Welcome all! Today is a big day for me– it’s a day I invite you all to take a little tour around my home all decked out for Christmas! This year I chose traditional colors of red, white, and green to decorate my home and I hope you enjoy this bit of inspiration.
I am honored to participate in Jennifer Rizzo’s Holiday Housewalk this year, which is a massive blog hop that lasts an entire week. Each day there are about 6-7 bloggers who share their home, each linking to each other.
It’s best to start from the beginning if you haven’t already, so click on the Holiday House button below to start with Jennifer Rizzo. 
If you are visiting here from my dear friend, Lucy’s blog, thank you for popping over! And if you happened to miss it, then you definitely want to fix that! Her photography and home are to die for!
By way of brief introduction, my name is Rachel and I live with my Brazilian husband and 3 children (2 boys and 1 girl) in the suburbs of St Louis, Missouri. We bought this brick ranch of ours nearly 4 years ago and have enjoyed fixing it up bit by bit, room by room. Also– please don’t compare your home to these pictures on this tour. I didn’t take these pictures all on the same day and our home is small– which means it gets messy very quickly. Right now only our front room is clean. Trust me, we have a very imperfect life which I really love. Obviously I want things to look pretty for pictures, but I share my home with you in the hopes that you will find something relate-able and inspirational.
This pic is from this summer, but gives you an idea of what our home looks like from the outside…
Now, welcome to our entry!
I always love styling our entry bench (a vintage church pew) for each season and this year I though it would be so fun to put up an advent calender!
This year I decided to go with a Scandinavian-inspired theme and use mostly reds and whites, and some pops of fresh or faux greenery. Just last Saturday I decided on the type of advent calendar I wanted make so within a couple hours I created this cute thing!
The design isn’t something that is unique– I saw the tutorial for it all over the internet. I just used a 1×3 for the center vertical piece and 1x2s for the “branches”. Then I just gorilla-glued some clothes-pins on the “branches” and glued a strip of holiday ribbon on each one. The draw-string sacks were actually wedding favor bags (I found at Joann Fabric). So simple and so fun! I have never had an advent calendar before this year!
Continuing with the Scandinavian theme, I found these cute wooden horses at World Market.
World Market also had the prettiest wrapping paper that I couldn’t ignore…
Bench (similar) | Wrapping paper 1 & 2 | Swedish wooden horses | Brass candlesticks | Gold bells | Berry Wreath
If you turn around from the bench, you will see our front sitting room.
I didn’t fuss too much with this room. I added this cute table-top fresh pine and strung some felt balls (HomeGoods) and lights on it. The buffet is something I built last year and the build plans can be found here.
Last week I had a photoshoot at my house (BHG’s Refresh Magazine– coming out in March) and I was lucky enough to keep this ENORMOUS fiddle leaf fig (yes, it’s real!). Hopefully I can keep it alive!
Pretty pillows from HomeGoods.
This room isn’t big, but cozy and that is what we love about it!
Tufted chair | Coffee table | Sofa | Round mirror | Fur throw | End table | Rug
From our front room, you walk by the dining room (more on that in a minute) and into our family or living room.
I went very simple for our tree decorations this year. I let the actual tree shine a bit. It is a very realistic and full 7.5′ artificial tree from Home Depot. It is the Monterey Fir.
Berry garland | Wooden horse | Fair Isle tree skirt | Mercury glass ornaments | Wooden star tree topper | Wooden laser cut ornaments
I decorated it using mostly mercury glass ball ornaments, some wooden mitten ornaments, and this garland of faux berries. 
On the other side of the room I put a few faux table-top trees, but mostly just added lots of cozy textures with throws and pillows.
To see more of the living room go here.
Next up is our dining room. I, again, went very simple with a runner and pretty row of candles in regular white mugs. I stuffed in a bit of those faux berries here too.
Runner | Mugs | Berries | Wooden chargers | Napkins
To see more of this tablescape, go here.
Our kitchen is small but I maximize space by keeping counters mostly clear. I filled those side window shelves with ceramic houses from Target and bottle brush trees. The gingham curtains I added too (they are just no-sew ones I made).
And who can resist a coffee cake with sugared cranberries on top?
To see more of this Christmas kitchen, go here.
White pitcher | Faucet | Ceramic houses | Bottlebrush trees
Lastly, I thought you might like a peek at one of my favorite rooms in the house… our bedroom.
I added new bedding and a glowy tree in the corner and it has really transformed the room!
The bedding is from Birch Lane and really stole the show…
It is always nice to update the bedding once the cooler weather sets in. I added a down alternative mattress topper, an nice warm comforter and quilts. It really makes it hard to get out of bed in the morning haha!
To see more of this bedroom, go here.
