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MAKE THE SEASON SPARKLE

HOLIDAY HOMES

Explore beautiful dwellings festooned in their seasonal best from the pages of Flower magazine. fl owermag.com/ holidayhomes

LEFT: A vignette of amaryllis, holly berries, pine cones, and evergreens at the Maryland country home of event planners Rick Davis and Christopher Vazquez

CHRISTMAS ARRANGEMENTS

Find how-tos and creative inspiration for centerpieces, wreaths, garlands, and more. fl owermag.com/ christmasfl owers

RIGHT: A classic red-andgreen centerpiece by fl oral designer Canaan Marshall

TABLES MERRY AND BRIGHT

Our collection of holiday place settings brims with ideas for your own table. fl owermag.com/ holidaytables

LEFT: Shiny baubles and a nutcracker add festive fl air to an opulent setting styled by Amanda Smith Fowler.

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Glass windows overlooking the courtyard refl ect the lights of the 13-foot blue spruce from Pine Hill Farm. OPPOSITE: The designer and her Malshipoo, Jack, stand below an abundance of garlands made from cedar, Douglas-fi r, dusty miller, ilex berries, and amaryllis.

A TWIST ON TRADITION

For Birmingham interior designer Stephanie Lynton, decking the halls takes on a whole new meaning every year

Most people view the holidays as a time for unearthing old traditions. For Birmingham, Alabama, designer Stephanie Lynton, however, those traditions look a little di erent. “Not much stays the same around here when it comes to Christmas,” she says. “You might say our tradition is change.”

Stephanie begins planning her holiday décor in the summer and purchasing materials in early October. “There are so many things I love about decorating for Christmas,” she says. “I don’t want to be locked into any one thing, so I like to take my time looking at all the possibilities. It’s the same with my design business.”

In 2014, after years of practicing construction law, Stephanie decided to focus her energy on her real passion, interior design. Since then, she has mastered a style that is both colorful and inviting. Behind the playful aesthetic, however, is a driven entrepreneur with a unique set of tools. “I bring a special skill set to the table as a designer

Taking cues from the fl oral design of the Chinese screen, Stephanie lined a row of amaryllis behind the sofa in the living room. She fi lled the vases on the mantel with ruscus and honeysuckle vines.

because I know about the PSI of concrete and what the geotechnical friction of soil means for your foundation,” she says. “At times, those things have helped me land clients that I wouldn’t have otherwise.”

Stephanie has a prowess for pattern play and unexpected color pairings that is evident throughout her home, as seen in the pink-and-green palette of her foyer covered with Arbre De Vie (tree of life) wallpaper by Clarence House. “I also have an all-pink room, a red room,

LEFT: In the foyer, Arbre De Vie wallpaper by Clarence House establishes the vibrant palette. A terra-cotta faux bois planter purchased from the Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville overfl ows with greenery. BELOW: A silver punch bowl anchors an arrangement of 'Heart' garden roses, ranunculus, eucalyptus pods, orange freesia, hypericum berries, red parrot tulips, and ruscus.

Stephanie commissioned a wall-sized painting from artist Sheema Muneer to set the pink tone in the eat-in area of the kitchen. Hand-painted ornaments on the tree continue her folk art holiday theme.

and a green room,” says the designer. “In each one, I kept layering both color and pattern until I felt I had enough.” Between these colorful spaces, she breaks up the boldness with a few neutral rooms, such as her mostly white kitchen and airy stairwell.

In addition to her vibrant color schemes, Stephanie likes to incorporate one-of-a-kind, character-rich pieces and materials into her designs, as seen in the entryway, where a terra-cotta faux bois planter overfl ows with wild greenery. Underfoot, the 100-year-old reclaimed Bessemer Grey brick fl oors create a textured, historic ambience. “Those bricks are pretty tough to come by, so I was lucky to get them,” she says. “To achieve the pillowed look I wanted, I used a tile saw to cut both faces of each brick. Then I fl ipped them over and tumbled them together to knock the edges o .”

That personal touch and attention to detail pervade the 1930s home, which Stephanie and her husband have renovated and expanded upon since buying it more than 20 years ago. As in most houses, the kitchen is the place where the family spends the most time. The room’s inviting wing chairs are a favorite spot for her husband and daughter to relax. Open shelves full of cake stands speak to the designer’s love of baking.

