This 1929 home in Los Angeles gets vintage minimalist farmhouse flair and becomes a vintage Christmas cottage for the season.
When you live in an old home, incorporating some history into your Christmas décor is a must. This has been true for blogger Andi Chow of The Simply Distressed. For years, Andi has purposefully intertwined the original cottage style of her 1929 Los Angeles home with her own farmhouse style. Andi and her husband, Ron, have spent the last five-plus years slowly renovating the home to achieve their vision.
By giving themselves plenty of time to complete their DIY projects, they have saved money and worked the home improvements into a busy schedule with their three kids. “Our main purpose was to make this house really feel like our home,” Andi says. For the Chow family, this means a comfortable, understated cottage farmhouse.
The Chow family spends much of their time in the living room, so homewoner Andi had to be practical. “I wasn’t able to do as much as I would have liked because of my son crawling,” says Andi. “I made do by keeping things out of his reach.” Gnomes and snow-frosted Christmas trees sit on top of the file cabinet, while some of Andi’s favorite vintage bells adorn the walls for extra warmth in the space. The red blanket on the couch adds a dash of color, and the train doubles as both décor and a children’s toy.
Vintage Christmas Cottage
During the Christmas season, Andi keeps intentionality at the forefront as she prepares the space for her favorite holiday. “I’m typically not a huge fan of seasonal décor,” she says, “but for Christmas, I definitely am.” Andi is purposeful with her décor choices, and she creates a festive atmosphere that incorporates her family’s favorite seasonal elements.
The fireplace and Christmas tree exude warmth in the library. Christmas lights and vintage touches bring this area to life. “Our mantel is shallow, so I keep the décor there minimum,” says Andi. Tapered candles in simple black bases adorn either side of the rustic mirror. Andi adds greenery to the area with garland accented with dried orange slices. The Christmas tree is full of antique ornaments, and the presents are wrapped in the colors of Andi’s neutral palette.
Andi’s own style is a minimalist version of the farmhouse cottage aesthetic. Simple additions of greenery paired with brass or gold antiques are all she needs to bring Christmas alive. “I like neutral with some pops of color and texture,” she says. Some of Andi’s favorite pieces include brass candlesticks, antique brass bells, DIYed Santa’s village houses and a variety of small pine trees. Andi adds pops of Christmas to each room to create a seamless transition from space to space and bring cohesion to her seasonal décor.
Along with Andi’s newer finds, she loves to include vintage pieces and sentimental items like her husband’s childhood Christmas train. Her favorite antique finds pair well with her older home. “I’ve always loved a more vintage feeling, and our Christmas décor definitely matches the age of the home,” Andi says.
Andi and her husband, Ron, have been renovating their 1,800-square-foot house for five and a half years to turn it into the home of their dreams. For Christmas, Andi keeps the exterior décor minimal, though she may expand in the future. “I already know the kids want more outside,” she says. For now, the exterior features classic colorful Christmas lights and simple greenery at the front door.
A Kid-Centered Christmas
Though Andi’s style may be understated, her children’s style is not. “The kids love a lot more color than I do,” she says. Andi has found creative ways to bring the kids into her holiday décor process without sacrificing her vision. “The kids love a lot of Christmas red, so I’ve found ways to incorporate pops of color,” she says. Andi also lets them exercise creativity in their spaces, including their room and play area. Combined with Andi’s subtle yet beautiful Christmas décor, the home has become a space where the whole family can feel the magic of Christmas all season long.
