CLASSIC CHRISTMAS

A YOUNG FAMILY OF FOUR SAVORS THE SEASON IN THEIR RENOVATED HOME WHERE QUIET BACKDROPS WELCOME HOLIDAY SPARKLE

- ELLA SCHULTE

The home of James and Carrie Jerabek just happens to look like a postcard when snow falls on its roof and a wreath stamps the holiday season on its front door. At Christmastime, its Georgian-style architecture teases with a familiar resemblance to the residence in the cinematic holiday classic Home Alone. That's fitting since the house used for the real movie set is just a short drive away in another Chicago suburb.

But unlike the famed movie's ornery Kevin who transformed the jewel-tone interiors into an obstacle course of clever traps, James and Carrie's wish was to elevate the home with the addition of architectural details and a clean, neutral scheme that would provide a quiet backdrop for the exuberance of family time with their 3-year-old twins.

"They brought a unique combination of vision and organization to the project from the start," says Brynn Olson, the Chicago-based interior designer who made the Jerabeks' design wishes happen.

"It's always so enjoyable when the clients have passion about the environment where they want to live, and in this house, they wanted classic interior architecture."

Because the 1995 house didn't require a major structural renovation, Olson concentrated on the decoration to make the interior aesthetically inspiring. Her edited palette bathes the traditional layout in refinement, dappling occasional navy blue and pale pink accents among elegant barely-there gray.

The gray emphasizes the texture and depth that moldings and millwork deliver when the architectural frills are painted the same color as the walls instead of contrasting them.