There’s something about decorating for Christmas in a bright, white, coastal home that feels especially magical. This is our first holiday season in the new house, and seeing this space filled with soft twinkle lights, layered ribbons, and greenery against the golf-course backdrop feels like everything I dreamed of when we renovated. I wanted this room to feel festive, but still very us — classic, calm, elegant, and Hamptons-inspired, with just a touch of whimsy.
The Overall Vision: Coastal Meets Classic Christmas
My inspiration started with the blue and white striped ribbon. I love doing Christmas that compliments the room’s style. I wanted a soft, layered palette that felt like winter without relying on traditional red. Blue and white is my forever favourite combination, so it became the foundation for this year’s tree and mantel.
A Striped Tree in a Room full of Coastal Blue and White Stripes
This year’s tree is full of texture and subtle personality: navy and white striped ribbon for that preppy coastal moment, blackwatch plaid ribbon to ground the palette, white textured ornaments that feel like snowballs, glass ornaments for sparkle, fresh greenery tucked into the branches for fullness, and homemade gingerbread cookie ornaments made by my mom — one of my favourite details because they bring warmth and nostalgia in the sweetest, most understated way.
The Mantel: Soft Greenery & Layered Ribbon
The mantel feels like a winter garden moment — layered greenery, tucked ornaments, and the same ribbons from the tree to keep everything cohesive. I kept the palette soft: whites, golds, a hint of blue, and lots of greenery. It frames the fireplace beautifully and pairs so well with the snowy Samsung frame art above it. I really did not want a T.V. here but my husband literally asks for nothing when I’m designing, so I kind of had no choice! lol…at least the art hides it! Shout out to ANR Concrete who custom made the mantle of my dreams. I’m so thrilled with how it turned out!
A Christmas Look That Feels Like Home
Every year I like to experiment with slightly different ideas, but I think this one might be my favourite yet. It’s classic, calm, and coastal — everything I love about our home, just dressed up for Christmas. If you recreate any element — the ribbon combination, the textural ornaments, the greenery layering — please tag me! And if you want sources, I’m happy to include a full list in this post. If you’d like to see more of my Christmas decor posts from the past, click here.
The Living Room: Light, Airy, and Wrapped in White Drapery
This room is already one of my favourite places in the house, especially with the vaulted ceiling and the windows overlooking the golf course, but during the holidays it feels extra special. The Q. Design drapery is doing what it always does — softening the space, letting the natural light glow, and giving everything that polished, custom look. We used 100% Linen Drapery in Oyster, with a 6” 2-fold pleat, white cotton lining, and 1⅜” Luxe Polished Nickel hardware with endcaps. They’re installed to “kiss the floor,” which gives the most tailored, beautiful finish without feeling heavy. These subtle details make such a difference in creating a refined backdrop for the tree and mantel.
Furniture & Layers: Creating a Cozy Hamptons Vibe
Soft blues, creamy whites, and classic stripes ground the room and make it feel collected, elegant, and incredibly comfortable. The striped chairs add just the right amount of pattern, the slipcovered sofa keeps everything airy, love the extra stripes in the rug, and all the greenery reflects so beautifully in the windows. With the fire on and the tree lit, this is truly the room where we gather and slow down.
Shop our Living Room
Your home is so beautiful Leslie! Would you share your source for the fireplace insert? It has such a nice large flame and the logs are very realistic.
Thanks
Hi Cara, thank you! It the Town and Country TC42 and we got it from Forest Glade Fireplaces. One of the options in the birch logs to choose for it. I love them! This is the third time we have gotten this exact fireplace and it’s the absolute best, you will love it!