This weekend was the first weekend in a long time we didn't have to work or catch up on the household chores. I was in my happy place baking, decorating for holidays, gift wrapping, and of course, blogging. I have to say, although I didn't spend nearly as much time this year on my Christmas decor, I LOVE this year's tree the most!
Picture below: our 2017 Christmas tree, mainly white with black accents, Scandinavian hygge inspired.
It all started with this Crate & Barrel Frame Console Table. After decorating our cottage top to bottom in a Nordic style, I craved more modern and simplistic furnishings at home as well. I've always made an effort to keep a few pieces of really modern and clean-lined furniture in my primary residence, but their presence was camouflaged by a few more transitional items that set the overall tone of a space. Those were my design baggage. In November after closing up my cottage, I made a decision to start over. I must have got rid of at least ten pieces of furniture and accessories within two weeks - it felt so satisfying to purge! So I replaced the living room rug with the same Bokhara rug in my cottage dining room, in a larger size. I also bade farewell to the quatrefoil mirrored cabinet, and brought home the Crate & Barrel Frame Console Table.
Picture below: our new 8-foot Christmas tree this year in the living room. We tried something new this year and moved the tree away from its usual location in our foyer.
Crate & Barrel's Frame Console Table is made of solid American walnut with a 1/2 inch steel tube box frame. You have no idea how happy this table has made me: it's modern, clean, simplistic, and functional all at the same time, not to say it uses honest and quality materials.
I had a white Christmas tree in mind but then realized I needed an "anchor" colour. No other colour is more elegant and sophisticated to pair with white than black. It's unconventional to do a black-and-white Christmas theme (and a big no-no in Chinese culture). But my heart wants what it wants, so there you have it, my mostly black and white Christmas tree, which was inspired by hygge and lagom. I wanted to keep it clean, uncomplicated, not over the top but definitely elegant, very lagom that was.
The hygge factor did shine through with the additions of all these cute felt animals. Can you spot the fox?
A more close-up look at the tree.
Overall black, white and grey gift wraps this year.
Unlike previous years, this year I also took the Christmas decor upstairs to the second floor hallway. The gold-leaf French bombe chest was replaced with this minimalist style George Oliver Woodbury console table from Wayfair. Btw, the bombe chest is for sale if you are interested.
I even took up a DIY by using a wire coat hanger and fresh greenery to create a Nordic style wreath. The two pieces of jewel-like ornaments are from Georg Jensen's Christmas Candleholders collection. They were gifts from my bestie in Copenhagen. Lucky me!
I really really wanted a real tree, but I was also really really scared of bugs and cleaning up the never-ending shedded needles. Keeping a real tree outside on our porch turned out to be a perfect compromise! The smell of this fresh Balsam Fir was simply dreamy. What a refreshing sight!
Picture below: our 2017 Christmas tree, mainly white with black accents, Scandinavian hygge inspired.
It all started with this Crate & Barrel Frame Console Table. After decorating our cottage top to bottom in a Nordic style, I craved more modern and simplistic furnishings at home as well. I've always made an effort to keep a few pieces of really modern and clean-lined furniture in my primary residence, but their presence was camouflaged by a few more transitional items that set the overall tone of a space. Those were my design baggage. In November after closing up my cottage, I made a decision to start over. I must have got rid of at least ten pieces of furniture and accessories within two weeks - it felt so satisfying to purge! So I replaced the living room rug with the same Bokhara rug in my cottage dining room, in a larger size. I also bade farewell to the quatrefoil mirrored cabinet, and brought home the Crate & Barrel Frame Console Table.
Picture below: our new 8-foot Christmas tree this year in the living room. We tried something new this year and moved the tree away from its usual location in our foyer.
Crate & Barrel's Frame Console Table is made of solid American walnut with a 1/2 inch steel tube box frame. You have no idea how happy this table has made me: it's modern, clean, simplistic, and functional all at the same time, not to say it uses honest and quality materials.
I had a white Christmas tree in mind but then realized I needed an "anchor" colour. No other colour is more elegant and sophisticated to pair with white than black. It's unconventional to do a black-and-white Christmas theme (and a big no-no in Chinese culture). But my heart wants what it wants, so there you have it, my mostly black and white Christmas tree, which was inspired by hygge and lagom. I wanted to keep it clean, uncomplicated, not over the top but definitely elegant, very lagom that was.
The hygge factor did shine through with the additions of all these cute felt animals. Can you spot the fox?
Picture below: a moose in a scarf and ballerina tutu...how adorable and hygge is that?!
Picture below: my 2017 Christmas living room
A more close-up look at the tree.
Overall black, white and grey gift wraps this year.
Picture below: 2017 Christmas mantel. Again, I tried to keep it simple. White fur pom-pom and pre-lit Eucalyptus garlands were from the Canadian Tire Canvas Collection.
I also dressed down the bar cart with fewer things and kept it monochromatic. The bar cart has been in this room for many years, so it's probably time for it to find a new spot in our dining room next year.
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I even took up a DIY by using a wire coat hanger and fresh greenery to create a Nordic style wreath. The two pieces of jewel-like ornaments are from Georg Jensen's Christmas Candleholders collection. They were gifts from my bestie in Copenhagen. Lucky me!
I really really wanted a real tree, but I was also really really scared of bugs and cleaning up the never-ending shedded needles. Keeping a real tree outside on our porch turned out to be a perfect compromise! The smell of this fresh Balsam Fir was simply dreamy. What a refreshing sight!
