A Country-Chic Christmas

Katie and Philip Hagan appreciate tradition, but the decor of their Daphne home needed a little bit of sprucing up to set the scene for their big annual holiday soiree. So they called on local style mavens Whitney Denniston and Vanessa Reyner, who recently combined their unique design savvy into a home decorating business, ElevenEast. (Denniston has a background as a home stylist for publications like Southern Living and Mobile Bay, while Reyner has planned some of the state’s grandest events.)

The duo decided that a country-chic theme tied perfectly to the Hagans’ existing decor. Textural burlap, earthy red berries, fresh pine garland and gold details add to the cheery atmosphere. The Hagans’ result is a traditional, homey look with a cohesive panache.

LEFT The Hagans: Katie, Philip and their daughter Ansley.

ABOVE LEFT Outside, red bows, fresh greenery and garland tie to the overall design inside. Along the steps, hurricane vases are simply filled with red berries and white pillar candles. ABOVE RIGHT At the Hagans’ holiday party, guests are greeted at the door with festive sips, glasses of chilled champagne topped with fresh red berries.

ABOVE LEFT Fresh garland is used throughout the home to add warmth and a festive aroma. Here, votive candles grouped with vases filled with red berries make simple centerpieces on the cocktail and console tables. Gold reindeer and a Christmas pillow finish off the space. ABOVE RIGHT The study’s cozy, fireside seating area invites guests to sit and chat. Burlap-wrapped silver and glass vases of red berries carry the theme onto the built-in bookcases. Two tall mercury glass vases holding fresh garland with red and gold berry twigs flank a gold pinecone wreath above the fireplace mantel. Fresh pine greenery, metal reindeer and votive candles finish off the look.

ABOVE Ansley unwraps a gift covered with brown butcher paper, hunter green string and greenery. This year, she’s looking forward to her first Christmas with her new baby brother, Jack.

ABOVE Pops of red in the kitchen add high contrast against the room’s neutral color scheme. Tiny wreaths hang from the windows surrounding the breakfast area, while fresh garland with red ribbon and gold jingle bells drape the kitchen window. Christmas ferns, wrapped in burlap, freshen up the counter. The kitchen bar features a tall fruit bowl filled with gold ball ornaments. On the bar seats, bunches of fresh garland are hand tied with red berry twigs, crimson ribbon and gold ornaments.

ABOVE LEFT In the dining room, atop a burlap runner, silver candlesticks mixed with hurricane vases stocked with red berries, fresh greenery and white pillar candles are a pretty centerpiece. The chandelier is given a seasonal look with fresh garland and red and gold picks. The china cabinet, garnished with hanging wreaths and ribbon on each opened door, kicks up the elegance. ABOVE RIGHT Inside, glitzy ornaments and tiny Christmas trees mingle with beautiful dishes.

photos by Summer Ennis