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Whimsical white cottage ready for the holidays

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Whimsical white cottage ready for the holidays

Image: Barry Calhoun

House Tours

Whimsical white cottage ready for the holidays

By:

Two designers work around the clock to fill a coastal-inspired cottage with the spirit of Christmas for a very special family.


It sounds like nothing short of a Christmas miracle: arriving home during the busy holiday season to find that everything – from the tree to the table – has been decked out for Santa. And, no, not merely put together by elves but beautifully finished by real-life designers. That’s what happened to the owners of this bright and modern cottage located on British Columbia’s majestic Sunshine Coast.

But in this case, the homeowners, Canadian expats who live in Bermuda, admittedly knew what was coming. They enlisted Nicole Mah and Kelly Deck of Vancouver’s Kelly Deck Design to decorate the 4,500-square-foot house for the holidays, but gave the designers carte blanche so the decor would be a complete surprise when they arrived after a long flight.

Using the cottage’s subdued colour scheme – inspired by sea glass from the beaches of Bermuda – and its contemporary, comfortable vibe as the starting point, Nicole and Kelly focused on a natural theme to keep things simple and fresh and in line with the coastal setting.
 

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House tour: Whimsical white cottage

Grand entryway

In the grand entryway, the banisters are decorated with faux evergreen garland embellished with pretty bows and delicate acorn and snowflake ornaments. Whether store-bought or DIY, the cottage's holiday adornments offer a handmade feel that’s both whimsical and cozy.

Image by: Style at Home By: Laura Muir Source: Barry Calhoun

House tour: Whimsical white cottage

Modern living room

The cottage’s clean, comfortable aesthetic and fresh, bright palette served as the jumping-off point for its laid-back natural holiday theme. Strings of felt acorns hung on reindeer stocking holders in the living room act as playful accents in lieu of stockings.

Image by: Style at Home By: Laura Muir Source: Barry Calhoun

House tour: Whimsical white cottage

Festive mantel

Designers Nicole Mah and Kelly Deck dressed the living room mantel with candles, tiny cypress trees and potted paperwhites (a classic holiday flower) set among loosely placed branches.

Image by: Style at Home By: Laura Muir Source: Barry Calhoun

House tour: Whimsical white cottage

Treasured tree

tThe faux Christmas tree is adorned with a simple felt ball garland and a collection of ornaments in a predominantly neutral colour scheme. “The tree trimmings range from traditional to modern,” says Nicole. “We wanted the tree to look collected with a lot of different decorations. But keeping the colours consistent makes them all work together.”

Image by: Style at Home By: Laura Muir Source: Barry Calhoun

House tour: Whimsical white cottage

White and bright kitchen

The kitchen’s large eat-in area boasts comfortable slipcovered chairs, a generous banquette and breathtaking views. A palette of white, pale aqua and earthy beige tones gives the holiday table setting a modern look and ties in with the rest of the home.

Image by: Style at Home By: Laura Muir Source: Barry Calhoun

House tour: Whimsical white cottage

Earthy place settings

Each holiday place setting boasts an earthy quality, thanks to a sprig of eucalyptus, but the designers edged the leaves in gold glitter to give the arrangement a touch of festive sparkle.

Image by: Style at Home By: Laura Muir Source: Barry Calhoun

House tour: Whimsical white cottage

Playful craft room

The craft room takes the place of a home office and provides a spot for the family to indulge their love of DIYs.

Image by: Style at Home By: Laura Muir Source: Barry Calhoun

House tour: Whimsical white cottage

Chic centrepiece

A mint green vase holding white-painted branches decorated with glass balls and wooden snowflakes serves as a festive centrepiece in the craft room. The handmade paper star garland is destined for the living room.

Image by: Style at Home By: Laura Muir Source: Barry Calhoun

House tour: Whimsical white cottage

Crafty calendar

The Advent calendar in the craft room was made by stamping kraft paper envelopes with the day of the month and pinning them in the shape of a Christmas tree onto a linen-upholstered cork board.

Image by: Style at Home By: Laura Muir Source: Barry Calhoun

House tour: Whimsical white cottage

Subtle accessories

“We didn’t want anything to take away from the beautiful turquoise door,” says Nicole. So the designers strung a simple wood-disc garland that says “Merry Christmas” along the transom window.

Image by: Style at Home By: Laura Muir Source: Barry Calhoun

 

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House Tours

Whimsical white cottage ready for the holidays

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