Holiday Home Tour, 2013
If you’re new here, welcome to Snazzy Little Things, my DIY & vintage decor blog! Feel free to browse the many projects that brought me here today. My site has primarily been focused on the evolution of my builder’s grade home, some hardcore remodeling and DIY. I was so flattered to be invited to participate in “The 12 Days of Christmas Home Tour” blog series. It seems that DIY has taken over our life at times, and I’m looking forward to the holidays just to enjoy and reflect.
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Come on in…I’ll show you what we’ve accomplished so far…
My daughter told me that the inside of the house was all “buttered up”…so we buttered up the outside.
A little holiday ensemble is right outside the entrance. A Craigslist chippy table, and a Pinterest-inspired wreath. Yes, I gave into the monogrammed wreath trend…it really pops against the black door. I read that East-facing doors painted black are good Feng Shui.
Would you like some coffee? Have a seat…we’ve made a lot of changes around here. Since this photo was taken, we removed the black bookcases, and hung old shutters instead. We still talk about installing distressed, industrial pipe fitted shelving. We are going for a French-Industrial look, with a more casual farmhouse feel. So I’m searching for a distressed, vintage sign to replace that scroll embellishment above the mirror. And the existing bookcases may end up in my craft room in the basement. But right now, I love how far we’ve come…
Next…the view from the kitchen looking towards the back of my house…this is the dinette and the sunroom. I’ll tell you the backstory on that white table towards your right…it was a broken T.J. Maxx “rescue” and was once a glossy black. Here is the tutorial on how I transformed it. You know I love to transform furniture. This piece sat in clearance for a whole week before my vision came together. So lucky it was still there–I can’t imagine that space without it now, can you? If you’re wondering how to enlarge pictures for image transfer, click here.
Decorating with antlers…loving the woodland feel that it gives the room.
A conversation piece–Gene Autry’s autograph is inside of this little book. Isn’t that fun? A cool find for $3.00 at my local antique store. “Who’s Gene Autry?” My kids ask. So I play a Christmas song. Nowwww…they get it.
The room below has since gone through an upgrade, but here it is in 2013. It’s where our family spends the most time. We introduced a LARGE (50″) clock from Wayfair to fill some of our empty, two-story walls. I am very light on holiday decor, so I decided to make my own. See the “JOY” sign? Easy tutorial here. I’m also sewing a new slipcover for my couch. And I decided the centerpiece should be one that we can use. So for our coffee-hot-cocoa addicted family, I made an arrangement using my Princess House holiday crystal collection. This house is great for entertaining, which we plan to do more of in the coming year. In fact, we have friends coming for dinner next weekend…
This is what you see when you walk through the foyer hallway. Lots of thrift store and antique finds here. The window? $20 with ALL the panes intact. The window project is a work in progress…I will post more about it soon. Also, what would you do? We talk about putting in all wood floors throughout the living room. With a big throw rug? I think I’d love it…but it might be like living in a gymnasium.
A little seating area to the left of the fireplace. White birch branches, a chalk painted milk can and a vintage tree stamp…oh, and the chair is from T.J. Maxx.
Punching things up with a bit of “bling” on the fireplace…an antique candelabra set caught my eye…I cannot resist bling. And I like it with chippy, rustic things too. My favorite combination? Pairing opposites. That Little Ben clock I bought from The Curious Moose…you’d love that store.
I realize that entertainment centers aren’t popular anymore…but if you’re gonna have one, fill it with things you love. And to be honest? I really like mine. Call me old fashioned, but they still sell them at cool stores like Restoration Hardware. Speaking of…do you see how RH influenced some of my decorating?
A peek into the sunroom…it faces west so it gets a LOT of afternoon sun. I was considering putting up large, billowy curtains around the sunroom entrance, making the room separate from the rest of the house…that could be a neat way to make it feel like it’s own, intimate space.
Our tree is 10 feet tall…so we can afford only a small sitting area in the corner. My daughter loves to read Shel Silverstein here…very peaceful. Until she sees her friends outside in the backyard…
Some ornaments we’ve made in years past…link to this post can be found here. We made these long before I started blogging, and once I find the source for the ideas…I will post it here.
