This country Christmas farmhouse in California has décor that brings together winter neutrals, pops of greenery and a touch of elegance.
Country Christmas style provides a perfect opportunity for decorating with fresh eyes as you seek to craft warm, welcoming spaces for hosting family and friends. For stay-at-home mom of three and Instagrammer Janan Assaf of At Home with Janan, decorating started off as a “creative and therapeutic outlet” to make her home inviting. “I find so much joy in organizing and decorating, especially during the holidays,” she says. “As chaotic as it is with kids at home, I remind myself that not only am I pursuing a hobby and passion for myself, but I truly hope my kids can look back and see how I made the house they grew up in a home full of memories.”
Country Christmas Begins from the Outside
Describing the décor style of the front porch as “rustic-glam,” Janan made sure everything was symmetrical. “The vision was to have visitors see the front door and have an idea as to how the rest of the house was going to be decorated inside,” she says. “I used two mini trees on each side of the door and added faux birchwood logs underneath. I made the wreath myself using a 30″ grapevine wreath and added Christmas stems. I finished it off by hanging a rustic gold bell.”
Describing her style as “simple, elegant and transitional,” her décor exemplifies the meeting point of farmhouse functionality and effortless refinement. “I love how versatile farmhouse style can be—you can add charm with new or vintage décor and your design can incorporate the rustic feel and warmth of a true farmhouse,” she says.
Functional Updates
With four bedrooms and four bathrooms, Janan’s spacious 4,000 square foot home in Coto de Caza, California was built in 1996. Upon purchasing the home, Janan and her husband made some changes to accommodate their family’s needs. Inside, they remodeled the kitchen for better flow and function, replaced the existing flooring and repainted the interior to create a neutral canvas. Outside, they renovated the backyard and decking as well as painted the exterior.
Janan opted for faux greenery for the staircase because it’s easier to arrange. “Putting garland on a staircase can be tricky and sometimes can look too heavy,” she says. “Since one of the Christmas trees is right off the staircase, I decided to keep the garland minimal, with some Christmas charm, so it wouldn’t take away from the tree.”
Decorating for the Holidays
Getting her home ready for the holidays is no easy task, but Janan has come up with a method to help. “I start by laying out all my décor and deciding on a theme or style,” she says. “Once I envision what I want the house to look like, I typically start decorating smaller areas and adding those décor pieces around the house to make sure I really like the style and feel.”
After the smaller areas are complete, she tackles the main focal points: the tree, mantel and front door. This layered approach helps her to bring together old “staple” pieces as well as new finds to create a fresh feel each year.
Adding in different textures, like soft Christmas stockings, alongside small ceramic houses and bottlebrush trees, gives the living room a cozy feeling. “I selected white stockings because they were aesthetically pleasing against the white fireplace/mantel, and I wanted the green garland to be the main focal point,” Janan says. “I love incorporating greenery into our home. It brings life and color and complements the neutral palette and décor well.”
Color palette plays a big role in how Janan crafts the country Christmas look for her farmhouse. With a predominately-white scheme throughout the home, any color pops against the backdrop. In the living room, greenery on the mantel serves as the focal point of the space, adding color and texture alongside the soft white stockings hanging underneath.
In the children’s room, Janan brings in different shades of red and other Christmas hues for added festive fun. “I like to keep everything cohesive and make sure each room flows well with the next room,” she says.
In the children’s room, Janan quickly discovered that her kids had their own ideas for decorating. “A couple of times, I tried to put some matching ornaments from the downstairs trees so it would match their tree upstairs, and every time I was caught by the kids, and they put back up their own ornaments and decorations,” she says.Here in the foyer, Janan added a large tree to greet guests as the first thing they see. “I love having a tree in this room because it creates a grand appearance, and I love the reflection of the tree against the large mirror behind it,” she says.
“I like to keep everything cohesive and make sure each room flows well with the next room.”
