KATIE AND JARED HYATT planted roots in Madison, Georgia, by chance. On their drive back to Atlanta from looking at a house in another Peach State city, the couple passed through the small town and decided to stop for a bit. "It felt like a mini Savannah or Charleston with the grand homes and the beautiful gardens," Katie says. "I've always wanted to live in an old house since I was a little girl." She landed her dream in the form of an 1886 cottage on Main Street, complete with original windows and exterior trimwork. "The first woman who owned it was named Minnie Few, so it's kind of like Many Few," she says. "We got a plaque and called it The Few House for her." Katie, the shopkeeper and owner of Saint Signora (an online store that sells handpicked home goods and antiques), had just the know-how and special pieces to fill the place to the brim with stately antiques, thrift store gems, and tokens from European travels.
Her signature patinaed style grows only more winsome during the holidays, with a tree bathed in tinsel and her homespun decorations in every room, for a snug and cozy Christmas that stirs nostalgia and sparks delight.
SET A FRIENDLY TONE UP FRONT
She admits that the front door's abundant greenery, fastened together with chicken wire and zip ties, wouldn't be possible without a healthy dose of Southern hospitality. "I'm so lucky that I have some really amazing friends and neighbors who let me pillage their magnolia trees," says the homeowner.
"I'm sure everyone around town was like, 'What is Katie doing? Why is she in everyone's yard cutting leaves and branches?'"
GO BIG ON GREENERY
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Denne historien er fra December 2024-utgaven av Southern Living.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Three twists on the classic chocolate-filled cookie
SUPPERTIME: Elegant Made Easy
Tender braised short ribs are fancy enough for Christmas dinner or any special occasion. Bonus: They're even make-ahead
A Big Easy Christmas
Let the good times roll in New Orleans
TIMELESS DECOR: Good as Old
Natural elements and folksy finds infuse this 1886 Georgia cottage with warm-fuzzy charm
Classic Pattern, New Spirit
Four tastemakers put their fanciful spins on an old-faithful Spode collection
MEET HER IN ST. LOUIS
Trimmed with ribbon and wrapped in wallpaper, designer Amy Studebaker's 1950s Missouri home proves there's no such thing as too much of a good thing especially this time of year
A TENNESSEE TREASURE
For nearly 115 years, The Hermitage Hotel has been Nashville's holiday mainstay
The Powerg Poinsettias
A little while back, a neighbor knocked on my door, hoisting up a ruby red plant so enormous it concealed her completely from midriff to head. I was new to the area, and this was her way of welcoming me. A poinsettia, vividly colored, overflowing its pot, and endearingly ill-timed-it wasn't even Thanksgiving yet. But the plant seemed to brighten up the whole world just a bit, as if daring anyone to reject the early holiday spirit. You could say it kick-started my love for the leafy shrub and what it seems to represent: a simple kind of goodwill.
WRAPPED WITH CARE
In San Antonio, Christmas isn't complete without a plate of steaming tamales on every family's table
PARTY LIKE IT'S 1984
Entertaining now is quite different than it was 40 years ago, but our recipes stand the test of time
