Happy Friday! I’ve been wanting to share with you our winter decor – just some simple changes I made using what we had (which of course include thrift store finds – see if you can spot the items I’ve mentioned here in the past!). Here we are in the middle of January, a time each year that I want to cozy up to a roaring fire with a cup of tea and spend time with my family – or a good book. Uh…that’s my dream, anyway. And occasionally it happens, though not nearly enough with all our schedules, activities, and deadlines.
But after the hustle of the holiday season (that seems to start in September these days…) I find myself craving calm and quiet – both in my heart and my surroundings. And from what I’m reading on other blogs, I’m not alone in this, either. So as we put away all the Christmas decorations, I decided just to keep white and neutral things – and a lot less of those – for a calming and quiet mantel and tabletop decor.
I wasn’t tired of my sweet pom-pom wreath yet and since it reminded me of snow and winter I chose to keep it in place on the window-turned-mirror. On the mantel itself I went for neutrals with touches of nature – or faux nature like the epsom salt snow with the candles.
And the pom-pom garland? I stuck it in a thrift-store apothecary jar, making sure the garland string didn’t show so that it would resemble yarn “snow” balls. I think it makes a cute vase-filler. Another hold-over from the Christmas mantel are the small mason jars and a few pinecones since they’re both neutral and nature.
Of course with the attached shelves, I have a larger surface to deal with. In the corner vases I removed the lights, but left the bare branches – I found I liked the wintery-sculptural element they provide. A graduated row of white pitchers – old, new, and found – is simple.
It’s dark, dark in our foggy part of the world right now – and more so in our north-facing living room, but I wanted you to have the whole picture of the fireplace wall – this would be what you see when you enter our cottage. Looking at this wide angle, I see that I like the way that the branches frame the lanterns and window, but the shelves are seeming a bit busy to me again. Funny, I don’t see that in real life…maybe a re-haul of the shelves will become a spring project!
I brought this vintage box out from my workroom to set on the entry table and left some of the mercury glass from the holidays because I like the juxtaposition of the rusty and the shiny.
The sideboard was full of things over the holidays – and I loved it – but it made me crave that calm and quiet here, too. A simple empty frame Brian made with leftover molding from my workroom bulletin board (which he also used to create the sweet little piece on the mantel!), glass candlesticks, more white pottery with touches of green…nice. The mercury glass butler’s ball (uh, you know, so our butler doesn’t miss a thing…) and little framed rose add a bit of interest without making too much noise.
What do you enjoy most about the winter months? Are you craving calm and quiet like me?
PS – Oh, and I made that knitted throw a few years ago using mostly thrift store wool I had collected. One bright thing that makes me happy to look at!
I’m sharing at: Metamorphosis Monday, Tips & Tutes, Weekend Wrap Up Party , Fabulously Creative Friday, Saturday Nite Special, DIY Project Parade.
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Stephanie says
January 21 at 2:06 pmSo pretty! I just cleared everything off of my mantle a few days ago and I’m trying to figure out what I want to do with that space. I love the books and apothecary jars you’ve used. Thanks for the inspiration. Off to the thrift store I go!
mary says
January 21 at 11:19 amCan you tell us a little about your beautiful woodstove? Is it an insert? Or have you already posted about it?
Jami says
January 21 at 1:55 pmThis is one of the reasons I love blogging, Mary – to be able to see my house through someone else’s eyes, as I’ve always viewed that insert as an eyesore! But I do like it when it’s all warm from a fire. 🙂 It is an insert that was there when we bought the house. It provides needed extra heat for our great-room that has 12-ft. ceilings (meaning, all the nice heat is up there…) and keeps our heat pump bill in check. Though it doesn’t heat as well as a free-standing wood stove. Is there anything else you wanted to know about it?
mary says
January 22 at 5:54 pmThank you, Jami. It’s not an eyesore!
Crystal says
January 20 at 8:01 pmSo warm & cozy!!
Sarah @ Feed My Family says
January 20 at 7:05 pmI love the patterns in the colorful throw-very neat!
Ms Mike says
January 19 at 2:41 pmGreat decorating for a simple winter rest. Even in the Deep South we need the same quiet after a busy holiday season. I’m a big fan of white pottery and mercury glass, glad we share some of the same tastes in accessories. The white gives us the touch of snow we very rarely see.
Jami says
January 20 at 5:58 pmYou’re so right – gotta bring in the white to make us think we’ve got snow. 🙂
Deb A says
January 19 at 12:40 pmHi I’m feeling the same way. Getting rid of all the Christmas decorations. I love putting them up but like when its back to simple and calm too. I too have been clearing off the shelves and mantles. Much calmer without all the clutter.
Jamie says
January 18 at 9:53 pmYour living room is so cozy! I love your built-ins. I’m a new follower. And you have a great name 😉