An adjoining butler’s pantry, painted a playful light green, refl ects even more of Stephanie’s interests. “I like to call it the JOATMON room because it’s the Jack of all Trades, Master of None space,” she says. “It’s as much my pantry as it is my wrapping paper niche. And it also holds all of my gardening supplies.”

For the holidays, Stephanie likes to really fl ex her design muscle and experiment with di erent themes and infl uences from around the world. She pulled inspiration from European folk art to create her front door décor, which includes a medallion of amaryllis, sugar pine cones, berries, and evergreens, along with two doves joined by a ruby heart. “Since we still can’t travel

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Stephanie’s floral-filled desk niche includes wallpaper from Schumacher and a vase full of red parrot tulips. • The designer’s auricula theater features porcelain flowers by Pam Tidwell. • Stephanie's "tree lamp" takes center stage on the kitchen island. "It's a bronze sculpture that originally was the base of a glass-top table," she says. A pagoda-shaped vent hood adds a decorative Asian element to the space.

LEFT: An antique pine hutch doubles as a bar for holiday cocktails. BELOW: The butler’s pantry, painted a custom shade of Hollandlac Brilliant by Fine Paints of Europe, is stocked with linens, dishes, and silver, as well as gardening accoutrements.

STEPHANIE LYNTON’S TIPS FOR HOLIDAY DECORATING

When it comes to holiday decorations, it’s hard to go wrong with simple red, green, and white. After all, who doesn’t love fresh green garlands with red berries and sprigs of mistletoe?

While Stephanie enjoys decorating with these classic seasonal colors, she’s not afraid to use her imagination to change things up. Whether she chooses a vintage, hot-pink tree from the 1960s or blue-and-white pottery loaded with red blooms, the designer is a proponent of playful creativity and not taking oneself too seriously. "Start by looking at your own home and experimenting with colors that are already part of your décor," she says.

Although the designer is known for mixing colors and themes from room to room, she also understands the virtues of simplicity. If that's what you prefer, she says to “pick one thing, do lots of it, and spread it throughout the house. Then it’s cohesive and easy yet still makes a statement.”

Stephanie also suggests finding inspiration by observing the holiday traditions of other cultures, such as the Dutch use of Delft Blue porcelain.

Organization is the key to stress-free entertaining. Stephanie advises ordering things like flowers 60 to 90 days in advance. “You will be glad you planned ahead,” she says. “That takes so much worry o of you.”

Another tip? Mix real and artificial greenery. The latter can be used year after year and is a lifesaver for family members who su er from cedar allergies.

ABOVE: Pieces from Stephanie’s blue-and-white transferware collection shine in a caramel-colored alcove. The lidded vases are part of a garniture set from David Herndon Antiques. She found the tobacco leaf–patterned platter at RoundTop.

“My design motto was inspired by Dr. Seuss, who said fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. I like to let my imagination

go.”—STEPHANIE LYNTON

much because of COVID, I’m bringing the world to our house,” she says.

Working with her hands and making things is a passion that Stephanie shares with her mother-in-law and daughter, both of whom enjoy helping with the holiday decorations. On the other end of the kitchen, adjacent to the stairwell, the trio created a special tree that they placed on the base of an oversized blue-and-white tulipiere the three women made years ago. “We call this ‘The Nana Tree,’ ” says the designer. “It has become so special to us over the years because we work on it together.”

The round ornaments were handpainted to look like Dutch art, while the others, in the shapes of hearts, stars, and gingerbread men, were sugared to look like cookies. “We are huge crafters in this family,” Stephanie says. “The Christmas joy for us is doing the project together, coming up with a di erent theme each year, and seeing it from start to finish. And while we like to change things up, there is one constant: It's always a family a air.”

Legacy of the Land

A grand Philadelphia estate returns to its glory days as it reverberates the centuries-old philosophy of celebrated landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted

The iconic estate unfolds gently beyond scrolled iron gates, almost as if plucked from an English storybook. OPPOSITE: A circular island of mounded evergreens partially hides the arch-embraced entrance, while stained glass windows and half-timbers underscore Krisheim’s Tudor façade.

