Christmastime at Gentry’s Farm

At the Gentry’s Farm in Franklin, Tennessee, Christmastime is all about the family.

Text by Katie Wood / Photography By Stephanie Welbourne Steele

Farmers Allen and Cindy Gentry have lived on their family farm in Franklin, Tennessee, for more than 30 years. Allen’s family has owned the farm since 1848, making the Gentrys’ three grown children the seventh generation to be a part of the farm’s history.

The family remains deeply connected to their heritage and stays busy working their almost 400-acre farm. But they agree that the holiday season is the perfect time to slow down and reflect on family as they celebrate their faith.
The Gentrys’ charming double-pen dogtrot-style log cabin was originally built in the early 1800s. They combined the cabin with an old tenant house on the farm to create what Cindy calls “the meandering house,” as most visitors are surprised at how large it seems inside.

The house is filled with a mix of traditional and historical furnishings and artifacts, and nearly every piece has a story. “When you are a creative person, you need to create,” Cindy says. “My house is my canvas. Every year we do some type of project or update—it is an ongoing process.”
As you enter the cottage you’ll notice a collection of favorite license plates that Allen has found over the years while hunting for the perfect plate for his 1948 red Chevrolet truck.
Take a step through to the dining room, and it’s easy to feel like you’ve stepped back in time. The flickering candlelight bounces off the large stone fireplace and creates a warm, inviting setting for guests to share a holiday meal. “It’s tricky getting overhead lighting and wiring in a log room,” Cindy says, “so we decided to light the room with candles instead.”

On the other side of the entryway you’ll find a charming guest room. “The logs in this room add instant warmth and character, so we’ve kept the decor rather simple,” Cindy says, pointing out the subtle nods to their hometown as well as heirloom children’s toys and miniatures.
As you move toward the back of the house, you’ll notice a few subtle changes. The living room is slightly more contemporary than the rustic dining room as it was added to the house not long ago to help with space and overall flow.

“We love the log part of the house, but it is very dark and we wanted to lighten up the rest of the house,” Cindy says. A wall of three windows was created to bring in light and take advantage of the beautiful farm views, and their carpenter made custom sliding barn doors that match the white-ash flooring.

Cindy’s favorite accent color is red, so it’s no surprise that when her cottage kitchen was being renovated—installing custom white-ash countertops and a farmhouse sink as well as removing the upper cabinets to create open shelving—the remaining cabinets got a fresh coat of deep-red paint.

“The kitchen is so practical and efficient,” she says. “It may not be large and glamorous, but everything is nearby and easily accessible.”

The pine hutch was found at a local antiques shop and was the perfect fit for the space. The dishes are Red Toile by Gail Pittman. The hat forms were found at the Nashville Flea Market and serve as a sweet tribute to Allen’s great-great-grandfather who was a hatmaker in Franklin in the early 1800s. “We knew this was the perfect spot to honor his memory,” Cindy says.

Cindy shares that the holidays are all about family at their house. Any guest who enters the family’s gracious cottage at Gentry’s Farm will easily agree, as the sentiment can be both seen and felt—not only at Christmas—through every vignette and collected memory their cottage holds.