There are many things that I get to do as owner of Nell Hill’s that are a pleasure and a dream. One of my favorite perks is getting to meet wonderful new friends and seeing their beautiful homes. There is something special about being able to work closely with a friend to help bring her or his decor vision to life, especially during the holiday season! One new friend, Ann, and her husband Frank welcomed my team and me into their new Loch Lloyd lakeside oasis to bring a bit of Christmas cheer this December.
I have to admit, I was a bit nervous at the start of this design journey! This is going to be their first Christmas in their new home and I wanted to make sure everything was perfect. Moving from a long-time family home into a new house is an emotional and personal process, and they had just moved three weeks prior to us coming to set up! This year has also been a long and strange time for many families, and I was not sure how the holiday season would be received. Ann pointed out a wonderful view that even during times such as this, it is important to enjoy the time we do have together. With that thought in mind, my main goal was to make this new house feel like a home for their family while keeping the unique flair that this one-of-a-kind property holds.
Luckily, working with Ann is a dream! She is such a lovely, genuine woman which made collaborating a breeze. The first time she welcomed us into her home, I was awestruck by the natural stone walls and the floor to ceiling windows that offer breathtaking lake views. This grand home was originally built by Loch Lloyd founder Harry Lloyd and has many a feature that you won’t find in other home in the area, like the towering lookout atop the main chimney (with spiraling stone staircase access)! After walking the room and speaking with Ann, I was happy to learn of her love of blue and her desire to bring a sophisticated lodge-inspired look into her home for the holidays.
Our next step was having her pop into the shop for a little shopping trip! While we wandered the rooms at Nell Hill’s, she plucked any ornament that caught her eye. She especially loved the whimsical fun of our gold polka dot ornaments and was drawn to our nativity ornaments as it is important for her to represent her Catholic faith during the holiday season. Ann also shared with me that her favorite thing to do in their new home is to watch the deer navigate around the lake. This was an “ah-ha!” moment for us. Deer are very stately, elegant animals and what better way to bring the magic of the lake indoors than with stags! We had the perfect pair of statues for a stunning addition to a beautiful Christmas tree, and they make for a lovely indoor or outdoor addition to the home year-round. Plus, as Ann so hilariously pointed out, she doesn’t have to worry about these deer eating her garden!
We placed our friendly deer right next to the towering 10-foot tree that we decked with all of Ann’s favorite ornaments and a picks like snow-dusted evergreen foliage and bunches of pinecones. The pops of navy ribbon and the dark blue velvet fabric tree wrap effortlessly tied in her gorgeous blue furniture to our holiday display. We carried our palette of blue, champagne and natural textures over to the fireplace mantel, coffee table, and beyond to the stunning entryway. We used two of our nine-foot Christmas trees placed in planters to fill the space of the magnificent hallway and draw the eye up towards touches of greenery wrapped around beams crossing the vaulted ceiling. It was a joy getting to know Ann and to assist with the decoration of her home this holiday season. It is such a privilege getting to be a small part of peoples’ homes and lives – that’s by far the best part of the job! I hope that everyone has a joyous holiday season, even if things do look a bit different, and that we are all able to celebrate more like we’re used to next year! Until next time – Happy Decorating!