The Chow family calls this space “the library.” Andi made her own wall art with a set of open books on which she drew floral art. The DIY vintage-book Christmas tree, in a combination of green and red, adds a seasonal touch of Christmas. “This is where I really like to have fun, as the kids aren’t in here as much,” Andi says. She blends her Christmas décor with the home’s natural features so she can enjoy seasonal decorations without overwhelming the space. “I want to also let the bones of the home shine through.” Andi has made the living room into the quintessential Christmas space with a large, ornamented tree and wrapped presents. She uses ornaments in a unique way for the smaller tree next to the sectional by placing them in a wire basket at the tree’s base.When decorating each space of your home, keep in mind how often you use the area. “We’re always in the kitchen, so I keep it minimal,” Andi says. She incorporates pops of greenery to add small seasonal touches. “I pretty much do the same thing here every year with the wreaths and garlands.” A green wreath and red flag banner add a touch of Christmas to the laundry area. Andi often chooses to highlight her home’s natural features rather than cover them up with lots of holiday decorations. “I didn’t want decorations to take away from the barn door,” she says. Andi’s Christmas tablescape is a mix of long-collected items and previously owned pieces. Andi has gathered candles from thrift shops over many years. “I’ve found some candles really cheap,” she says. “It has become quite the fun hunt to find the cheapest ones.” Andi wanted to add some color to her tablescape without spending more money. Her solution was to use an old scarf as a table runner. “There isn’t a lot of space in our kids’ bathroom,” Andi says, “so I just added a simple small pine tree.” Although you may want to decorate every nook and cranny, too many decorations in a small area can be overwhelming. Andi considered the small space of the primary bathroom and ultimately went with a simple touch of red roses and greenery. The minimal décor keeps the space accessible.“I like to go full blown in this space,” says Andi of the primary bedroom. “I can close the door and not worry about the children when it comes to the décor.” Andi added a mid-size frosted pine tree on one side of a wooden bench, and a larger tree in the back corner. Greenery atop antique luggage adds texture, while brass bells hanging on the bed frame tie into the rest of the home. The window frames above the bed are up year-round. Andi made them festive with wreaths and ornaments. The hanging star was the couple’s first Christmas tree topper.Atop the DIY vintage-inspired cabinet in the living room is a snapshot that showcases Andi’s pull toward minimalism. The gnomes and trees add color, while the collection of candles have a vintage cottage feel that fits with the home’s original design. Andi’s décor nicely frames the TV that she keeps on a Christmas screensaver. Antique finds and family favorites are all over Andi’s home. In this corner of the living room, Andi decorated with a mid-size pine tree, lights for pops of color and her favorite vintage bells. The brass cow bells are throughout the home, adding cohesion to the look. The train is a sentimental favorite of Ron’s. “That train is my husband’s pride and joy,” says Andi. “The kids love to play with it every year.”Andi transformed this nook into a play area for the kids. At Christmastime, this area is theirs to decorate. “We added more red here,” says Andi. “It was what the girls wanted.” The unique vintage file cabinet was something Andi picked up on the side of the road. It holds the kids’ arts and craft supplies and plays well with the home’s early roots.“When it comes to the décor, I let the girls have free reign in their room,” Andi says. Allowing kids their own space to decorate helps get them in the holiday spirit. Andi’s daughters chose a big tree with pops of red and childhood ornaments. Large paper bag snowflakes add warmth and texture and are a special touch, as the girls handmade them and wanted to proudly display them in their room. To stay within budget, Andi focuses on decorating one new space a year. “I’ve learned to be intentional with what I purchase,” she says. She currently has no holiday decorations in the backyard, but already has big plans for the space. “I definitely want to add a tree and greenery next year,” says Andi. “I know the girls will want pops of reds, so I will find ways to work that in too.”
Jillian began her writing career while working through college. She has continued to follow that passion in the years since. Jillian thrives in combining her experience and education to craft insightful and engaging writing. She loves to research and collaborate with others in order to tell stories that bring value to readers’ lives. Jillian’s love of writing was initially born from her passion for reading. She enjoys all genres including fantasy, historical fiction, non-fiction, thriller and more. She believes one of the best ways to be a great writer is to be a great reader and tries to spend as much time as she can reading. When not reading or writing, Jillian enjoys punk rock concerts, swimming and spending time with family. Jillian lives in Orange County, California with her significant other, two children and their dog. Her work can be found through Linkedin or her personal website.
