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A French-Inspired Garden and Home by Judith Stringham

White Christmas Fleurs

Monday, December 15, 2014

Welcome to my living room decorated for Christmas with 
White Christmas Fleurs. 



After writing about my Christmas mantel decorated in a French style 
and referring to fresh flowers in a Parisian apartment, 
I wanted to add some seasonal white flowers to the living room. 
Fortunately for me, my sister is a florist and had brought home 
a whole bucket of fresh white flowers which were the inspiration 
for adding them to the coffee table. 



My fascination with white decor continues, and 
white amaryllis, freesia, and hellebores provide just 
the right white and green natural look that 
complements the white stone fireplace and 
whitewashed pine mantel. 



Amaryllis is one of the flowers that is a star at Christmas. 
These are just beginning to open and will be beautiful for several days. 



Only recently have I learned to appreciate the beauty of hellebores, 
a shade-loving perennial that blooms in the winter in the South. 
Yes, winter. 
It is often called Christmas Rose, but is not related to the rose. 



Fresh fleurs (flowers) are perfect additions for my au naturel 
Christmas decorations this year. 
The flowers replaced a concrete urn with an evergreen wreath, 
just visible to the right of the coffee table.  



The urn with wreath now sits on the hearth. 



The coffee table is really a 30-year-old blanket box, 
one of the first white painted pieces of furniture in my house. 

Another touch of Christmas is the oval metal bucket 
painted with a bird scene and the word JOY. 
The bucket holds paper, kindling, and gloves for 
starting a fire in the fireplace. 

Speaking of which, there are ashes in the fireplace 
hidden by a heavy fireplace screen. 
It is so heavy that in the winter we use a 
lightweight screen for two reasons. 
First, it allows more heat through to warm the room, and
secondly, it is easier to move for tending to the fire. 
The first two photos have the lighter screen in them. 



A third change to the living room Christmas decor is the 
Paris candle that adds another touch of France. 



Sunlight beams create a bright glow that makes the 
candle appear to be lit. 



The white flowers and greenery go very well with 
the new blue and white checked sofa's 
throw pillows that match the breakfast chairs in the adjoining kitchen. 



Most of the decor in the room is the same year round. 
However, the pastel-colored Santa print 
is only on display during Christmas. 



The hand painted Noël sign is blue to coordinate with the house's decor. 



Over the years, I've added more and more blue Christmas decorations 
in place of traditional red and green holiday colors 
which allows using everyday objects at Christmas. 




Even the throw pillows remain the same for Christmas. 



Small touches of evergreen are branches trimmed  
from the bottom of our Christmas tree. 
Using just four small evergreen branches, I tied them 
together with small pieces of green twine to form a candle ring.  




The white flowers coordinate with both the traditional evergreens 
and with the pastel Santa. 



Natural white flowers look good with all colors, 
such as the leather chair across from the sofa. 



Just a few natural greens and flowers are easy to use 
and give the entire room a Christmas feel. 



We may make some wreaths from evergreens cut from the yard and 
hang them on the railings to the left of the fireplace and over the sofa. 



Or this may be the last tweaking of the living room Christmas decor. 

Which do you like better on the coffee table? 
The concrete urn with the evergreen wreath or the vase of white flowers? 

You may want to look back at the French Christmas Mantel to see 
the coffee table with the concrete urn to help you decide 
which you like better. 
~~~~❦~~~~
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