Some new mixed with old…which I always love…and that candle in the window? From Frontgate Outlet and they turn on / off automatically. I love Dickens-style holiday decorating.
A makeshift wrapping station. Truth be told…I love bringing the outdoors in, but don’t love the mess. I wanted a place where I could cut pieces of juniper for wrapping presents, but have them fall somewhere besides the floor. This galvanized tub did the trick. If you look to the left…you’d be looking straight out at our deck…
…and you’d be looking at this…Buddy is done eating snow now. So naturally it’s your job to bring him in. And he’s sending you telepathic messages to tell you this. Then… he will start to whimper in 10 minutes to go out again. Why? To eat more snow…
Quick shot at night of the entire living area. I love the open design. But do you see what I mean when I say we live in a “one room cabin”? This is the view from my daughter’s bedroom. Having the kids rooms upstairs makes it REALLY tough for Santa and the elves to do their work…(I would imagine). It’s also tough if you want to watch “Breaking Bad” or “Mad Men” on TV. This explains why our basement remodel was essential. We needed a grown up space.
Heading into the kitchen…some embellished vintage jars. These belonged to my grandfather, a touch of pine gives it just the right look for the season. If you’ve been here before, you’ve seen SO much of my kitchen, but if you’re new here, here is a link where I can show you around. The kitchen has a hot cocoa station and a Keurig. Loving the changes we’ve made so far, but it’s a work in progress. Our second phase of upgrades is underway. Check back often to see how we’re doing….
A little Mason Jar holiday craft I surprised my kids with tonight. They loved it…these ideas and how-to’s are all over Pinterest. I will find a good one and share, but I was winging it when I went to the craft store and didn’t consult a tutorial. I bought glitter, and the figures, and I was done. Ours is a little girl walking with her dog who has an umbrella in his mouth.
Another holiday craft…the DIY travelers’ letters…something you will find at World Market that you can easily DIY. Tutorial can be found here…
I really appreciate you stopping by. Before you leave, you can see in my office that I put up another tree…and I’m working on a few additional crafts. We’re framing some old family photos…(did you know I’m getting a CRAFT ROOM??)…anyway, you’ll see some colorized photos of our family soon. We don’t have enough on display, and Mr. Snazzy found a new hobby of colorizing our black and white pictures, and he can literally send print jobs home from 200 miles away. While I’m in the house..sometimes our printer starts printing and I see he’s been working on a new family photo to print. High tech, love it.
Come back again soon…and happy holidays!
Be sure to visit all 29 other ladies that I’ve partnered with in this series “The 12 Days of Christmas Home Tours”. It’s like a progressive decorating party, and the series is loaded with great tutorials, decor ideas and recipes. I’ve seen some incredible ideas in this series already. Enjoy, and happy holidays!
Everything looks so beautiful Jeanette. Very warm and inviting. I love your style…and I like a little sparkle and bling too.
Thanks Sharon…I love yours also, enjoyed all of your little touches. Your tour makes me want to go out and find a few lanterns, I love everything you did this year. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Jeanette! Everything looks absolutely stunning! I love, love, love the autograph book and all of the wonderful ornaments you and your family have made over the years! Visiting your beautiful holiday home is such a warm and wonderful way to start my day. Thank you so much for sharing with us – I am just loving all of these fabulous visits! Pinning and sharing! Hope you have a happy and merry Sunday!
Cindy, thanks so much for stopping by…isn’t that autograph book neat? I bought it not thinking the relevance of it at Christmastime…Gene Autry was one of my family favorites growing up. I can’t wait for your tour! At least we can all visit each other virtually over the holidays. :)
Jeanette!! Your home tour is stunning! I love your style so much :) First I want those chairs in your living room!! That window is so awesome can’t believe you got it for such a great price! I love all your little touches, the metal tub for wrapping gifts, your trees are gorgeous, the coco station so cute! Your office! I especially love how you decorated the entryway so inviting :) and of course love all your touches of bling, you did a beautiful job!!
