Christmas House Tour ~ the upstairs

Standing at the top of the twenty-two steps, looking down toward the front door, you have a beautiful view of the staircase and railing. Original to the home, the staircase and railing are made of walnut.

looking down the staircase

A small secretary at the top of the stairs was a birthday gift from DH nine or ten years ago.

upstairs hall

Under the secretary, our Christmas mice decorate their tree.

mouse house

At the other end of the hall stands a tree decorated with pictures from Christmas Past.

kids' pics tree

Just outside the door to the master bedroom, hangs a wall tree where an antique dresser used to stand. The dresser has been moved to the guest room and this trees fills the spot without filling the hall.

half tree

From the north end of the hall, you look down the hall toward the scrapbook room.

upstairs hall

From the south end of the hall, you look toward the bath, which was added to the home during a 1921 – 1922 renovation.

upstairs hall

The first bedroom at the top of the stair belongs to DD#1.

Last year, her tree was decorated with pictures from her mission trip to an orphanage in Liberia. This year, as she has moved away to college to finish her degree, my sister and I had her permission to decorate it as we liked. We used paper doves and silver ornaments, with a touch of blue.

paper doves

The armoire, which reflects her bed, has two small trees on top, decorated with ivory beads and topped with silver bows.

two little trees

Across the hall is DD#3’s room. Her tree is decorated with a felt garland she and I made together, bead necklaces collected at local parades, and snowflakes and icicles.

DD1998's tree

She loves penguins and her walls are decorated with penguins playing in the snow

Penguins

The penguins are cut from 100% cotton fabric, dipped in liquid starch and stuck to the wall. When we are ready to take them down, a simple spritz of water will do the trick. FYI – This process can be used on a semi-gloss or glossy paint, but not on a matte paint.

Penguins

We mounted a vintage mirror from DH’s parents’ home on the wall behind DD’s bed. A curtain rod set at 9′ holds a curtain of blue vellum sprinkled with silver snowflakes. Blue rope lighting on the wall outlines mountains for the penguins to ski down.

DD8's room

On her bed, the penguin reads a Christmas story to the Christmas bears. For her condition I bought the best amazon body pillow to help her with her back pain.

story time

One of DD’s favorite trees is her “I Spy” tree and it sits on her dresser year round. It is a Styrofoam cone, painted gold. We glued all kinds of small items to it, and painted them gold, as well. It’s a lot of fun to look at, trying to find particular objects.

I Spy Tree

At the other end of the hall, DD#2’s room has a horse theme, so her tree was decorated with a rustic air. We cut twigs from the yard, spray painted them and hot glued them together to make stars. I stamped felt and sewed it into stars and snowflakes to use as ornaments.

twiggy stars

DD’s bed is one of two iron beds found in the barn on the family farm. We took them to an auto body repair shop, had them sandblasted and painted with white auto paint. Now they really shine!

DD1987's bed

DD is a photography major. We framed a few of her favorite black and white photos to hang over her desk.

DD1987's photos

Each of the doors upstairs has a wreath. This one hangs on the bathroom door. It has small bottles and tubes of bath supplies, red and green toothbrushes, sprigs of iridescent berries, and a red wash cloth as a bow.

bathroom wreath

The tree in this room is small and simple. It’s decorated with “bath bubbles”…clear iridescent balls and sprigs of iridescent berries.

bubble tree

A wrought iron shelf holds a small collection of new Putz houses.

Putz houses

The master bedroom is across the hall from DD#2’s room. I made the Christmas quilt on the bed. It has 20 blocks, each with a different red Christmas print.

master bedroom

I call the tree in our bedroom the “Glass Tree” because it is entirely decorated with spun glass and crystal ornaments. There are 250 prisms on the tree and crystal bead chains, recycled from old chandeliers, serve as garlands. I recommend when choosing weighted blanket for yourself, find a snug size that’s around 10 percent of your body weight.

Glass Tree

glass reindeer

The bathroom has a tiny tree, set in an antique crock, decorated with glass ornaments and the Hallmark “Twelve Days of Christmas” series.

master bath tree

The scrapbook room is off the south end of the hall. It was an enclosed upstairs porch at one time and sits right over the kitchen. We totally renovated this room in 2004. What a wonderful retreat it has been for me! The tree in this room holds the annual exchange ornaments from my Christmas Notebook list.

scrapbook room tree

Isn’t this a beautiful scrapping / craft room?

