Holiday Home Tour 2022
Friends, I’ve been documenting our holiday home tours for the last five years, but this one feels more special than ever. As we gear up to move into The Austin Tudor in the New Year, this holiday season is our one last hurrah in the Austin townhome, and let me tell you: It’s incredibly bittersweet. This home has served us so well, and I’m holding on to the memories we’ve made within these walls.
For this final December in our home, I wanted to go out big with all the signature elements of my holiday decorating style. You’ll find natural and textural elements like my favorite fresh cypress garlands and moodier moments like Spanish moss hung from the tree and a living room awash in soft candlelit glow. It’s a decidedly classic yet cozier vibe, which only felt fitting for this farewell season.
Look back at previous Holiday Home Tours: 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018
HOLIDAY HOME TOUR 2022
If you’ve followed along here, you know I always like to start my holiday decorating with a specific color palette. This year, I leaned into shades of green for a really natural, layered, and monochromatic look. It all began with the green ruffled edge stockings handmade by my sweet mom and everything flowed from there. I’m a big believer that dressing your home up for the holidays doesn’t have to feel kitschy or over-the-top. To be honest, I don’t even own a stash of quote-unquote Christmas decor. For me, it’s all about mirroring the distinct beauty of the season with fresh greenery, soft light, and a few meaningful decor pieces for character here and there. No trees or Santa Claus figurines—just fresh greenery, cozy knits, beautiful ribbon, and candles everywhere.
I had a lot of fun decorating our Christmas tree this year with a more whimsical aesthetic. Earlier this fall, I stumbled upon this Spanish moss and decided to hang it from the tree branches. The moss paired with tiny fairy lights (my personal favorite over classic string light bulbs) created such a different look from years past. I also added my own moss tree skirt, and the full effect gave our living room such a forest-inspired feel. Our Casey family tradition is to hang the Christmas tree ornaments the day after Thanksgiving, but you better believe we have the tree up and glowing well before.
DETAILS ON OUR FRESH GARLANDS + WREATHS
The number one holiday decorating question I get is how to use and care for fresh greenery. And my answer? It always, always starts with purchasing a high-quality product. I’ve worked with Austin-based, female-owned Gracious Garlands for the past several years, and I’ll never stop singing their praises. Their farm-fresh, made-to-order greenery lasts way longer than anything I’ve ever ordered. And I’ve tested out a lot of fresh greenery. This time, I used two 25-foot Leyland Cypress Garlands and two 24″ Leyland Cypress Wreaths, and I had more than enough to decorate our ENTIRE home. The greens are so lush and so fluffy (read: 12 inches thick) that they go a really long way when decorating mantles and banisters. Gracious Garlands’ sustainably-sourced greenery can be shipped throughout the U.S., and at the time of this writing, all their greenery ships for free.
Tip: Always hang garland using zip ties. They’re easy to install and disappear right into the greenery. When the season is done, just clip them off and go.
BY: ANASTASIA CASEY