Red quilt | Red shams | Embroidered lumbar | White quilt | Crochet sheet set | Tree | Sconce lights | Rug | Faux sheep hide
I know I buzzed through this tour without citing too many sources, so please leave your questions below and I will be updating this post as I have time this week! In the meantime…
Please make sure to visit sweet Kelly Elko by clicking on her button below! She has a fun eclectic vibe in her home that I know you will love!
Thanks for visiting and enjoy the rest of the tours today and this week!
Merry Christmas!
P.S.
If you by chanced missed this last year,
I wanted to share with you all now…
I drew this Nativity scene last year and offered it as a free printable on my blog.
Click the image to be directed to the post and to download your free copy!
Very very nice!
your family is lovely!l I’ve enjoyed seeing your pops of red this holiday season. how exciting about BHG. I will look foward to seeing the issue. Happy holidays.
I just love your house! My daughter lives in St. Louis and it’s so pretty there. I usually don’t like reds, even at Christmas, but you did it so perfectly. Also, your home flows beautifully from room to room. Beautiful!
Beautiful, beautiful! and simple. Not crowded with so much stuff so you can appreciate each item in its place.
Scandinavian twinning! Love all your touches of red and your home is so festive and cozy not to mention we have the same kitchen backsplash! Wishing you a very merry Christmas.
I love your sweet home! Beautifully decorated with love and warmth. I could move right in. Thank you for sharing! Merry Christmas!
Your home is warm and welcoming. I love all the pops of Christmas red. What a beautiful family you have too.
Everything is just stunning! Love the fun pops of red and your family is beautiful!
Your family is lovely and your home is warm and welcoming. Love the basic red and white. Thanks for being so inspirational.
There is beauty in simplicity. Your home looks beautiful and so serene and inviting.
Thank you for the printable and your thoughts about the Christmas season.
I absolutely love all your Scandinavian touches this year. Just beautiful! Merry Christmas!
Forgot to add…You have a beautiful family!
Wow. You have such a beautiful home.
I just adore the touch of Scandinavian style in your home this year! Totally unexpected and totally beautiful! Well done Rachel!
Love the red…makes me want to start over. The advent calendar is so cute and of course the entry is your forte. But can I tell you how much I love your family photo? and K…oh my gosh, her little pose. Love her. xo
Beautiful and cozy!
Your home is beautifully decorated and enjoyed seeing g it. Thank you for sharing. The horse on wheels caught my eye. Would you mind telling me where you purchased it.
Cathy
Yes! It is from HomeGoods!
Ohh beautiful bed!! It’s my favorite too 🙂
Merry Christmas! Every detail is gorgeous
Rachel,
I saw a peek of your tour on IG so I had to pop over and see the whole thing. And I feel like Lucy – your red is making me want to start over! I love the pop it gives with all your white and your whole house feels so cheerful and festive!
Also, if you have a minute and don’t mind sharing, I’d love to know where you got the bells hanging in the entry? I saw some at PB today but they were way too big! I like the size of yours.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Sheila
Maison de Cinq
Hmmmmm……sweet,cozy and so so charming! Love it!
Beautiful home tour Rachel! While I don’t often use much red, I am loving all of the red and white!! Your bedding is lovely, and your front room is so soft and simple. Loved it all.
Your tour is enchanting from beginning to end!
Everything, Christmas red perfection!
I LOVE all the red, and how you have it around your beautiful home! Thank you so much for being a part of the housewalk!
Wonderful!
Found your site today, because I was googling painting fabric chairs with chalk paint. Very helpful tutorial by the way.
Your home is lovely! Thank you for the printable of Mary and Jesus.
Rachel, thank you for your beautiful drawing. I downloaded and framed it right away, and will enjoy it this holiday season. Thank you also for sharing your beautiful home. It’s all so inspiring!
Seen so many pastel and white christmas tours, and while they are nice, I loved the look of yours. For me, it aint Christmas unless there is red, green white and twinkling lights. I also loved the simple tablescape in your dining room and will recreate that in mine. Simple and lovely. Have a lovely season y’all.
Lovely home! I was so excited to see you are from St. Louis! I live about 2 hrs from there in Southern Illinois and I dr in St. Louis. We are there often! Have a great Holiday! Have you been to The White Rabbit of Three French Hens?
I absolutely adore the Scandinavian vibe you have, Rachel. So festive and full of fun! Beautiful home. ♡♡
What a beautiful home you have! Best holiday wishes! x
I read your DYI project for Chinosoie whiRe and Blue ornaments… you mention bake after painting… question: what type of Christmas ball? Glass, plastic?
Thank you.
Glass– plastic would melt. And I found them at Joann’s and Michaels.
You have a beautiful home and it is beautifully decorated! I love your ladder. Would you mind sharing where you found it?
Merry Christmas,
Marylin
Love your taste! Would like to send you a couple pics of the wall unit I had made because I loved yours so much but I can’t find an email address for you