Happy Friday everyone! Sharing pictures of my kitchen decked for the season today! I have to tell you that based on the week we’ve had around here, it’s nothing short of a miracle that I was able to keep our kitchen clean long enough to take these pictures. This week felt like the perfect storm. Just too much going on. Then on top of it all somehow a power line for our house was cut. For two evenings we had power in random places and not others. One garage door worked and one didn’t, freezer was on but the fridge was off, most of the lights were out. The night it happened, Kenny was dropping El off at an evening dance class. He came home to us in the dark and after troubleshooting he quickly got on the phone with San Diego Electric to try to get someone out to fix it. I was running around in the dark trying to get Kole to bed and help Ad with her cultural presentation for school the next day. Then 40 minutes later I suddenly remembered it was past time to pick El up from class and Kenny was still on the phone so I jumped in the van in our garage, opened the garage door and quickly backed up.
Right into my husband’s car.
Yup. I did. Hit his car with mine. He had parked in front of my garage door because the door wasn’t opening on his side of the garage and it was so dark I didn’t even notice. Until it was too late. So now we’ve got two smashed cars to get fixed. You can imagine how excited my husband was about that little move. Ha! Tis the season! The good news is that the power is working again.
And this week is over. :)
So let’s talk about something happy, should we? Like Christmas decor! I took too many pictures like I always do and I’ve rambled enough so I’ll try to stop rambling and just show you around!
I love traditional red for Christmas decor but all the red wasn’t working with the coral rug that was in our dining nook so I pulled it out for December. :) It’s currently living in my office/craft room making that space feel like Rainbow Brite.
But that’s a story for another day.
I couldn’t find a great spot for these trees (I was going to use them outside and then ended up not) so I just set them in the corner of the nook. They light up so pretty at night and came in quite handy when the power was out!
I always decorate with candy canes so when I found this red and white runner it was love at first sight.
This was a simple table centerpiece that I created with things around the house.
The wood crate is the one we usually use to hold our school supplies. :)
The candles I’ve had for years (you may remember them from past mantel posts in our previous house!) and then I just used some fresh greenery and a couple of pinecones.
Side note: I wiped the snack crumbs off of our dining room table, took the pictures above, and seconds later my girls had covered it with all sorts of interesting things.
At least the centerpiece is still in tact.
Our elf was hiding in the cabinet the day I took these pictures. He’s a happy well behaved little guy who has been visiting for the past five years. Never makes a mess or does crazy tricks. We like a low key, clean elf around here. He just hides in a new spot each day to watch for good behavior to report back to Santa. In fact, sometimes he likes his hiding spot so much he stays there for more than one day…
oops. :)
The only problem with using candy canes to decorate is that your decor doesn’t always last so long. I think this cup was fuller last time I checked.
Christmas in the bay window! Can you believe my little plants are still alive!? The large one that I bought for Fall only lasted a month, but I’m choosing to focus on the fact that I’ve kept four small plants alive for over sixty days now. We take our successes when we can get them.
Easy decor. Just a few ornaments and a fun plate, tree, and deer. And lots of poinsettias. I love them.
A shot of the kitchen from further back. I just placed decor around the perimeter of the kitchen because I like to keep the islands clear. They are dumping zones and food prep zones and half of the time Kole is perched up on them “helping” me make dinner.
This was my first year experimenting with real greenery and I’ve learned a thing or two. I love the look of it! And the smell. But it’s messy. Never again will I use it on my stairs! But I love it over the oven hood. It’s much easier to replace and only makes a small mess. It’s lasting about two weeks for me so I figure I’ll have to replace it at least once each season. Easy to do since it’s inexpensive and worth it to me in small doses.
I was going to hang several ornaments dangling from the oven hood and then claim that I couldn’t possibly cook because the decor was in the way, but figured that might not go over so well.
So I just hung one from the pot filler instead. :)
More red and white stripes in the butler’s pantry!
