Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles Christmas House

We’ve decked the halls, y’all! Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles presents their Christmas House in the lovely Chastain Park neighborhood, and Team Farmer is so glad to have a wonderful space to decorate! This is the last weekend to tour the house, so scoot on over!

With the help of Sami my assistant extraordinaire, Jason my project manager and Martin and Aaron from McCorquedale Transfer providing lifting, logistics and smarts, and of course, the ever gracious, fun, talented and best pal a Farmer can have Maggie Griffin, we got our room together and the house opened to the public.

 

 

Taking inspiration from the traditions of Christmases past with an eye for the future and staring up at a stairwell just begging to be a gallery, our Mudroom and Back Stair Hall became a warm and classic space with a touch of Christmas chic and a nod to a few of this Farmer’s Favorite things – red cabin check, Oushak rugs, blue and white china, simple greenery, red bows, and a Farmer’s dozen fabulous works of art depicting bucolic cow scenes – all on loan from the wonderful folks at The Madison Gallery through Foxglove Antiques.

I wanted the space to feel as if I found painting after painting stowed away in my grandmother’s attic - or maybe a great aunt - and collected these treasures for my gallery-like arrangement on a stair wall.  This display creates a heavenly scene leading the way to the guest room with exquisite paintings of farm life and this Farmer’s favorite farm animal, cows. I guess this is the result from growing up on a cattle farm.

We had a blast decorating the space and I cannot wait for the next show house – they are always an amazing opportunity! Hope y’all can make it!

THE FARMER'S DOZEN: KIMBERLY WHITMAN

 Akin to a baker's dozen, my Farmer's Dozen is a quantity of a dozen or so questions - a series of questions with fellow designers, authors, tastemakers, friends and Southerners alike.

 THE FARMER'S DOZEN: 
KIMBERLY WHITMAN

I am so pleased to have my dear friend and fellow Southern Living Editor At Large with us for the Farmer's Dozen this week! I'll never forget one of the first times we worked together, I in my boots and she in her Gucci heels! She is a fierce fashionista, y'all, with a heart to match. Kimberly is one of those people whose beauty is truly more than skin deep--she has beautiful heart, which is evident in her physical beauty & in her life. In addition to our shared connection with Southern Living, she is also a Gibbs-Smith author with me! Her latest book, Wedding Inspiration: Ideas & Advice for Your Perfect Wedding, is a gorgeous and useful guide to all things wedding--this Farmer even has some advice in there! 

 

1. How do you think growing up with your family in Dallas has influenced your style?

I love this question!  My mom is very fancy.  She loves to get dressed up and always preferred to be over dressed than underdressed.  I also have two sisters so we have such a great time playing with hair and makeup and fashion.  Dallas is full of so many chic women with great style as well and the home of great shopping: Neiman Marcus, Highland Park Village and Stanley Korshak!

2. If you were a color, what would you be and why?  

I adore blue and white!  Can I be two colors?  I do a weekly blog post about all things blue and white because I am a little bit obsessed!  I have some of my grandmother's blue and white china that means so much to me and I think that probably influenced me a bit.

3. What are some of your favorite heirlooms? What do you love about them? How have you incorporated them into your decor?

My mother in law has given Justin and I some wonderful treasures including the monogrammed silver she received when she was married to Justin's father.  It was her wedding gift to us and we really treasure it.  The W monogram is very pretty and unique so we use it on everything now, from linens to stationery.

4. What's your favorite room in your home?

This is a hard one.....I think it is the dining room but  the library comes in a close second.  The dining room is special because we have had some wonderful times around the table with family and friends.  We ended up making our dining room smaller when we did some renovations to our home because we really wanted a round dining table.  The library is great because it is filled with so many treasured books and mementos.

 

5. Favorite scent?

My husband wears Kheil's Musk Oil and I love it!

6. I have loved being an Editor-At-Large at Southern Living with you! Tell us about one of your favorite Southern Living moments.

Getting to know you is one of them!  Truly, the places we have gone and people we have met are the most wonderful rewards and ones that I didn't anticipate from this job.  The Southern Living Team is amazing.  Lindsay Beirman is a wonderful teacher without realizing it.  I learn something new from him every time we are together.

7. What's your favorite garden flavor? How do you incorporate it into one of your favorite dishes?

I am a rosemary fanatic so this is my time of year!  I love it with meat or a vegetable risotto or an Italian Dish!  I also love it as a garnish for a drink at a holiday party.

8. I know your mother has been a major influence on your style. How do you translate the style of our mothers' generation into our own?

You have great questions! I love my mother's style and she has been a huge influence on me.  She taught me that a smile is the best way to add style to any outfit.  She also taught me that keeping my home in order and keeping the family together are two of the greatest gifts we can give the people we love.

9. What's your favorite pattern?

Hands down - Tobacco Leaf!

 

10. You are a fierce fashionista! If there was a fire and you could only save one haute piece of couture, what would it be and why?

My wedding dress!

 

11. Weddings are such a major part of your life--your latest book Wedding Inspirations is so beautiful. Tell us: Do you still get teary-eyed at "I do"?

Absolutely!  I love weddings!  We went to a beautiful wedding a few weeks ago that took place at the Bride's family ranch and I got so emotional.  I always keep tissues in my handbag at a wedding.

12. What's the last meal you made at home? Who did you share it with?

I made Dean Fearings Tortilla Soup Cornbread Dressing for my in-laws over Thanksgiving.  It was a hit with lots of Southwestern Flavor!

13. I am always telling my clients that coffee tables are like mini representations of our lives. So what's on your coffee table?

A bowl full of duplicate photographs (for people to flip through and take home if they want!), a big blue pottery bowl filled with four orchids and some moss and lots and lots of beautiful books!

Good Day Atlanta

I was delighted to be a guest this morning on Good Day Atlanta talking about wreaths, of course!

Check it out here.

To purchase one of my wreaths click here.

And if you are still doing some Christmas shopping click here to check out my latest book, 

Wreaths for all Seasons.

Put a Wreath On It

When it comes to the holidays, wreaths are the Pièce de Résistance! In this interview, written by the always lovely Danny Bonvissuto, I give you the run down on how to bring wreaths into your own holiday season.

Also, y'all come see me Sunday in Atlanta. I will be doing a book signing from 12 - 6 pm at Peachtree Battle Antiques & Interiors. For more information, check out this article in Atlanta's Neighbor Newspaper.

My New “Old Kentucky Home”

When asked to be a part of a Christmas decorating event in Kentucky, I was first intrigued and then foaming at the mouth nearly to get started. The project would include outrageously talented designers, a venue with historical provenance, social circles this Farmer could only dream about, and Southern hostess the likes of which will always bring a smile to my face (and pang in my heart to not be with them every moment of every day…these ladies endeared themselves to me ever so dearly.) My “Old Kentucky Home” whirled throughout my mind that week and I had to amend it just a tad – so that the fair commonwealth would be my “NEW Kentucky Home.”
 

It is not everyday this Farmer gets the opportunity to work with a design hero and friend as well. Jon Carloftis is such a fellow, and I had the amazing task and pleasure of decorating for Christmas The Old Kentucky Governor’s Mansion in Frankfurt, Kentucky, last December. What a blast!! Jon, Dale and their crew made “work” way to much fun as always –such an awesome time!