It’s difficult to say what brightens the holidays more: the festive decorations or the scrumptious treats that go along with them! Thankfully, we don’t have to choose as the two often go hand and hand. Nowhere is that more true than at the Clayton home of a partner of Dottie’s Flour Shop. For the holidays, she had Lucy Willis Interiors decorate her 108-year-old house and gave T&S a peek inside.
T&S | What attracted you to the home?
A | I love old houses, and the ones in Clayton are beautiful and have so much character. This house was built in 1909 and only had two previous owners. Our neighborhood was once the old St. Louis Country Club, but after a fire, it was developed into homes, and ours was the first one built. It needed a lot of love when we bought it, but it just has so much charm.
Q | What renovations have you done?
A | We’ve done the main floor and a small addition—lots of plaster and drywall! We want to restore it to what it once was, so we’re trying to keep the historical character in mind with any changes we make. There’s still a lot we need to do, but we’re doing it in phases. It’s easier, especially with two young girls.
Q | What’s your favorite part of the house?
A | The kitchen is definitely the heart of the home. We spend most of our time there baking, cooking or just hanging out with the kids. It’s another renovation we tackled. Originally, it was small and choppy, but we made it function for the whole family.
Q | What do you love about decorating for the holidays?
A | For me, the baking that’s involved. I love decorating, but having something in the oven makes it feel (and smell!) like Christmas. Cookies baking, Christmas music playing and decorating all play a part to create the magic.
Q | Do you always decorate this much?
A | With kids, it’s really fun to decorate for any holiday. There’s a little magic to Christmas that makes it extra fun. My girls are very opinionated about what goes where. They each have their own little trees that will move throughout the house during the season. I don’t like decorating in a fancy, don’t-touch-this approach. It’s all very kid friendly. It’s more fun for them and us this way.
Q | What’s your holiday style?
A | I go for a fun, organic feel. I love lots of greenery and real plants. I prefer that to anything else. It’s very similar to my regular design style. I like things relaxed and comfortable, maybe a little bohemian and very natural. There’s always lots of plants around, not just at Christmas!
Designer Lucy Willis gave us more insight into getting this home ready for the holidays:
T&S | What inspired your design?
Lucy Willis | For the dining room and tablescape, the homeowner’s heirloom china was definitely an inspiration for the color palette. I wanted to bring in vibrant colors to give it a Christmas feel. I used dahlias, garden roses and hypericum berries to bring out the colors of the season, as well as highlight the beautiful china. Overall, I think her interiors are very fresh. I didn’t want to go with super traditional decor. This home has the right mix of traditional details and bohemian interiors.
Q | Along with the plants, there are a lot of unique, quirky details.
A | The homeowner designed the house, and I wanted to stay true to her vision. The beautiful whites and greys throughout are very crisp and modern, and I wanted to steer clear of traditional garlands. I thought it would be fun to bring in eclectic pieces, like a lemon tree, sled and vintage Santa. The pink cadillac and silver plane were gifts from the homeowner’s father to his granddaughters. I thought they were great and had to use them! I just parked them in the hall and under the tree. It lends to the vibe of a fun home, but it’s still thoughtfully done. It feels fresh and updated but festive.
Q | What’s your favorite part of the design?
A | The dining room table gets me in the Christmas spirit! I think all of the accessories are really beautiful, and the rug and rustic wood table provide nice contrast. It would be the perfect backdrop for a cookie decorating party or champagne brunch.
Photos | Suzy Gorman