A raised grotto-shaped enclosure of exquisitely chiseled, local Wissahickon schist provides protection for the Boy Fountain, created by Norwegian-born artist Johan Selmer-Larsen in 1912. By the pool below, a bronze of the mythological Narcissus by George Hancock admires his refl ection. BELOW: ‘Sunny’ is a hardy, showy Knock Out rose with a bright-yellow center that fades to creamy white.

AS THE COUNTRY PREPARES TO CELEBRATE THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF RENOWNED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED, much of our attention focuses on the great public parks and recreational spaces he created—Central Park; the park systems in Boston and in Bu alo, New York; and roughly 100 others. In addition, the talented designer was responsible for 50 residential communities and the campuses of around 40 academic institutions. However, it was his fi rm’s involvement in more than 200 private estates that is most fascinating.

While Biltmore, constructed in North Carolina for George Washington Vanderbilt, represents the pinnacle of Frederick’s late career, it’s the Krisheim estate, located in Chestnut Hill near Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park, that constitutes one of the fi rm’s most elegant private projects. Although the estate’s timeline coincided with Frederick’s impending retirement, his overarching philosophy strongly infl uenced the design and is evident down every woodland path, around each splashing water feature, and through every sun-dappled vista.

Krisheim’s story began when 50 wooded acres of rolling land acquired by Henry Howard Houston were left to his daughter Gertrude after her marriage to Dr. George Woodward

THE ESSENCE OF OLMSTED

EARLY NEW ENGLAND YEARS Frederick Law Olmsted was born in 1822 in Hartford, Connecticut. Throughout his childhood, his father took him on frequent horseback rides into the countryside to teach him to appreciate the scenery. Frederick credited those cherished forays for instilling a deep, lifelong reverence for nature.

EDUCATION He privately studied surveying, chemistry, and scientifi c farming with several professors at Yale, allowing him to be listed as a non-graduate alumnus.

THE INFLUENCE OF ENGLAND A six-month walking trip through vast natural English landscapes profoundly infl uenced Frederick’s future work. His observance of Birkenhead Park’s recreational space for working classes to enjoy the outdoors infused every subsequent park commission he was given and led him and Calvert Vaux to win the competition to design Central Park.

EARLY CAREERS Before becoming a landscape architect, he spent time as an apprentice seaman, a merchant, a farmer, a journalist, and a gold-mine manager. During the Civil War, he ran the U.S. Sanitary Commission, which later became the Red Cross.

RETIREMENT

After Frederick retired, his sons continued his legacy by founding the Olmsted Brothers fi rm in 1898. Taught at their father’s knee, Frederick Jr. and John Charles became founding members of the American Society of Landscape Architects in 1899. THIS PAGE: A private corner of the Upper Terrace features stone stairs that seem to lead nowhere but were once used by gardeners to access tool storage in a concealed shed over the wall. A stone bench beneath a carved wall plaque invites rest, in keeping with Frederick Law Olmsted’s penchant for “quiet spaces.”

ABOVE: A lush border of hydrangeas lines the Annabelle Walk leading to the cool, rustic Summer House, whIch o ers respite from Philadelphia’s summer heat. BELOW: An island of layered evergreens studded with seasonal blooms highlights the graceful circular drive. in 1894. Upon returning from a yearlong honeymoon, the couple hired James Frederick (Fred) Dawson, a landscape architect who subsequently joined the Olmsted firm, to plan the gardens that would frame their splendid home designed by Peabody and Stearns. “They wanted the grounds and the home to look as if they had always been there,” says Philadelphia landscape architect Robert (Rob) J. Fleming. Plans and historical correspondence indicate the ambitious exercise took about 15 years, with the house foundations laid in 1910 and the final project completed in 1912.

As for the gardens, Fred Dawson, who by then was a partner in the Olmsted Brothers firm, faithfully adhered to Frederick Olmsted’s love of peaceful, pastoral design. “Parts of the property are steeply pitched, while others feature broad grassy areas studded with important trees,” says Rob.