Dria you’re too sweet…Buddy is a character. He was very good throughout the tour too. The chairs are from Homegoods, FYI :) I love your style too, I’m using your tutorials for inspiration in our basement (soon…I know I keep talking about it). thanks for inviting me to this tour, it was a lot of work but it was fun!
Beautiful home! Was wondering if you know the type of stone on the fireplace. It is gorgeous!
Hi Beth…thanks so much for stopping by! And thanks for the compliment. :) That fireplace was one of the very few upgrades I was willing to pay for when I built in 2005. That, and square footage upgrades. I hopped on the Ryan Homes website (this is an “Esquire” floorplan)…I know I have the paperwork (somewhere)…but it looks like the option was close to something called “Ledgestone Wisconsin. My stones are a bit bigger than that…but if I come across this I will repost. Before 2005, can you believe they only did fake / facade fireplaces and any real stone was considered an upgrade? Lol, my times have changed. Here is a link to something similar: http://www.lowes.com/pd_290588-86200-1022_?PL=1&productId=3030711#BVRRWidgetID
Love Love Love your Home Tour!! I have one quick ? – what color paint is the black on your front door? I’ve never wanted to paint my front door (it’s stained now) until I saw the picture of yours!
Thank you so much, Sandi. This was my first tour, we’ve been primarily DIY’ing and not decorating so I had a lot of work to do to prepare for this tour. Happy I did it though. It forced me to try things that I haven’t done in previous years
The door tutorial is here, https://www.snazzylittlethings.com/black-painted-front-door-lessons-learned/ and I used Rustoleum Oil Based Gloss Black Professional. I bought it at Lowes or Home Depot…can’t remember which. Here is the full post and you can see a picture of the actual paint. Thanks for stopping by…hope to see you again soon. :)
Oh Jeanette, What a fabulous home. I could move right in. I love all your Christmas decor. I don’t know where to start….love the big mirror and silver decor….the front porch with the table and monogrammed wreath are perfect……and I want that large window beside your fireplace. Can’t wait to see what you do with it. Thanks for the tour and have a great weekend.
Kathy thank you so much for stopping by and the kind words. Finally getting around to reply to everyone. It was a lot of fun, this tour. I am still working through my crafts while doing a lot of catch up on shopping before we travel for the holidays. Will be in touch and will stop into Petticoat Junktion often. Take care :)
Oh how I love your tree at night! That view from the stairs is gorgeous! AND that autograph book, such an awesome find. Thanks for the tour, your home it beautiful! ~Sonya
Wow! Everything looks amazing! The snow adds such a wintry feel! Love the huge mirror, love your JOY letters from letters, and that autograph book is a terrific find! Thanks for sharing your beautiful home! :)
Jeanette, I love your home! So warm and inviting. The tree is stunning. My favorite is the large window next to the fireplace. What a great find and there are so many fun ideas to decorate with it. Have a warm weekend. ~Jeanette
I am in love with your home! It is so beautiful, cozy, festive and inviting. Love it all!! REally, truly, beautiful. :)
Happy to be touring with you!!
Oh my goodness, I am not even sure where to begin! Your home is beeeuuuutiful! :) Let’s see…I totally love the “all buttered up” comment. So cute! And you know I love that TJ Maxx table! The autograph book, LOVE that! How awesome. The jars of your grandfathers, your trees, Sir Buddy…. all just wonderful!
We replaced all carpet in our entire home and we love, love it! (And, btw, I’m jealous of all the folks that live in an area with basements = extra living space. We don’t have basements here so close to the coast)
What a lovely tour Jeanette (and I love your entertainment unit too and think it looks perfect in your room! We had one that I really liked a lot actually but unfortunately our room was way too small for it)
And lastly….I cannot resist bling at all either. ;)
Thanks for sharing your lovely home!
xo
Nancy
Nancy you are so full of compliments, I don’t know how to thank you enough. I appreciate you spending time here, and I like the idea of ripping up that carpet, but don’t want to lose the cozy feeling in our main living area. I didn’t think about the lack of basement space on the coasts, we really are spoiled with square footage, aren’t we? Always checking your blog too for the latest goodies…thanks again Nancy!