To create cohesion throughout different spaces in the house, Janan used similar décor and colors. “I added some décor to the seating area to tie in the mood and feel of the entire primary bedroom,” she says.In the living room, homeowner Janan Assaf brought in a pop of fresh green for festive cheer. “The living room is the first room you see when you enter the front door,” she says. “I added some tall rustic brown trees, green garland and some gold and white decorative Christmas boxes under the coffee table.”In the family room, Janan opted to add another Christmas tree for the first time. “I typically put the second tree in the formal living room, but I wanted to experience what it would feel and look like with a tree in our main family room where we spend most of our time,” she says. “The kids absolutely love this tree behind the couch, and it just makes the room feel so much warmer and cozier.” Santa mug, mini tree, wreaths and candles give this coffee nook a cozy Christmas feel. “I love decorating the coffee area,” Janan says. “It’s the first little spot I come to in the morning for coffee and seeing it decorated during Christmas brings so much joy.”While much of the greenery in her home is faux, Janan chose real greenery to adorn the dining room table. “I purchased it from Trader Joe’s, and I love the fresh smell of pine it gives that room,” she says. “I used different sized pinecones and decorative candles to complete the look of the dining room table.”Faux greenery takes center stage in the kitchen, popping against the light and bright palette. “I added holiday candles, darker wooden serving boards to create a contrast against the white countertops and a dark vase in the center of the island, along with some Christmas kitchen towels and a candle,” Janan says. Festive greenery and Christmas-themed knickknacks light up the wet bar, which is located right off the family room. “It is great to decorate because there is a glass mirror behind it and creates the illusion of a bigger space,” Janan says. “This area is great for putting a Christmas countdown calendar, and lots of mini decorative objects, like the farmhouse pickup truck, mini trees, mini window wreaths, little light up white houses and candles to bring in that holiday scent.”
“I find so much joy in organizing and decorating, especially during the holidays.”
Small touches add charm and festivity to the children’s bedroom. “I decided to hang a little wreath on top of their ‘I love you more’ wooden sign, and I added two Christmas pillows to each of their beds to create a cozy and holiday feel,” Janan says.These Christmas books served as the color palette inspiration for the children’s room. “The kids have a bookshelf in their room with their favorite books they like to read year-round,” Janan says. “During the holiday season, I like to switch out their books to get them into the spirit of Christmas and to familiarize themselves with books related to the holiday. It’s a simple tradition we like to do, and the kids get excited to pick out and read a new Christmas book at night before bedtime.”This little swing in the children’s room is the perfect place to curl up while reading. “Considering their room is neutral (my daughter and son share the room), I thought it would be festive and bring some Christmas cheer to throw on a cozy blanket and colorful pillow for them to enjoy,” Janan says.Janan opted for faux greenery in the primary bedroom, giving the space a welcoming yet elegant feel. “I wanted to bring in some Christmas charm and cozy décor to the room,” she says. “I used a chunky and soft off-white blanket, added some white house décor, pinecones and a holiday scented candle.”After decorating the primary bedroom, Janan wanted to continue the festive vibes into the primary bathroom. “I had a plain green wreath that I wasn’t using and decided to add some red to brighten up the bathroom and give it more of a rustic-glam look and feel,” she says. Janan holds her daughter Camryn in the spacious and festive kitchen. “I love how open and airy and bright it is,” she says.
For a tour of the custom playhouse in Janan’s backyard, head here. For more country Christmas inspiration with a French twist, see A French Farmhouse Christmas on the Farm. Of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for your daily dose of farmhouse inspiration!
A lover of history, good stories and beautiful spaces, Laura finds that writing for American Farmhouse Style is a wonderful outlet. Residing in the rugged West, she enjoys watercolor sunsets and finding beauty in the unexpected. She is a wife to a wonderful husband and a brand new boy mom. When not cuddling with the baby or her two cats Tigger and Scout, she enjoys dabbling in fiction writing, attempting soap making, baking and DIY home projects.
