Living less than an hour from the big city of Chicago doesn't stop me from fancying myself a country farm gal. Within a stone's throw of my home are hundreds of acres of forest, wildlife galore and on any given day I can look out my window to see a rider on horseback or a coyote trot by.  Each morning, I slip on my garden shoes and with an old tin bucket of water, let my chickens out of their coop for the day.  Each night, in the distance, or in a nearby tree, I hear the hooting song of the neighborhood owl.  Everyone should experience country living.

I was so excited when Wayfair approached me to be part of their 2019 Holiday Decorating Campaign.  Their vast product choices are fantastic and inspirational; and with a click an order will arrive. Inspiration for this Holiday decorating concept pays homage to the wonderful, magical environment right outside my door - A Chicago Farmhouse Christmas.  

Everyone should be inspired by the place they call home. Enjoy these Holiday decorating ideas and styling tips to deck your own homestead this Holiday Season. 
Cheers: 

The Tree: 

• Any holiday decorating starts with a great tree. Natural looking, not too full, because after all  - you have to adorn it. 
• Add a trendy tree collar to the base. Collars are a great choice because they bring visual weight to the base of the tree. I chose a galvanized metal one for a casual, farmhouse feel.
• No star topper on my tree. Instead, my nod to my night time songster, the owl gets the highest spot on the tree. Tip:  To attach this sort of topper, use floral wire to secure it to the branches.
• To add texture, interest, and volume to the tree, add decorative eucalyptus sprays.  Randomly insert the sprays into the branches of the tree.  Eucalyptus leaves are soft, round and counter the sharper texture of the evergreen needles. Their gray/green leaf color pairs well with the galvanized metal tree collar. Tip: When inserting the sprays, let them protrude from the tree 7-9 inches. This will give your tree a fuller look.
• The ornament collection.  Each ornament has an artisan, handmade or 'maker' look.  All the ornaments were picked with nature or wildlife in mind - owls, raccoon, deer, birds, fox. Oh what fun for family and guests to enjoy these ornaments on the tree.

The Table:

• Create a beautiful centerpiece with a long decorative bowl. The wood and style adds that rustic, folksy feel.  Build the centerpiece by layering frosted eucalyptus garland on the bottom of the bowl.  Tuck in woodsy Birch bark flameless candles , then add a few red ball ornaments for a pop of color. Tip: Make sure candles are unscented for the dining table -you want to smell the food, not the candles.  
• A rustic burlap runner creates a cozy table.  If you want a twist on the traditional, add two runners vertically instead.
• Dig out your Grandma's China, and create an 'opposites attract' look by using simple, yet festive soft red chambray cotton napkins and galvanized metal and wood napkin rings. 

Around the House:

• Adorn your mantle with a statement piece such as this deer wall decor to set the seasonal scene.
• With Holiday guests galore, you'll need extra seating.  A pair of fun and fluffy faux fur poufs will play into your festive farmhouse look. 
• Stockings hung with care on a blanket ladder rather than the fireplace are so much more interesting. The ladder's white dipped bottom will add to the Holiday flair. Tip: Attach stockings with zip ties. 
• For a real farmhouse feel, take down the usual family pictures on the walls. Hang instead this rustic empty window pane art collage. The window panes have a perfect well worn, farm style patina. Print out recent snapshots or vintage photos of your Holiday guests and add them behind the window panes to create some great conversation.
• Roll out the festive Holiday cocktails on this two tiered bar cart. Perfect for an extra service area, this bar cart has a funky, farmhouse style and will roll to wherever the guests are.
• Deck the doors, drape the mantle, and even the buffet with understated, but lovely eucalyptus wreathes (by now you've discovered my eucalyptus thread) and holiday pine garland to finish the festive farmhouse styling.

Amaryllis Centerpiece (photo: Country Living)

If you want to have some beautiful Amaryllis blooms for this year's Christmas season, start growing them now. I love having fresh or live floral in my home rather than silk or faux. These little wonders which are easy to grow - pack a huge decorative punch and create just the right ambiance for a beautifully dressed holiday home. 
You can buy Amaryllis bulbs in a nice little kit, complete with soil and a pot, or if you have just a bit of a green thumb - buy loose bulbs which you can plant collectively in a large vase or bowl.  You can purchase the kits at any home improvement store and bulbs at a garden center.  A collection of bulbs will create a lovely centerpiece or entry statement maker. A single bloom is lovely on a counter, mantle or part of a tablescape. When to start? Below is a planting and bloom guide to help you determine when to get indoor gardening.

Amaryllis Bloom Chart (photo: Source)

I added a few more pictures to get you inspired to get a bit of dirt under your nails and celebrate the season with Amaryllis. I too started a Pin Board on Pinterest with more ideas: AMARYLLIS CHRISTMAS

Amaryllis Tablescape (photo: Southern Living)

Amaryllis in Mercury Glass Vase (photo: BH&G)

A simple container garden can showcase the season

• Make sure your home's entry is buyer friendly by maintaining walkways and having a lovely entry rug to land wet feet. A basket full of those blue booties can keep your floors clean and make your guests comfortable when walking about your home.

• When seasonally staging/decorating a home keep true to the bones of the home and the decorative style of the interior. Be very careful when staging and styling the home keeping in-tune to the price point, architecture, and decorative interior style.

Accessorize to the style of your home.

• When decorating,  limit your accessories and decor -think "Holiday "Lite" when unpacking your festive boxes. Holiday and seasonal decorating make homes feel real and buyers happy. But too much, too personal, or too many colors can obscure views, make rooms feel smaller and distract buyers from their true purpose: deciding whether or not your home is right for them.

Go Holiday "Lite" when selling your home.

