Text by Elizabeth Czapski
After almost 30 years in the Terrell Hills, Texas, home they built, but fresh off of a to-the-studs remodel, Julie and Andy Allen wanted both their home’s everyday and Christmas décor to reflect a classic meets contemporary approach—all across a unifying spectrum of lively color. With three adult sons and a large extended family who often gather at their house, Julie’s design goals focused on livable comfort while maintaining an elegant aesthetic with European influence seen in many antique finds.
For the holidays, Julie prefers to steer clear of the traditional color palette, and with the help of Cheri Stith, co-owner of San Antonio-based Feather, Fluff and Flings, they were able to translate the bold tones featured around the home in artful wallpapers, lacquered cabinet paints, and textured sofa fabrics into a fun twist on a Christmas scheme. “We try to create an extension of our clients’ style and interior décor,” Cheri says of their holiday decorating strategy. “For instance, Julie does not like to use reds, so we chose a beautiful salmon pink, greens, creams, and golds as our color palette.”
Cheri says they always start with the front door—in this case, they draped it in a full, lit garland with matching wreaths. “Since they have glass doors, it is important to follow through with the two front rooms in the same colors,” she says of the dining room, where the hues blend delightfully with a turquoise hand-painted Gracie wallpaper, and the adjacent living room, which boasts a kelly green camelback sofa and floral-print chairs that add coordinating pops.
In the central entryway, a grand showcase makes a stunning first impression with a lofty tree that ascends alongside the custom wrought-iron-and-brass stairway festooned with swags of garland topped by velvet and silk ribbon bows. “We love metallic silvers and golds in formal settings and like to put two or three ribbons together on the same bow,” Cheri says.
The tree is trimmed with ornaments meaningful to the family—crafted keepsakes the children made; souvenirs from trips; hummingbirds and peacocks for Julie; hunting- and sports-themed inclusions for the boys; and Santa, angels, and Toy Story varieties for the grandchildren.
A treasured Nativity scene, the first decoration the Allens pull out every year, is presented with pride on a chest in the foyer, while a Spanish trestle table in the middle of the room hosts Julie’s favorite three wise men atop camels. “Julie has a wonderful set of wise men,” Cheri says of the motif that begins in the entrance and continues in the kitchen. “Highlighting our clients’ collections is always a priority and way of making each home’s décor unique.”
Cheri extended the festive ambience with a continuation of the foyer’s look into the front formal living room, an emphasis on shades of green in the family room, a few fresh accents in the kitchen, and a lush mantel display around the outdoor patio’s brick fireplace. “In a perfect world, you want to carry holiday touches in every room the family will be using and entertaining in,” she says. “In creating these areas, it makes us happy to fill them with lots of layers—metallic leaves and branches, colored berries, ornaments, pine cones, and other types of greenery.”
All year long and at Christmas, the dining room remains a highlight of the home, thanks to both its statement wallpaper—another nod to Julie’s love of peacocks and hummingbirds—and its holiday traditions. Come Christmas Eve, the Allens congregate there after a church candlelight service for their customary menu of homemade crab cakes and hush puppies, served on cherished collected china, while basking in the merriment of the most wonderful time of the year in high style—but most importantly, with the ones they love.