I love red and white so much that I chose red and white lights for the outside of our house. It looks like candy cane lane!
When our power is working and they’re actually on that is.
So that’s it! Just a few festive touches that bring the holiday spirit into the kitchen. Lots more Christmas decor is coming next week! I take too many pictures and can’t keep the house clean enough to condense everything into one post like so many other bloggers are able to do. (How do they do that!?) And didn’t I mention that I wouldn’t ramble for this post? And then I kept rambling. Guess there are a few things I can work on this holiday season.
As soon as I get our cars fixed.
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!
Isn’t it?
:)
Hi Erin,
Your kitchen looks so nice! I love how you don’t “over do it” but still it feels and looks so much like Christmas! You have a great touch for making a little go a long way :) Can’t wait to see the rest of your Christmas decorating around the house!
P.S. You are not the only one who hit a car pulling out of the garage ;) It happens to the best of us!
Joy
Thank you so much Joy! What a sweet thing to say. And so glad to hear I’m not the only one who makes lovely mistakes like that one! You made me smile. :)
xo
Oh Erin, I’m so sorry to hear about the car situation. So not fun. But I have to be honest and admit I giggled at the way you told your story. Your sense of humor appears to be intact, and I’m sure that is very helpful. Sorry to hear about the electrical situation, too. Especially since it was a big factor in the car situation. You have a lovely home and you decorate it so wonderfully. It’s beautiful and also practical for your young family. Thank you for sharing. Hope your weekend is relaxing and you can recuperate enough for another busy week! :)
Yes – luckily my sense of humor is still intact. I was just praying my husband’s was as well. Ha! :) Thank you so much for such a thoughtful comment Jeanne! You made my day. Enjoy your weekend! xo
Beautiful. I love your kitchen!
Ana
Thank you Ana! So kind of you to say. xo
Sorry you had a tough week. Your christmas decorations look so nice. And I’m smitten with your aqua kitchen scale. Would you happen to remember where you purchased it at?
Thank you so much Kim! I found that scale in the Home section of Nordstroms! Sort of random but I bet you could find it on-line.
Looks gorgeous! Love that table runner and the cute trees, oh friend so sorry about your cars! That totally sounds like something I would do too! Have a great weekend :)
Thank you Kelly! Seriously! I still can’t believe I did that. It was the perfect ending to a crazy day. :) Those are the days that I especially love heading to your blog so I can tune out and go to a happier place. :)
Where did you get those darling trees in your dining nook? Love them!
Aren’t those cute Jennie!? They are from Pottery Barn! I bought them last year the day after Christmas on sale. :)
Looks very “Christmasy”. Isn’t it amazing how it transforms our homes to have greenery, shiny ornaments and red doodads splashed around?
Too bad about the cars! Yikes. That will be a Christmas story that will be repeated for years to come :)
Thanks Lorraine! Yes.. a Christmas story to remember for sure. :)
Hi Erin
Love your house! I am in the process of building a new home, and are looking at different windows…wanted to know what kind you have and what you think of them….I would really appreciate your input.. thanks much esther
Hi Estera! I think I answered your question above? Let me know if you need any more specific info. and I’ll try to hunt it down for you!
It looks beautiful Erin! I love the kitchen nook. Where did you find those little trees? There adorable! And SUCH a BUMMER about the cars :( That totally sounds like something I would do! When stuff like that happens, I feel like it’s a huge sign for me to slow down…And I know you’ve got all the time in the world to just take some time to relax ;) ;) ;) Hang in there, friend!