In 1964, after serving as the beloved Woodward family home for 52 years, Krisheim was given to the Presbyterian Church. Twenty years later, the Woodwards’ youngest son, Charles Henry, bought it back and refitted the top two floors into nine apartments. But it was the Woodwards’ grandson, Charles (Chuck) Woodward, who resolved to return the estate to its former glory. Determined to remain true to the land’s original intent, he hired Rob to oversee the garden restoration, and the two men pilgrimaged to the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site in Brookline, Massachusetts, to study relevant documents. Propelled by their discoveries, the duo began the project in 1989.

“The gardens had been totally neglected, so we realized the task could not be accomplished quickly,” says Chuck, who explains that almost all of the boxwoods and dogwoods had been removed and the most prominent water features were no longer in existence. “Even the Long Pond had been covered in flagstone,” he says. “Reclamation was painstaking work because we had to be careful not to destroy original walls and stone enclosures that were laid over 100 years ago.”

Twenty-two years later, Chuck’s wife, Anna, further refined

Shafts of early-morning light course through the branches of an ancient red maple that appears on Fred Dawson’s original plan.

The 90-foot-long pond below the Upper Terrace had to be hand-dug during Chuck Woodward’s intense garden restoration. A thick patch of ‘Sunny’ Knock Out roses enhances the water’s edge, while a hardy border of lilyturf lines the brick walk.

ABOVE RIGHT: The green foliage of Itoh peonies, Agastache ‘Blue Fortune,’ Iris sibirica ‘Caesar’s Brother,’ and Calamintha ‘White Cloud’ fl anks the steps to a dining terrace and patiently awaits springtime’s season of blooms. the project. “Anna reworked the original outdoor rooms with a fi ne-tooth comb,” says Chuck. “She made them feel airy and put a lot of polish on them.”

To accomplish this, Anna worked with Krisheim’s head gardener, Nina Schneider, and her team, vetting plant materials with a keen eye. “This was necessary because some of the original plants were obsolete,” Anna says. “We also replaced 200 Buxus ‘Green Velvet’ boxwoods to reestablish original hedging in the walled garden.”

Thorny, overgrown pyracantha espaliers were replaced with swaths of Knock Out roses planted for their lengthy fl oral display. The Annabelle Walk, lined with hydrangeas, became a charming introduction to the Summer House, and waxy white franklinia was added for its showstopping beauty. As Nina says, “Throughout the process, we kept the Olmsted brothers’ mantra in mind: This was never intended as a fl ower garden but rather as an architecturally landscaped garden.”

As the gardens were refreshed, the house also underwent a restoration, fi ve years in the making. Upon completion, the monumental project, orchestrated by John Milner Architects, won the prestigious Grand Jury Award from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.

“Awards or not, what it all really means is that this house and its gardens have been—and always will be—an important part of our family’s heritage,” says Chuck. “I would never pretend to accomplish anything like my forebears did, but I feel I have now done my part. Krisheim will remain an important part of the story of Chestnut Hill for a long time.”

ENCHANTMENT

The impeccably set E.J. Victor dining set seats up to 16, so it can comfortably accommodate extended family at the annual Christmas dinner. OPPOSITE: Hand-tied garland made from cedar, magnolia, and seasonal greens softens the Indiana limestone and custom ironwork of the front entry while also adding a festive, natural layer that complements the English ivy–clad façade.

ON LONG ISLAND

Designer and blogger Tina Yaraghi takes her signature blue-and-white palette one step further as she decks the halls of her New York home

Text & Styling by MARGARET ZAINEY ROUX Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

Tina Yaraghi doesn’t consider herself an influencer, despite having more than 150,000 followers on Instagram. The housewife, business owner, and hostessturned-blogger gained a loyal following in 2011 when she documented the ups, downs, and aha moments of home building during the four-year construction of her house, a château-inspired manse in the idyllic town of Mill Neck on Long Island’s north shore.

“It all started with a journal,” Tina says of her ever-popular blog and brand, The Enchanted Home. “The journal then evolved into a blog with an audience of two—my mother and me. I wasn’t trying to influence anyone or promote anything. I just wanted to connect and exchange ideas with others going through the process of designing a home from the ground up. Writing and sharing my thoughts and experiences became cathartic for me, so I’ve kept going even though our home is complete.”