Your holiday home is absolutely gorgeous! I love your wreath on your front door! Have a great week and it’s been a pleasure to be a part of this tour with you!
Thank you so much Leslie I appreciate the kind words. Happy holidays to you and your family. :)
Wow, Jeanette! Everything is just stunning! So many beautiful details in every single room! LOVE it! Thanks so much for sharing!
~Abby =)
Abby, thank you so much! I learned a lot from all of you on this tour. I appreciate your wisdom and guidance. Very grateful that I’m teamed up with some fabulous and talented ladies. Your tour is amazing as well. :)
Jeanette,
I am in love with your home, creativity, and your photographs! You are so talented and I am encouraged and inspired by your taste.
Pinned!!
Meegan I’m so excited to be teamed up with all of you outstanding bloggers. Can’t wait to share your tour too. Loved your framed music tutorial and shared it on my FB wall. Happy to hear the pictures turned out ok…all iPad 4 shots until I get a camera. Thanks again!
What a wonderful tour Jeanette! Thanks for having us in! I love all the details and creativity you share. Style girl! You’ve got style and I like it!
Cheers
thanks Therese and back at ya. I’m having a lot of fun doing this tour with all of you. What a nice group of ladies. Thanks for including me!
Everything looks so pretty in your home. I’m also a huge vintage fan and really appreciated every vintage detail in your home. You are lucky to have your grandfather’s bottles. Decorating with family treasures is one of my favorite things to do. Thanks so much for opening your home to us!
Thanks so much Paula for the nice comments. My grandfather collected old fruit jars and would be happy to see them in use for my winterscape. Looking forward to your tour this week. :)
I love it all Jeanette! I can’t wait to go back and click through some of the projects you’ve mentioned in your post. ;) Everything is so warm and inviting. My favorite photo has to be the one you took upstairs looking down- what an open, beautiful space. Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you Jen for stopping by! That picture was so last minute and a one time shot. Not even thinking it turned out to be one of the better shots from the day. Looking forward to your turn on the tour. :)
I love your home! How beautiful. My favorite shot is the one from the balcony. I’ve always wanted a balcony in a house. I also love all your DIY décor!
Megan thank you for stopping by and for the nice comments. I appreciate your comment on the photography, that picture breaks all the rules (lights on, taken at night, on an iPad). Sometimes art can be achieved by breaking the rules. Loved your tour also..take care.
Jeanette, you are a lovely woman and your home is truly a Christmas dream. It’s beautiful! Merry Christmas!
Thanks so much Denise, it was a labor of love and I definitely had fun shopping your store as tastes evolve. I love my clocks, they fit everywhere in the house. Thanks for stopping by.
Jeanette your home is so beautiful. So many things to see! That TJ Maxx table is amazing. Your tree looks spectacular. I just love all of your little touches and everything is so inviting! Thanks so much for sharing your home with us on this tour!! Pinning!
Your tour is absolutely stunning! I am in love with the porch. You are one talented lady! So happy to be touring with you! ~Christy
Jeanette,
Your home is gorgeous! Love all the industrial touches. It’s really coming together. My favorite part is that your tree is in the middle of the room! I think that’s the first I’ve seen like that. Might just have to try that next year :)
Have a very Merry Christmas!
Hugs …
Lani
Your home looks beautiful, Jeanette! I love that little gift wrapping station! So cute and practical!
Your home looks so inviting. You have added so much love and personality, it really shows.
Chloe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you’ll stop back again for a visit here. I appreciate your comments…thank you again.
Oh my goodness, so gorgeous! I love how it’s all so open – it just takes your holiday decorating to a whole new level! All of your details are perfection. Stunning!
So excited that you stopped by! Your blog and all the pretty graphics really got the wheels turning for me. What a beautiful way to display tours…thanks for your kind words. I hope you had a nice holiday!
Your home is simply enchanting Jeanette!!!! Love all the details! Happy New Year!
You are too sweet – this is my first tour and it requires a LOT of focus to take stuff out of storage and truly “stage” it for the first time. 200 pictures later it looks great but this is truly not my normal state of being :)
Happy New Year to you as well!