The classic tale of Santa Claus, allegedly a legend for those who don’t believe, warms the hearts of people all around the globe and entices the tradition of making a home as welcoming as possible for Santa to visit on his big night. In doing this, families also get to enjoy the grandeur of a cozy home that provides a warm aura all through the holiday months, beckoning the scents of fresh baked sugar cookies, decadent hot chocolate, and homemade reindeer treats for Rudolph and his hard-working pals! It’s especially important for Santa to feel right at home while he works hard to deliver presents to all the boys and girls around the world, ensuring that the comforting interior of a home feels like stepping into the North Pole for ole Saint Nick.
Andy Williams sang, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” Homes are filled with the joy of the season, and they are also filled with a bounty of Christmas trees, jingle bells, shiny ornaments, and lush greenery that completes the seasonal time of year. Homeowners Kari and Jamie Estes had their beautiful farmhouse-style home decorated by Busch’s Florist and Greenhouse, where designer Kristina Aust adorned the home with expert style and a tasteful eye.
Front of Home
The farmhouse-style home features a large front yard extending across the length of the house, leaving plenty of room for Santa to land on his big night of Christmas Eve. Golden wooden beams frame the archway that leads to the home’s entrance, adorned with greenery entwined around the beams and above the front door. Cheerful wreaths can be seen on every window at the front of the home, with black gingham ribbon tied into bows on each one. The season’s joy can be felt through this comforting exterior that gleams with welcome.
Foyer
Upon walking through the black French doors, a Christmas tree decorated with red and green ornaments, snowmen, reindeer, and ribbon rivulets serves as a greeting in the foyer. Honeyed oak floors follow throughout the home, with the entryway leading into the living area.
Kitchen/Dining
The home’s open layout leads into the kitchen from the living area, where stark contrasts of black and white echo throughout the space in various appliances. A glossy black center island holds a white marbled countertop and silver hardware. The remainder of the kitchen is completed in the exact opposite manner, with white cabinets, black hardware, and black countertops finishing the perfectly balanced kitchen space. The neutral interior sets the stage for a blank canvas, ready to be filled with colorful Christmas decor that brings joy to the eyes. Mini wreaths can be found in the cabinet windows of the kitchen, carrying the design motif throughout the home from the outside. Small sprigs of garland cling to the pendant light fixtures above the center island, bringing
natural Christmas features into the residence.
The dining area follows adjacent to the living room, where a wrought iron ring chandelier hangs over the dining room table, embellished with draped garland and garnished with red ribbon flowing throughout. White shiplap walls offer texture while maintaining the same color palette throughout the home, and the black gingham table runner gives way to scale and size in comparison to the ribbon outside of the home, perfectly tying in different elements throughout the entire home. A wooden chest holds a large, colorful painting of sunset hues that offset Christmas decor’s typical reds and greens.
Living Area
This comfortable living area perfectly embodies cozy evenings spent snuggling up with a warm cup of hot cocoa while watching Christmas films. A white brick fireplace leads up to a warm wooden mantle embellished with personalized stockings for the entire family, a glow- ing garland with warm white lights, and a wealth of Christmas accessory decorations. The glowing colors of Christmas and classic holiday decorations balance the clean, minimalist interior that exudes a modern farmhouse throughout the rest of the home.
Outdoor Living Area
The outdoor back patio holds an outdoor fireplace in the center of the deck, perfect for cozying up on a cold winter night with friends and family gathering around the warm fire. Wire-lined railings frame the patio, with identical golden wood beams supporting each corner. Green, leafy garland wraps around the outdoor railings, with thick black gingham ribbon atop each point of the greenery. A mounted television resides above the seating area, perfect for a crisp afternoon of watching football and Christmas movies with loved ones.
Decorating a home for Christmas is no small task. Depending on the preferred style, a house can be decorated in numerous ways! The color palette, the textures, the knick-knacks, and the chosen artifacts must be considered when deciding what will be in your home for a few months out of the year. That is where Kristina Aust came in. With her expertise in all things decor and floral design, she took the Estes home and made it into a magical winter wonderland with the perfect personalized touch. From the perfect balance of neutral and natural textures mixed with bright and cheery decor, the home’s items perfectly encapsulate the Estes family’s personality and what their values are about thanks to the stylist of Busch’s Floral and Greenhouse.
The holidays are an exciting time when a home can be transformed into a magical place where friends and family gather to celebrate. Classic tales and stories are told, delicious food is enjoyed, and laughter fills a cold home with warmth better than any hearth could. As mentioned, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year!
And when Saint Nick makes his way to Jefferson City, Missouri, he will be sure to land on the Estes’s front lawn and burst out with delight as he admires the gorgeous decorations that await his arrival. And as Santa wraps up his great annual flight, you can hear him exclaim “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”