The architecture of the house, a hybrid of English Tudor and French Norman styles, was inspired by a visit to Tina’s aunt’s home in the Loire Valley of France. Upon returning, Tina and husband Michael tasked architect Michael Jay Wallin with the tall order of converting a folder full of travel photos, book pages, and magazine clippings into a design plan that places authenticity and aesthetics on equal footing. Reclaimed wood and stone were sourced for the flooring, mantels, and millwork, while skilled craftsmen replicated centuries-old plasterwork and ironwork.

LEFT: Inspired by the stairwell at Ralph Lauren’s Madison Avenue store, the foyer’s curling banister is fabricated from one continuous piece of iron that connects the home’s three levels. The flooring is a modified version of the classic checkerboard style, featuring honed French limestone and Absolute Black granite instead of marble. ABOVE: Form meets function in a monogrammed wine bucket from Sasha Nicholas. Tina elevated its holiday look by filling it with magnolia leaves and a bottle of champagne. OPPOSITE: Despite its grand size, the living room exudes a sense of warmth thanks to various layers of texture, such as honed limestone, rich mahogany, and painted finishes with patina. The sprawling Kashan rug corrals multiple seating areas and supports the blue-and-white palette inspired by Tina’s Chinese export porcelain. Miniature versions of her personal collection of ginger jars, urns, and tea caddies serve as Christmas tree ornaments.

“My home is my refuge, especially during the hu le and bu le of the holiday season.

It’s the one place where I can experience the beauty of being ill and enjoy complete silence but for the sound of a roaring fire.”

—HOMEOWNER AND DESIGNER TINA YARAGHI

Accessible from the living room and library, the loggia is designed for both revelry and relaxation. Heat from the massive hand-molded brick fi replace warms the space in the colder months, while cross breezes keep it naturally cool during the spring and summer.

ABOVE: Hand-weathered mahogany ceiling beams and limed-oak paneling add warmth to the lofty breakfast room with its 20-foot cathedral ceilings. From a sitting area in the bay window, views of the holly trees and boxwood hedges can be enjoyed in the winter, along with tulips, roses, and hydrangeas come springtime. RIGHT: In the foyer, tulipieres and a trellis floral bowl, all available from Tina’s online shop, stay filled with blooms not only during the holidays but also year-round.

The interiors also convey a sense of timelessness thanks to well-appointed rooms stocked with family heirlooms, antique furnishings, and a myriad of vintage, antique, and reproduction Chinese export porcelain. Acquired by Tina over decades, the exotic vessels were the starting point for the classic blue-and-white palette that prevails in the textiles, upholstery, and decorative accents in every room—and in every season.

“Once a favorite, always a favorite,” says Tina of the iconic color combo. “I don’t break away from it just because it’s Christmastime. Some years I may add in a little red or a bit of green, but this year I stuck with shades of white to play up the blue. It’s pure and simple.”

Around every corner, a mélange of ginger jars, bowls, tea caddies, and footbaths overflows with paperwhites, amaryllis, and garden roses, as well as poinsettias and fresh seasonal greens. Giant sugar pine cones are also thrown into the mix, along with red holly berries and kumquats freshly clipped from the yard.

Aside from her precious porcelain, Tina has another self-described obsession: tableware. Whether it’s silver passed down through generations of family or crystal carefully packed and shipped from abroad, these pieces are not just for show. On Christmas night, the Yaraghis host close family members for an elegant seated dinner. But unlike most hosts who live for the party, Tina lives for the prep work as well and takes time to relish the art of entertaining. “I am passionate about setting a pretty table. I inherited that from my mother,” she says. “I can say with certainty that we are among the few who actually enjoy the entire entertaining process, from polishing the silver and pressing the linens to lighting the candles just minutes before the guests arrive. It can be tiring, but it can also be a labor of love and an opportunity to share your gifts with special people during the most wonderful time of the year.”

In the powder room, silk draperies, an antique Louis XVI armchair, and a Friedman Bros. French Rococo mirror recall the elegance of a lady’s dressing room. The custom onyx-topped vanity was repurposed from an inlaid walnut-andcherry Louis XV commode. Schumacher’s Jester Caprice wallpaper wraps the room in whimsy.