Thank you Gina! Oh my word – I am so hoping this weekend will feel calmer. We are definitely over scheduled right now! Those little trees are from Pottery Barn! I bought them last year the day after Christmas when they went on sale. They are so cute! btw – your Christmas card is ADORABLE! Such a cute family. Love seeing it hanging in my house. :)
xo
I love everything Erin! I know you’re a lot more organized than I am, but for me half the time I take pics what ever is behind me is a mess
Absolutely Jen! Happens here too. I can only keep one room clean at a time. :)
Love your kitchen decor and the greenery really pops! So sorry about your driveway collision but sounds like just an honest mistake. Our December hasn’t been all magic either….had to buy new tires and some continuing education classes. Merry Christmas!
Your house looks fabulous!! Love the touches of red and white! So pretty!!
One year my new driver hit his brother’s car in the garage so hard that it went out the other side of the garage! Yikes! So your little fender bender was pretty minor — at least you didn’t also have to get the garage fixed!
Hope you have a great weekend!
It seriously went out the other side of the garage!? Oh my word. That makes me feel better. It happens to the best of us! :) Thank you Janet! You totally cheered me up. :)
Beautiful as usual! I love looking at your home, even though our styles are different. We are very Old World/Mediterranean with our decor. I do like the look of your clean whites & grays. Sorry to hear about the cars!
I love Old World/Mediterranean too! That style is a lot more common in my area and so pretty. I was just gawking at my neighbor’s house all decked for Christmas in that very style. Thank you for your sweet comment!
Love it Erin. I love that you kept it simple. Very pretty.
Thank you Lauren!
I love the garland over the stove! Soooo pretty! And our elves must be twins because ours does the same thing….too often.
So sorry about the cars! What a bummer! Hopefully you weren’t going fast enough to get hurt.
Thank you Courtney! No – nobody got hurt. Just startled and annoyed at myself. :) Love that you have a lazy elf too! ;) xo
What type of windows do you have in your home? We are building a new home and are a bit stumped on deciding the best window….thanks esther
Hi Esther! We used Andersen windows. I wish I could remember more to tell you! We spent weeks going through their options and selecting which window would go in each space. I love transoms and all of the windows have the double hung look but they actually open with a turn knob (vs. pulling them up and down). I like that better. Hope that helps a little!? Good luck with your build!
Oh Erin…I did the same thing when my sister was out over summer. Rammed right into my brother in law’s rental car. Smashed the back of our new car pretty good. We got it repaired and all is well now. Marty just looked at me and said, “you really need to slow down.” Poor guy!!! Slow is not a speed that I own. I hope this week is a better one for you.
Your Christmas decor is so pretty. Where did you find the striped bowls? I love them and those little trees are adorable.
Thanks Cathy! We really are two peas in a pod. Slow isn’t a speed that I own either. :) Those striped bowls are from Crate and Barrel! I love them too. Enjoy your weekend cutie! xo
Beautiful as always! But, as a sidenote: Your RSS feed is getting trunicated all of the sudden. I used to get the whole post. Is this change on purpose? If so, I’m sad because this is how I get to read your blog while I’m at work! :)
Thank you Carrie! Yes – The posts are now truncated. :( I don’t like it either, but more and more people are stealing blog content and this is one way to protect your pictures. It was making me nervous when I didn’t have them truncated. You can read more about it in this post:
http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/blogging/scraper-sites-how-to-truncate-blog-feeds-101.html
So sorry for the inconvenience! It’s such a bummer there are dishonest people doing things like that. I hope you’ll still pop in once in a while!
Hi Erin,
I’m so sorry about your recent car misfortunes. It sounds like a comedy of errors. I can totally see how that “accident” would happen to anyone. Your kitchen is darling. I love the red berry wreath, the red striped bowls (where did you buy them?), and the candy canes here and there. You have a nice talent for decorating. I love all the white woodwork in your home. It gives such a beautiful, clean and peaceful look. Like someone else said, you truly will have a “fun” Christmas story to share for years to come. Hope you have a less eventful weekend. :)
Your house is so amazingly wonderfully incredibly beautiful. I love every single detail you put into it.
Every post is a pleasure. You truly have created the prettiest home I could ever imagine.