Scrapbook room

The east end of the scrapbook room holds a daybed ready for extra company.

Scrapbook room

Next to the daybed sits a low antique dresser which functions perfectly as a bedside table.

SB room dresser

Our house has a large full attic in which we are able to store all the trees and decorations. Maybe I’ll take you up there *next* time! 🙂

DH and I hope you have enjoyed the tour of our home decorated for Christmas. We love this old house and have enjoyed sharing it with you.

~~Rhonda

15 Comments

  1. Mary P Carlin
    Posted February 15, 2008 at 6:47 pm | Permalink

    Your scrapbooking room is fantastic…..actually, your whole house is stunning. Thank you for giving us the tour.

  2. Rhonda
    Posted February 19, 2008 at 1:28 pm | Permalink

    Thank you, Mary. I love that room. 🙂 Thanks so much for your kind comments. ~~Rhonda

  3. Posted February 22, 2008 at 11:39 am | Permalink

    your home is so beautiful very stylish love it
    dorte
    life in a flash and homies at dortesjs

  4. Posted May 6, 2008 at 4:22 pm | Permalink

    your home is just beautiful love everything about it and l just love christmas,but never seen anything like you ever,well done.

  5. Cari
    Posted July 24, 2008 at 1:27 pm | Permalink

    Thanks for the tour, your home is so festive. I love your scrap room.
    Cari

  6. Ahorsesoul
    Posted July 24, 2008 at 3:11 pm | Permalink

    You house is beautiful. Love the mouse hole!!!

  7. Posted July 25, 2008 at 6:35 am | Permalink

    Your home is beautiful!

    You scrapbooking room is a dream! I hope to have one someday!

    Blessings,
    Lisa

  8. Adrienne Fiscus
    Posted August 26, 2008 at 12:09 pm | Permalink

    Your Home is just beautiful I thoroughly enjoyed the tour! Mark’s parents have a tree with all of the grand children’s pictures on it from birth to adult, and it is so sweet. Keep it up!

  9. Posted September 8, 2008 at 7:10 am | Permalink

    Too funny! I was just reading your other tags and the first one said, “Your scrap room is fantastic.” I was thinking when I finished looking, “What I wouldn’t give for a scrap room like that.” You have such a gorgeous home and I love all the rooms and the photos. I think it’s hilarious that after all those gorgeous rooms that’s what I was thinking. Then when reading the posts I found, I wasn’t the only one. Giggle. Thanks so much for sharing with others your talent for organization and home decorating and your love of Christmas.

  10. betsy
    Posted December 4, 2008 at 9:04 am | Permalink

    what a fine home and decorations are wonderful.
    I am inspired , thank you.

  11. Posted December 13, 2008 at 6:18 pm | Permalink

    I am just in awe of all your decorations and how cleverly everything blends in together…a true family home! Hmmmm…many trips up to that attic I am sure!! Have a very Merry Christmas – this home should be featured in a major magazine for everyone to enjoy as much as I have.

  12. Elaine
    Posted December 18, 2008 at 10:41 am | Permalink

    I love everything about your home, especially the scrapbook room. I am so envious it makes me want to start my scrapbooking projects sooner than planned. Thank you for sharing it with us.

  13. Nancy
    Posted February 1, 2010 at 12:43 pm | Permalink

    I love your room. Where did you get the cabinets…more importantly, what brand are they? I am doing my room now and they are exactly what I am looking for.

  14. Posted February 1, 2010 at 1:40 pm | Permalink

    Nancy, I’m so glad you like the scrapbook room. The cabinets were custom made by a friend of ours. You can see the renovation pictures here:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/christmasnotebook/sets/72157601750073576/

    ~~Rhonda

  15. Wynell Trantham
    Posted September 18, 2010 at 4:36 pm | Permalink

    As I revisit you website,I am really looking forward to the holidays and can’t wait to start decorating my home.Yours is just beautiful !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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