If Santa Takes a Break, So Can Mom and Dad... a Mood Board Monday Christmas Story

It's nearing two o'clock on Christmas afternoon. The gifts have been opened, a late breakfast eaten, paper and ribbon and tissue picked up from every corner... and tossed out into the garage to be addressed later. The kids have wandered off to their own corners with new toys and gadgets in hand. The house is quiet and there is just enough time for Mom and Dad to sit for a few minutes with a warm, fortifying cup of coffee. They'll chat about their morning, recalling the joy on their children's faces and the excited commotion that comes with this day. They'll take notice of the wintry landscape outside the window, glad to be in this toasty little nook off the kitchen. They'll congratulate each other for having acquired, after more than ten years' practice, the skills necessary to juggle all the chaos the holidays can bring and still have the ability to sit back and enjoy it.


They'll speak of how thankful they are that their family is happy and healthy and not struggling as much as some in this tough economy. Thankful to have this warm, lovely home they've worked hard to make their own. They're thankful too that dinner this year is close to home, at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Where the usual crowd of aunts and uncles and cousins and friends will gather from near and far to visit and eat and hug and laugh (and eat a little more) and cause even more commotion. But before they round up the kids for baths and party clothes and pack the car with presents, they'll savor these last precious moments of peace and contentment, grateful to be having another happy Christmas.

Today is Mood Board Monday, hosted by Sarah at Pewter+Sage. Of her inspiration pieces, I chose the snowman pillow from Pottery Barn. Hand-painted on linen, I find this pillow charming and whimsical and those are the qualities I wanted to see in the space I designed around it. The room is a sitting area, originally meant to be the breakfast nook, of a farmhouse-style kitchen. Here's how I imagine the kitchen itself might look.


THE DETAILS:

Snowman Linen Pillow Cover, Pottery Barn. $35
Black and White Setee, one of a kind from The Green Plum. $1200
Ivory Curved-back Dining Chair, a pair from Pier 1 Imports. $119x2= $238
Hemnes Table, Ikea. $129
Mini Chandelier, LampsPlus. $129
Lille Clock, Newgate at brandalley.uk.com. $58 (US)
Courtly Check Hand-painted Mugs and Sugar Bowl, MacKenzie-Childs. $90x2+$165= $345
Beadboard Wainscot, Home Depot, installed and painted bright white by Dad. Cost?—who knows—did he keep the receipts?
Burlap-wrapped Faux Pine Trees, three lined up on the windowsill, from Mom's bottomless box of Christmas decor. Priceless.

Click on my mood board to open a larger view and get links to sources. Use the button below to go to Pewter+Sage and view the other mood boards. If this MBM is anything like the previous challenges, you'll see some very creative designs.

The black and white settee on my board, appropriately uplostered in hard-wearing, family-friendly Sunbrella fabric, is from The Green Plum in Salida, Colorado. Owned by Love Where You Live blogger Susan, the store is holding a mood board contest—with some really great prizes—asking entrants to design a space using one of four items from their inventory as inspiration. Because I love how the settee works with the pillow I had already chosen for Sarah's challenge, I used both items on the same mood board and it became my contest entry as well.

There's still time to enter! Susan has extended the contest deadline to Friday, December 11. Go to this post for rules and inspiration items. I know everyone's busy with holiday obligations these days, but maybe this is just the kind of "time out" diversion you need. . . like a coffee break on Christmas day.

Santa calendar page source unknown. Kitchen photo via houseandhome.com.