A Personalized Christmas

Make Tammy’s your top own tips. warm and cozy home for the holidays by following 1. Don’t follow any trends. “Be authentic,” Tammy says. She combines her passions for

DIY and salvaged treasures into her décor. They’re true to her style and it shows!

2. Don’t overbuy holiday décor. It can be easy to go crazy in the Christmas aisle, but Tammy says to remain measured and use what you already have in unexpected ways.

3. Stay away from themes and go for what you love. Mixing elements is fun and surprising. Tammy says, “It’s okay to be eclectic.”

4. Add small touches of whimsy. Lighthearted touches are always appreciated by guests.

5. Incorporate family heirlooms. “Whether in the form of ornaments, dishware or even photos, family heirlooms tug at the heart and keep the focus on what’s most important,” Tammy says.

A CURBSIDE CHRISTMAS

With Tammy’s décor, the exterior of the Akel home is almost like a Christmas card—it imparts festive tidings to anyone coming up their walk. “I decorate our entryway because it makes a great first impression and sets the tone for the rest of the home,”Tammy says. “I want guests to feel welcome and filled with the holiday spirit.” Since the porch is covered, Tammy is able to use a variety of décor, even items that aren’t specifically weather-proofed. She uses the classic red-and-green holiday color scheme to its full effect and goes for ample greenery. It gives her décor a timeless feeling that immediately invokes memories of a Dickensian Christmas. She attaches fresh pine swags around the door with tiny finishing nails, hangs small wreaths around her lanterns and adds red ribbons to her topiaries. Then, to keep the focal point on the entryway, she places two signs on either side of the door. She says, “Signage is such a great, simple way to introduce holiday décor to anyone’s home or hearth.” Both feature lyrics—one reads “Fa La La La La,” and the other is “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” They usher visitors into the home with a sense of Christmas music.

When she isn’t hosting, Tammy often sits on the porch with her dogs, drinking her morning coffee and inhaling the fragrant greenery adorning her door. Tammy sought to achieve a warm mood with her DIY and found décor and, with her natural expertise, the home’s mood became exactly that. It’s just the place to make Christmas memories that warm both the hands and heart.

MERRY MANTEL. Nothing says Yuletide like a fireplace mantel with stockings. Greenery sprawls across it and hangs down the sides in a fragrant cascade, while white stockings underscore the area’s simplicity and soften the dark granite fireplace. Priscilla, the family’s Shorkie (a Shih Tzu-Yorkie cross), stakes out the spot and is on high Santa alert.

|BOTTOM LEFT| CREATE YOUR OWN. DIY is one of Tammy’s many talents. In her dining room, she created a unique “frame” for her Christmas wreath with an authentic tobacco basket. She attached the wreath to the basket with floral wire and hung both above a vintage buffet. She says, “I was drawn to the simplicity of the greenery and wood together.”

|LEFT| DECK ALL THE HALLS. Even the back entry gets dressed in its Christmas best! Tammy approaches this area with a minimalistic yet festive hand, saying, “I put up a holiday sign, a string of mini red bulb lights and a plaid burlap pillow. I kept it really simple.”