Enjoy the life giving rain we have today and this upcoming week, and the lovely green Christmas ahead:)
Constance you always spoil me! Such THOUGHTFUL words. Thank you so much. I wish I could have you over for some hot chocolate in the rain! Isn’t it wonderful!? We are so cozy inside with the fireplace on. Really makes it feel like Christmas. :) Hope you have a great one! xo
I love the decorating using practical items in seasonal colors! Please take solace in the fact you are not the only one to have hit your husband’s vehicle. Mine was gone for a week. When he returned I forgot his truck was in the driveway. I smashed the driver side door! It never quite worked the same after that and periodically he reminded me of it.
Oh no Kris! Good thing our husbands love us, isn’t it!? Ha.. I don’t think Kenny will let me forget this one for a while either. :) Thanks for your sweet comment!
I love the pops of red in your kitchen, and I ADORE the candy cane runner! It looks fantastic!
Yea! So glad you like it Betsy! Thank you! xo
Hi Erin! Your kitchen is just beautiful!! I LOVE the centerpiece! What a great idea! I have a similar box, and I plan on doing the same thing! Thanks for the idea!! So sorry about your car…these things always happen when we already have too much on our plates!!
Hi Susan! Thank you! It makes me so happy you are doing a centerpiece like mine! SO easy. I hope you are enjoying the season sweet friend! xo
Everything is gorgeous! I love the red in your white kitchen. Merry Christmas!
Thank you so much Sarah! Merry Christmas to you too! xo
I love how simply you decorate and how peaceful it all looks — I know…..just beyond the camera is likely another story :) any chance you remember where you got your salt & pepper shakers?
Thank you Julia! My mom bought those for me! I know she found them on Amazon.. I’ll ask her and let you know if she remembers what name/brand they are under.
You can share as many photos as you want, Erin, because it’s so much fun seeing your beautiful home — especially that incredible kitchen. The little pops of color are just the perfect touch. I have some of those cute ceramic mason jar pieces, too — World Market, right?
Too bad about the cars mishap, but at least you weren’t hurt.
Thank you so much Carol! Yes! World Market. That store is too much fun. :) Happy Holidays! xo
Hi, your kitchen looks beautiful and so merry! Can you please share where you purchased your rug in front of the sink?
Thank you Terryanne! That rug is from Target! :)
Hi Erin
Love the kitchen all ready for Christmas!!
We’re building a new house and would you share your source for the light over you
table and the pendants over the kitchen island!! LOVE LOVE them. Thank you so very much
Have a Merry Christmas!!
Thanks
Nanci
Hi Nancy! Thank you! Kitchen pendants are from Capital Lighting (I think the number is 4432PN). The dining nook light is from Candelabra and here’s the link:
http://shopcandelabra.com/regina-andrew-brushed-nickel-patterned-pendant-fixture.html
It’s a little pricey – I think it was the most expensive light in my house! But it really is beautiful and worth the splurge if it works in your space. Hope that helps! Good luck with your build! xo
Hi Erin,
I love your blog and I am a very new viewer so I look forward to all of your decor! I was wondering where you got the three tier stand you have in the window by the sink? I need something similar behind my sink with that sort of height! Love your style! Its clean and yet packs a punch!
Thank you Melissa! That stand is from Pottery Barn. I’ve had it for years but I’m sure they have something similar if not that exact one. So nice to “meet” you!
So pretty… Love all of the turquoise with the red. Please, please tell me where the red and white striped bowls are from. I had one I loved which broke and isn’t made anymore. Merry Christmas!!
Thank you Sara! The red and white striped bowls are from Crate and Barrel. :) Happy Holidays! xo
I love those little trees! –Hanna Lei
Where did you get the “Wonderful” sign?
Hi Nina! That sign is from Pottery Barn. Merry Christmas!
Absolutely beautiful! I am definitely going to take some pointers for next year :)
Thank you Crista! So sweet of you. xo