A French Farmhouse Christmas on the Farm

Written by Autumn Krause

Styling by Amy Mings

This holiday home brings French farmhouse Christmas romance to an Illinois hobby farm.

It’s a French farmhouse Christmas on this American farm. Blogger Amy Mings of Maison de Mings imported the Provence region to southern Illinois. This Francophile lives in a Bedford stone home with her family, where she styles stunning interiors inspired by her travels and runs a small hobby farm.

“The purpose of my design style is to create a warm and authentic French and farmhouse aesthetic,” Amy says. “Inspired by the timeless elegance of Provence, I always strive to bring a bit of France to our rural country life.”

The large dining room in the Mings’ house has a fireplace Amy decorates for her French farmhouse Christmas with metallic shades and fresh greenery.

French Farmhouse Christmas Decor

Combining Old World style with modern amenities can be challenging. But Amy incorporates authentic French antiques into her home décor for a stunning twist on American farmhouse charm. She loves having a unique, hybrid style and has developed it with zero formal training.

“I actually went to school for accounting and worked for a public accounting firm for eight years prior to designing our first home,” she says. “But I would like to think my eye for detail has helped formulate our designs.”

Maison de Mings is home to four Olde English Babydoll Southdown sheep (in addition to a llama, alpacas, ducks, cats and chickens). The sheep, whose darling proportions run 17 to 24 inches tall at the shoulder, are great fuel-efficient lawnmowers and edge-trimmers. They’re also known for having the finest wool of all the British sheep breeds. Amy processes their fiber and turns it into yarn for DIY projects.

Amy turned her entrepreneurial spirit toward home décor and blogging and has found a niche sharing DIYs and simple ways to achieve French American farmhouse style. Ever since then, when Christmas—pardon, Noël—comes around, her aesthetic takes on a romantic, festive feel, embodied in vintage items, greenery and lots of candles and twinkle lights for a French farmhouse Christmas.

Every French-style home needs a stylish yet functional kitchen, and Maison de Mings is no exception. The kitchen had the biggest renovation with repainted cabinets, a new sink, quartz countertops, flooring and light fixtures.

The Mings family also added a marble backsplash and slate appliances. A garland around the window and the archway into the butler’s pantry is a striking holiday feature that doesn’t get in the way. “I attached the garland by hanging it over a few small nails,” Amy says.

NoËl a la Campagne

Decking the halls for the holidays is a family affair at the Mings home. “My husband always hangs the exterior lights, while the girls and I focus on the inside,” Amy says. “We have a special family tree with all of our sentimental ornaments, and we always put it up and decorate it together.”

Her French farmhouse Christmas color palette is neutral, but comes to life with one-of-a-kind finds full of European history and farmhouse charm. Unexpected holiday elements include copper and brass serveware, baskets and French confit pots.

Nothing makes Amy’s heart sing more than incorporating antiques into her holiday décor. “Using antiques or vintage items helps your home feel like ‘yours’ versus something everyone else has,” she says. “It’s about getting creative, like using French confit pots and copper kettles for the base of a Christmas tree or a holiday floral arrangement.”

Visitors receive a warm welcome in the entryway, where effortless holiday accents have a big impact. “A simple look can feel very elegant,” Amy says. “Here, I put a wreath on the front door and a small tree in a basket.”

The classic art piece over the dresser stays up year-round. It was Amy’s late grandmother’s and hung in her living room for years. It reminds her of her grandmother every time she looks at it.

“I recommend blending family heirlooms with existing décor by mixing old and new pieces,” she says. Heirlooms, vintage pieces and brand-new items all have distinct roles in Amy’s décor and creating her aesthetic.

Vintage and Bright

Amy’s timeless French farmhouse Christmas décor stays the same year-to-year, but she always challenges herself to use what she has in new ways. “There are a variety of ways I keep our décor fresh,” she says. “I change up our ribbon and wrapping paper and bring in real greenery and dried eucalyptus. We try to buy and wrap early so gifts end up doubling as décor.

To update wreaths on a budget, I’ll also add a new ribbon every few years and mix in real greenery we cut from my in-laws’ tree farm. Some years, I use all of our décor, and other years we keep it minimal.”

The living room is a mix of tasteful French décor mixed with comfortable seating for hanging out as a family after dinner or on the weekend. The family’s Christmas tree, with their sentimental ornaments, is in this room where the family congregates.

A Vintage French Farmhouse Christmas

The key to Amy’s curated holiday décor is a mix of sources. She turns to a range of places like Amazon, Terrain, Zara Home, local businesses and small shops, as well as vintage and secondhand stores.

Outdoor Lighting Inspo in the Fall

Then she combines old and new pieces for a truly bespoke look. Her holiday décor veers French because she loves an elegant vibe for her French farmhouse Christmas. The kitchen, mantel and dining room table are the focal points for her décor, which means she can feel Christmas cheer while baking or entertaining.

A garden shed has a unique statement piece—a telephone booth. It was one of the first items of furniture that Amy ever bought. Originally, it was the traditional bright British red, but she painted it French blue. It’s a great place for discreet storage. A large Christmas tree was in order to scale with the dimensions of the phone booth.

Christmas is even present in the bathroom through several flocked faux trees. For smaller spaces, skinny trees work well, as they don’t obstruct traffic areas.

Trees, greenery, tapers, twinkle lights and candles come alive against a backdrop of chandeliers, mirrors and wood-plank ceilings. “The purpose of my design style is to create a warm and authentic French and farmhouse aesthetic.”

Maison de Mings is a beautiful design story told in French and is just the place to have the very best joyeux Noël.

Even the playroom is stylish. When the family moved in, Amy painted it and installed a vintage chandelier. She also prioritized a comfortable rug, since her daughters love sitting on the ground and playing with baby dolls, Barbies and Lincoln Logs.

To decorate for the French farmhouse Christmas, her girls asked for lots of twinkle lights, which Amy granted with a garland and two faux trees strung with lights. “In their playroom, we use faux greenery, but I always incorporate dried eucalyptus to fill in,” she says.

Amy incorporates authentic French antiques into her home décor for a stunning twist on American farmhouse charm.

In the primary bedroom, a small, simple faux tree graces the dresser for a touch of Christmas that doesn’t interfere with the everyday décor.

Amy loves using velvets and heavier fabrics during the cooler months, and her French farmhouse Christmas. In her daughters’ bedroom, a gold quilt brings in a beautiful texture. “We decorate all our spaces like the bedrooms for the holidays,” Amy says. “Our family loves relaxing with the beautiful glow of Christmas lights.”

Love the French vibes? Check out this European farmhouse! For more French farmhouse picks, see Amy Ming’s French Christmas Décor Wish List. Of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for more daily inspiration and farmhouse style.