Silent Nights

Natural Christmas décor with a neutral palette inspires a relaxing haven in this Virginia bedroom.

" I fell in love with muted sage green. It’s a unique tone, and I’m always looking for things I don’t see everywhere.”

We can all admit to feeling a little stressed during the holidays, trying to make the season magical and pick the perfect gifts for our friends and family. That’s why it’s important to have a space where you can escape the busyness, decompress and enjoy the peaceful side of the Christmas spirit. Interior designer and blogger Courtney Davey of Tuft and Trim created such a space in her bedroom using natural décor and a soothing color palette.

“I prefer florals, greenery and garlands the natural beauty of the season." —

LESS IS MORE

It can be fun to cram tons of Christmas decorations into every corner of the house, but it’s not a requirement in order to produce a joyful holiday ambience. “You can put up a tree, add some garlands and change out your pillows, and it will instantly feel like a magical holiday scene,” says Courtney.

Since her year-round style in her Virginia Beach, Virginia, home is a mix of French farmhouse and country romance, she tries to incorporate holiday pieces that are subtle and will blend in with her everyday pieces. Garlands, eucalyptus, lamb’s ear, pillows, soft throw blankets and flowers are her go-to holiday décor pieces. “I don’t include a lot of traditional Santa décor,” she says. “I prefer florals, greenery and garlands—the natural beauty of the season.”

NEUTRAL NOEL

Courtney is skilled at creating mood boards on her blog and experimenting with different color schemes for her clients and followers. To keep the atmosphere in her bedroom calm and subtle, she chose an elegant color palette of sage and champagne. “I fell in love with muted sage green,” she says. “It’s a unique tone, and I’m always looking for things I don’t see everywhere. My colors change every year, but it’s always in neutral tones.”

Bedrooms can often be forgotten during the holidays, but that would be a missed opportunity to create a space you look forward to going to every evening—your own place of solitude. Courtney says, “It’s such a magical holiday for me, and I love to make my home feel that way.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY COURTNEY DAVEY

Courtney has enjoyed having vaulted ceilings because it makes the space feel bigger, but she had to make sure her furniture was tall enough to fill the space. “Our standard bed looked lost in the room, so the canopy bed looks much better,” she says. She decorated her bed with a simple garland and a cozy throw blanket, preferring neutral and natural Christmas accents.

(bottom, right) Combining natural greenery with her collection of ornaments is one of Courtney’s go-to Christmas arrangements. “I love putting a variety of ornaments in a basket with greenery—beautiful ornaments like mercury-glass and crystal balls,” she says. “They make great centerpieces.” The gray dresser was an Offer Up find she painted with chalk mineral paint.

(top, left) Flowers in the tree highlight the romantic style of Courtney’s year-round décor and work well with her sage-and-champagne color palette. The sconces are a unique take on a bedside table lamp that reinforce her romantic French style.

(opposite, top left) To coordinate her wrapped presents with her tree, Courtney makes sure her wrapping supplies are in the same color scheme. “I like to mix patterns like polka dots with plaid, floral, geometric and organic,” she says. “I choose a set of three or four, and then I’ll add a bit of greenery like lamb’s ear in the bow. It’s fun to play with.” (opposite, top right) Swapping out artwork for Christmas signs is an easy way to add holiday cheer to your bedroom. White wood trees, a mini tree and a basket of ornaments complete the look for a simple, neutral vignette. (opposite, bottom right) Preferring natural holiday touches to typical Santa and candy cane décor, Courtney places garlands and flowers throughout the room. And she displays a natural white wood reindeer on her nightstand for a whimsical touch. A soft throw blanket rests on her plush armchair for a reading-ready corner.