Create simple curb appeal when selling during Holiday months.

• This same rule applies to the exterior of the home. Keep it simple. Two lovely urns seasonally dressed flagging your entry adds classic appeal, rather than a large blow-up Holiday character to greet guests.

• Think twice before displaying decorations specific to your religious or cultural heritage,  it makes it more difficult for others who don't share your background or beliefs to envision themselves living in the space.

• Battery operated candles offer a cozy feel and keep your home safe, Fresh seasonal flowers or greenery in vases, bowls of ornaments are simple ways of celebrating the season when selling.

Stay safe when selling your home

• Tap the spirit. Light the fireplace if you have one.  Decorate with a pretty throw or pillow, add the scents of the season. Make your home cozy, inviting and warm someone else might want to move right in.

Make your home cozy when selling in fall and winter.

As the weather outside gets frightful, and people are focused on Black Friday sales and what Roast Beast they'll be serving is there hope for those who have their home FOR SALE?

A home can be sold during the holidays if you apply a few rules and stage your home properly.

Here in Chicago, our winter holidays are an open invitation to go WAY over board with the concept of "Decking the Halls" -With too many trims, lights and blow-up seasonal icons bellowing on our front yards.

Deck the halls in key "Showcase" areas of your home - Such as your kitchen island.

My business, Reinventing Space  had the pleasure to be featured a few weeks ago in a clever and informative article on Selling Your Home During the Holidays in the Chicago Tribune - "Make holiday home sale a reality."




Here is some key advice from the article:

•Those left combing the market during November and December are typically more serious about the home hunt, Spreen said. They might include families relocating for job changes, first-timers ready to leap during a slow market, and those who've recently sold a home and need a new place to live.

•"You'll have fewer showings, but they'll be more powerful," said Dennis Dooley, managing broker with Prudential Rubloff Properties. Holiday season buyers are typically "motivated and financially ready," he added.

•Deck the halls with restraint. Holiday decorations make homes festive and buyers merry. But too many ornaments, wreaths and garlands can obscure views, make rooms feel smaller and distract buyers from their true purpose: deciding whether or not your home is right for them.

•And think twice before displaying decorations specific to your religious or cultural heritage, said interior stylist Julea Joseph, owner of Reinventing Space in Palos Park, since it makes it more difficult for others who don't share your background or beliefs to envision themselves living in the space.

•Photographs should picture the home as it appears in the current season, but sellers may want to capture and post additional shots of summer landscaping to give a hint of what lies ahead.

•Tap the spirit. Light the fireplace if you have one. Decorate with a pretty throw. Make your home cozy, and someone else might want to nest there.

•Clear the schedule. Since buyers are likely to be fewer in number during the dark days of winter, be ready to accommodate the interest you do have.

Deck the halls "lite" when your home is on the market during the holidays.

Since 1999, certified interior stylist Julea Joseph has owned Chicago area based interiors and home staging business - Reinventing Space. Your can see her work on HGTV or in the news giving homeowners expert insight on how to refresh, style and celebrate their space -Whether staging their home to go on the market, just settling in, or just in need of a change.  Julea also offers her expertise with mentoring and certification educational offerings to Realtors, Home Stagers and Interior Redesigners in the industry. Visit her site, JULEA.com or Interior Stylist Program. For more information 708.448.7500 or email her at Julea@Julea.com.

With fall well on its way, a bit of frost on the dawn lawns, and the rich colors of autumn making way to subtle shades of whites and grays;  the Holiday Season is drawing near.  Most of us will happily host some sort of soiree, entertain a gathering of family and friends and  just want to fuss and primp our space in celebration of this very special time of year!

Here are some timely tips and helpful hints for November to help make your home for the holidays.

Make it Cozy:  From changing our pillows to unfolding those warm throws. nothing speaks “cozy” than creating an environment rich in comfort. Consider swapping out those silk or cotton pillows with ones enveloped in velvet, felted wool or knits (many retailers now offer just pillow covers to make the switch more budget and space friendly.) Consider investing in a faux fur or hand knit cabled throw to make that living room sofa or favorite chair a cold day cocoon.



A rich throw changes the mood of the room.

 Overstock's Mongolian-Wool-Fur-Throw













 Vern Yip for HSN - Wool felt pillow










Light the Way: Lighting on dimmers will set the festive felling for your home. Create ambiance and mood by putting your plug in lighting on dimmers. You’ll love the results and also set the stage for your Christmas twinkles as well. Swap out your bulbs for “Reveal” bulbs that cast a softer hue. You room's hue and your complexion will thank you. Candle light is also a wonderful gem to make your home inviting and fulfill the senses.   From clean burning soy to battery operated wonders, the flicker and soft scent from candles make any environment happy.



Floral Arrangement in Silver Bucket

Add a Bit of Sparkle: Nothing says “Entertain in Style” more than shine and sparkle. Dig out that silver and get it polished. From footed punch bowls or ice buckets hosting a floral arrangement to serving trays showcasing powder room toiletries or a holiday vignette, silver makes everything look rich (whether plated or not!) You can also use this trick of the trade with metal such as copper, gold, brass or nickel.



Celebrate the Heirlooms: We have inherited or collected items with lifelong meaning. From vintage finds to pass down treasures; this time of year is the perfect time to pull out these special pieces. Dress up your Holiday Buffet by using Grandma’s tea cup collection as salt cellars, or butter pat holders. That French Antique Bird Cage can be a show stopper display on your foyer entry table with snow dusted sprigs, nest, and berries tucked inside. Reinvent your China Cabinet with a mix of old photos, ornaments and such to give your dining room a bit of ancestry.

Antique Bird Cage from Home Decorators

Check back next month for December’s list…