Ware commissioned fl oral artist Kim Starr Wise to dress the living room mantel in traditional greens, including a hand-tied garland made of cypress and rosehips, a wreath of evergreens and pine cones, and a towering arrangement of rosehips and bay leaves.

RIGHT: Ware Porter (standing) and Jordi Land in the sunroom of their century-old Colonial Revival home in Uptown New Orleans BELOW: A large silver wine cooler serves as a vase for an overflow of red and blue blooms and seasonal greens. OPPOSITE: Natural light filters through wool sheers in the dining room. The oversized scale of the antique lantern gives it a modern sensibility.

W ARE PORTER IS THE CONSUMMATE MAXIMALIST. Whether it’s a matter of color, art, food, or flowers, the New Orleans–based interior designer believes that there is no such thing as too much or too many. “At the risk of sounding hokey, I run with the old adage ‘the more, the merrier,’ ” he says. “In our home, we surround ourselves with whatever makes us happy, and it just so happens there is a whole lot that makes us happy.”

The house—a rare, redbrick beauty in a city stocked with Creole cottages and Greek Revival manses—was purchased by Ware and his partner, Jordi Land, in 2019, although it looks as though they have lived there for decades. Collections of antique silver, rare books, and fine art photography infuse individuality into every nook and cranny, while handwoven rugs, blousy sheers and shades, and sumptuous pillows and upholstery radiate warmth throughout perfectly proportioned rooms.

Furnishings range in period and provenance but are all simple in profile, generous in scale, and impeccably tailored with details like bullion fringe

ABOVE: Ware likes to add a surprise element to gatherings, such as this server dressed as a nutcracker. OPPOSITE: Ware and Jordi bought the antique Georgian sideboard from the previous homeowners, whose family had owned it for generations. The 18th-century Italian mirror is from Les Puces flea market in Paris.

and crisp accordion pleating. And while the interiors cannot be defined by a particular “style,” per se, they might best be described as an intoxicating concoction of Mount Vernon elegance and Mad Men chic spiked with a shot of quintessential Big Easy quirk.

Known for his innate ability to layer and his fearless use of color, Ware carefully curated rooms with one-ofa-kind finds, custom finishes, and a mere 23 of his “favorite” hues, ranging from creamy white to aubergine. Each space has its own distinct personality and palette but plays well with the others, allowing the flow to remain remarkably cohesive. Among the myriad colors are varying shades of red and green, suggesting that the interiors might have been designed with Christmas in mind. “It wasn’t intentional, but the holiday spirit lasts year-round for us,” the designer says. “However, it has less to do with the red accents or green walls and more to do with the vibe. It’s so cozy and festive! It seems to say, ‘Grab a drink and come sit by the fire.’ ”

Although the home’s fluid footprint can comfortably accommodate large parties, the couple prefers small get-togethers and intimate sit-down dinners that allow time to enjoy the company of close friends. Like the décor, the guest list is always colorful and never fails to include an element of surprise—a troop of carolers singing or a nutcracker passing drinks. And at every gathering, a bounty of champagne, caviar, and flowers awaits across the threshold. Says floral artist Kim Starr Wise, “Ware and I share a passion for grandiosity, but we also understand that balance is key to any type of design— whether interior or floral. Because we chose simple, seasonal greens for the living room, we used them in a big way to make a big impact. The wreath, garland, and arrangement are lush and voluminous, so they can carry the weight of the mantel and the oversized mirror while also balancing out the 12-foot Christmas tree.”

For the dining room, Kim created an enchanting display of flowers, foliage, fruits, and berries so fresh and organic in form that it appears to have sprouted straight from the center of the white oak dining table. Blue hydrangeas, inspired by Ware’s antique English transferware, anchor a cloud of Adromischus festivus, princess pine, and bay leaves punctuated with red and burgundy roses, ranunculus, snapdragons, anemones, and pepper berries.

“I like my flowers how I like my décor—a little wild with a lot of whimsy,” Ware says. “Everything has been loved and has the patina to prove it. Nothing is that precious here—except, of course, time spent with friends.”