Cover Story December 2019
Classically Christmas
"Less is more" are words interior designer Cindy McCord takes to heart in her work. That mantra is evident in her own home year round, and particularly when it comes to decking the halls for the holidays.
Design by Cindy McCord | Story by Terri Glazer | Photography by Ross Group Creative
The French chateau-style residence McCord shares with her family exudes a classic Christmas feel from the mailbox out front, all the way to the back porch, and everywhere in between. That doesn't mean every square inch of the Collierville property is covered in decorations, however. In fact, McCord achieves an understated, yet festive ambiance using just the right amount of carefully collected and placed pieces.
Although she makes minor changes from year to year, McCord keeps basically the same elements in her front yard design: greenery, red ribbons and clear lights. The three classic Christmas standards combine to create a striking effect, especially around the entryway, where fresh garland wound with white twinkle lights frames the double front doors, dressed up with traditional green wreaths accented with red bows.
Once inside the home, the holiday trimmings blend seamlessly with McCord's updated traditional decor. In the foyer, festive tabletop trees made of brass jingle bells accent a marble-top table. A wreath with a gold ribbon bow hangs from the oversized mirror, while eye-catching gold and white wallpaper sets a stunning backdrop.
In the family room, soft neutrals in shades of beige, gold and straw are punched up with color by way of artwork and lush green velvet pillows, but for December, stunning red poinsettias in a generous basket on the coffee table provide holiday flair. Cute wooden reindeer and bowls of pine cones add a rustic element.
The family's Christmas tree, yes, there is but one tree in this classically designed holiday decor, is filled with adornments McCord holds near and dear. "All my collection of Christopher Radko ornaments, and there are some on there that friends have given me and others that are special. They're basically all old or special to me and my family," she says. Lavish velvet ribbon and gold leaf accents provide rich warmth to the tree.
Five matching stockings, one for each of the three McCord children, as well as for Mom and Dad, grace the mantel over the family room fireplace, accented by more greenery and pops of gold. Dignified crown holders keep the stockings ready for Santa's arrival, while gold magnolia leaves interspersed with the evergreen garland atop the mantel give the decorations a distinct Southern accent.
In the adjacent dining room, the table is set for a Christmas feast. McCord's beautiful Royal Worcester Holly Ribbons China takes place of pride. The sprouted paperwhite bulbs that grace each place setting are a reminder of the new life that Christmas represents. Metallic ribbon and evergreens make a reprise in the centerpiece, along with floating candles in tall, gold-accented glass holders. Overhead, clear and gold glass ornaments in an array of sizes hang from the chandelier, suspended by cream satin ribbons. Although McCord says she's usually a stickler about putting holiday decor away just after Christmas, she admits that the whimsical balls hang in the dining room until New Year's. "I love to leave things like that up a little way through January because they're just happy and festive," she says.
McCord admits that she's always happy to see the large nativity scene when her decorations go up every year just after Thanksgiving. The large set, ornately carved and finished in shades of white, has been in the family for years. Its placement on the dining room buffet signals the start of the Christmas season in the house.
“‘Less is more’ is exactly who I am. I don’t think it takes too much decoration to make a home. I think it just needs to be warm.
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Another favorite piece brings holiday cheer to the home's back porch, an area often neglected when it comes to seasonal decorating, McCord says she pays special attention to dressing up her home's cozy outdoor room, and a nine-foot-tall, fully lit grapevine tree is the star of the show. "We're out there all the time, even in the winter," she explains. "We build a big fire in the fireplace.” She admits that the grapevine tree is the one holiday decoration she puts up earlier than Thanksgiving and leaves in place, sometimes through February. "If it snows, it's breathtaking. I leave it on all the time.”
Even if the weather outside were to turn too frightful for the family to sit on the porch, they'd still enjoy it. McCord says, "It's part of our house; we see it from every single room. The house is built in kind of a U shape, and every room looks out on that porch. So even if we can't get out there, we see it and we love it!"
McCord credits the understated, traditional elegance of her Christmas decor to her love of simplicity. "I'm pretty simple. I don't like a lot of decoration at Christmas, I just like basics." Her sincere approach to holiday decorating produces a look that embraces the spirit of the season, using the perfect combination of time-honored and much-loved pieces in just the right places.
