs.
Barnboard wall sliding and hand-hewn ceiling beams give the dining room a rustic appeal, while a limestone mantel adds a note of polish.
A Modern Woodland Retreat
Mark Robert and Jim Johnson’s modest, 1,200-square-foot black cabin looks striking against its natural surroundings.
To create a welcoming winter refuge, Mark and Jim used a luxe, smokey grey palette. “This place is all about hunkering down with the fire going — it’s a warm and cozy space that envelops you,” says Mark.
A wood-plank dining table and spun string lamp add natural texture and create a tailored, rustic feel in the dining room.
Plush throws are all that’s needed to keep warm while watching the snow fall from this grand screened-in porch.
Pine-panelled walls are a natural backdrop for Mark and Jim’s eclectic collection of antique finds. Clipped tree branches displayed in a jar bring a bit of the season indoors.
A French-inspired Farmhouse
Rustic stone, shuttered windows and a tiled gable roof give Jim and Susan Hill’s home its romantic façade. “We wanted a place that friends and family could enjoy,” says Susan.
A white oak staircase commands attention in the entrance of the Hill’s home, while verdant boughs add a merry note.
An oversized wreath fills the fireplace in the dining room, while candles set aglow create a warm, intimate mood.
Greenery takes center stage in the Hill’s living room thanks to a soaring Christmas tree and stuffed wicker basket on the coffee table.