Sweet & Simple Season

Greenery and vintage finds add life and character to the neutral holiday décor of a cottage.

Christmas on a foothill farm nestled by the Appalachian Mountains means loads of fresh greenery in Stacie Moore’s holiday house, harvested right from the land. “Our home has an eclectic cottage twist and I love making it my own,” says Stacie, who is a decorator, homemaker and mother of four. “During the holidays, we forage on our farm for greenery to use throughout our spaces.” Swags, garlands and mini trees from their farm or other local growers, add a timeless, organic Christmas romance to Stacie’s interiors—along with an intoxicatingly fresh piney scent.

Nothing Like Neutrals

Neutral, vintage hues presented in unique ways, like patterned wallpapers, pair perfectly with Stacie’s holiday decor, which is also neutral yet earthily beautiful. “My holiday décor is cottage traditional, and I keep neutral décor as the focus,” Stacie says. Even the trees, though there are several, maintain a minimalist aesthetic. They are petite trees called Virginia Pines and, with their smalls size and sparser branches, are reminiscent of Charlie Brown’s little Christmas tree. Stacie displays them in a variety of antique vessels and with very few ornaments, which gives them a nostalgic feel and allows their distinct, endearingly humble look to take center stage. “We cut the trees from our own farm and there is just something very simple and sweet about them,” Stacie says. She displays them in different seating areas, elevating their visibility.

Tonal Touches

Warmth, twinkle and gleam are a contrasting accent to Stacie’s neutral décor, seen in brass candlesticks, strings of lights, shiny ornaments and even dried orange slices. A large Christmas tree, cut down from a local tree farm as a family, is layered with shimmering bulbs and lustrous strings of pearls. The touches add depth and a classic Christmas sensibility. “Traditional timeless elements with cottage touches really embody my holiday décor,” Stacie says.

Through greenery, a neutral color scheme and vintage elements, Stacie’s home has a whimsically pure cottage style, making it the perfect home sweet home for the holidays.

Features & STATEMENTS. Just like her love for the holidays, Stacie inherited her love of wallpaper from her grandmother. “I try to use it as a feature and not a statement. It brings warmth and texture,” she says. Stacie chooses wallpapers with soothing patterns and neutral colors that transition seamlessly between seasons and feel particularly whimsical during the holidays.

This is Stacie’s go-to recipe for salt dough “cookie” ornaments. With this recipe, some detailed molds and ribbon you’ll have stunning, rustic ornaments to display in your home or give as gifts.

Salt Dough Recipe

What You’ll Need:

1 cup warm water
1 cup salt
2 cups flour

What You’ll Do:

Mix salt and water until dissolved.
Add flour slowly.
Knead dough and roll it out.
Cut into desired shapes.
Poke holes into desired shapes to hang ribbon through.
Bake at 200°-250° for 2-3 hours.
Allow to cool.
Add ribbon and enjoy!

Spring life

One peek into Stacie’s holiday home and you’ll see greenery in nearly every nook and cranny, adding life and rustic beauty to her Christmas spaces. Here are her top five ways for decorating with greenery:

Over the Door. Framing doors in garlands or simply topping them with swags is a wonderful way to draw the eye up and heighten any room while adding holiday charm. “It’s like a living door pediment,” Stacie says.
In Movable Vessels. From jars to vases and baskets to buckets, any type of antique movable vessel is a wonderful way to create portable décor that you can easily move throughout your home. “Since I display my greenery atop our benches and in our kitchen where I’m often baking, having them in easily movable vessels is tremendously helpful,” Stacie says. “It also gives my décor a bit of flexibility.”
Around Windows. Nothing says Christmastime quite like a window framed in greenery. It’s a classic look with a colonial touch, especially when you make it your own, like Stacie does by adding dried orange slices. You can also add strings of cranberries, ornaments or other edible elements, like cinnamon sticks!
• On Tabletops and Mantels. Greenery laid directly onto a tabletop and accented with candles or swagged across a mantel are also timeless options. By using greenery as a neutral in your home, you really can’t have too much.

To see more of Stacie’s beautiful home visit @stacie_taylor_moore on Instagram.