A Very Merry Farmhouse Christmas Kitchen
What I love about Christmas is decorating, and the family of course! Here is how I decorated my farmhouse kitchen for the holidays!
Welcome to my Very Merry Christmas farmhouse kitchen – the heart of Worthing Court! I think I had more fun decorating my kitchen this year than I ever, ever have in the past. I did some thinking about why I felt that way and I decided it was because I allowed myself to return to my Christmas roots this year.
You see, in recent years, I think that I’ve tried to force my Christmas to be something that isn’t me. I felt like I had to get rid of my traditional, well loved, Christmas decorations and replace them with something new.
To be totally transparent – I thought that I would no longer be a cool blogger if I used any of the Christmas items that I’ve collected over the years, such as my vintage Fitz & Floyd Santa cookie jar and Santa chalkboard holder.
I moved myself away from my much loved, collected Christmas decorations for the last several years. So, I started using oversize, glittery, over the top tree ornaments. I no longer used my traditional Christmas green anything and thought that I could only use the newest shade of soft lime green. People stopped setting up Christmas villages, so I thought that I would appear old fashioned if I put any of ours on display.
Last year, I banned red and green almost completely and went with mostly neutral Christmas decorations. Don’t get me wrong – I adore neutral Christmas decorations and I thought what I had done was beautiful, but it wasn’t me and it wasn’t what represents Christmas to my family. I could see it in their eyes and I could hear it in their voices.
You know what I found out? I was wrong. So wrong. In trying to keep up with what everyone else was doing, I had managed to remove much of the magic of Christmas from my home. Our house felt more like a storefront than our own home. It even seemed like some of the excitement was gone.
So this year, out came the red! And out came the green! I pulled out some of those collected Christmas treasures that had been relegated to a box in the back of the attic. In a way, I felt like I had come home again for Christmas!
And, my sweet Pookie gave me the ultimate compliment a few days ago, when out of the blue, while walking through the house, he said, “You know what? I don’t want to see Christmas come to an end. It makes me sad to see all of the pretty Christmas decorations put away. I love our house this year.”. Thank you, Pookie. You have no idea how your words filled my heart! Not because Christmas is all about the decorations or all about the gifts. It totally isn’t!
Christmas is about the greatest gift to all mankind – a Sweet Babe, born in a lowly stable. He who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and who came to take the sins of the world away! From my heart to yours, I wish you and yours the Merriest of Christmases, my friends!
Sharing at THESE great parties!
I absolutely love your kitchen and your whole house. It looks very warm, cozy, bright and cheery. I too, love the red and green colors of Christmas. Stay true to yourself and you will always do your best work. Thx for sharing!
Dear Suzy,
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Your recent post about being true to yourself in your Christmas decorating really hit home for me. Actually it gave me a much needed green light to decorate my new home year round in OUR STYLE. We have moved 15 times over 34 years and 3 in the last 2 . Yup crazy. Finally we will retire out of our location and I love it. I love home decor, I love decorating, painting all of it and I struggle with what I love and what printed media says I should love. You gave me confidence to make our home ours, all 34 years, 4 children ( grown) 4 dogs and many memories worth displaying. Thank you, Merry Christmas and you truly get the real reasons we celebrate Christmas. Chris
I agree with you – Christmas is what makes you happy.
As always, your seasonal styling is warm and elegant with a touch of nostalgic whimsy. You exemplify the adage about a house becoming a home. Walking into your home would probably make even a prickly stranger relax and smile. Always fun to check out what you’ve assembled. Have a wonderful Christmas, my NC sister!
Even though I have a coastal styled home, I still decorate with the traditional red and green for Christmas. It just wouldn’t be Christmas any other way! Your home is amazing, Suzy! It’s so cozy warm! I love every ench of it! I’m glad you brought out the real reason for the season! May you and your family have a blessed Christmas!
A hearty amen to your post. I had a hard time decorating this year because I DIDN’T pull out all the old favorites. Part of the reason was we re-decorated our house this year and I thought the new color scheme in especially the family room didn’t call for red and green. But I miss a lot of the old things. I guess live and learn, even at the old age of 70!!!
I love your red and green theme! Thank you so much for your honesty, I have gone through the same decorating journey and also returned to my beloved red and green. Your photos have really inspired me! We have just moved from a 3story home into a brand new condo over looking the St. Lawrence river. It is very open concept with huge windows. At the moment it feels very cold and sterile, not to mention the fact that it isn’t completely finished. I have started to warm up the neutral palette with hits of red and green for Christmas and it is slowly beginning to feel more like home. Thank you for your inspiration and a Very Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Your kitchen looks beautiful and I agree with Pookie. It seems real empty in the house after all the decorations are put away. It is so fun to make a fire and look at the Christmas lights. I also like your container for K-cups and it fits right in. The old favorites look great.
I love, love, LOVE how you have decorated. I know that some in blogland have themed trees, and some even suggest if you don’t have a themed tree, you’re just not decorating right. Decorating our main tree is one of the highlights of the season for me. Each ornament means something special and as I add them to our tree, memories of where they came from make for an emotional, yet very happy day. My favorites will always be the wooden ornaments my mother helped me and my new husband paint for our first tree together. Then there are the ornaments made by my sons, the ornaments made with the thumbprints of my grandchildren when they were little, and the ones made by my great-granddaughter for my husband and me. Our tree tells a story – the story of us, and I know yours does too.
I love your displays in your jars. I have these same jars, but mine are full of different flours I use. I might just have to empty one & try the gingerbread house display.
I love how warm and traditional your kitchen is all decorated for Christmas. Good memories are an important part of the holidays. Enjoy!
So beautiful in every corner
Thank you for staying true to your style. I am so tired of some bloggers and the white on off white on gray colors that they constantly use. It’s like they live in a black and white t.v. show. I think that someday we will look back at the 20 teen decor years and wonder why we were so depressed!
Your home is bright, cheerful, homey, and beautiful!
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
I love what u have done. It the thins that mean something to us that makes it our home
Love your red and green Christmas decorations! Thanks for being true to who you really are. So refreshing. Our homes should be a reflection of ourselves and our family. Frankly, I’ve grown a bit tired of all the bland, colorless decor that fills blog land.
I am new to your blog but am glad you returned to your “roots”. I love your Christmas decorations and proclaiming the reason for the season. God bless and have a wonderful holiday!
Your blog is my first to read EVERYDAY! We all love you and your sharing of your home. Thank you for also sharing your faith and reminding each one of us that Christ is the reason for the season! Merry Christmas to all!
ABSOLUTLY DARLING !! So cozy and charming! Warm and cozy! lOVE it !!!
Your post made me smile. How many times have we changed something because we think we need to to stay current? I went through a similar struggle earlier in the year then realized if I’d use what I love, the house would feel like us. I love all your red and green. It’s beautiful . I absolutely love your gingerbread house in the jar! It’s so adorable!
I love your kichen decor, well all of your decor this year! I find it refreshing that you are using classic decor and displaying it so well. Your decor this year is breathtaking.