Christmas in the Country

See how a derelict bungalow is transformed into a spacious country home, with a simple holiday design philosophy of clean lines and open space.

- Claire Stewart

Holiday Updates.

The sitting room is the most-used room in the house during the holidays. “Stoking the fire is a nightly ritual that we treasure, “ Ruth says. When the fireplace is not in use, she simply sets a few evergreen branches in front of the hearth. The mostly-white furnishings also get updated with red throws and accents to inject the room with classic holiday color.

Envisioning your holiday home isn’t all about sugarplums and fairies. But in fact it took a certain amount of imagination on Ruth Day’s part, and a lot of persuasion by her husband, Mark, to convince her that the very dated 1960s bungalow had huge potential to become a perfect family home. “I first saw it on a rainy February day and felt totally uninspired,” she recalls. “There was orange and brown Formica in the kitchen, and dust and debris in the cabinets. It was really a challenge.”

Luckily Mark’s enthusiasm won, and, with his incredible vision and his meticulous eye for detail, the bungalow was gradually transformed into a stylish and spacious country home. And during the holidays it shines as a cozy and welcoming respite for friends and family from far and wide.

Merry Making.

The mantel in the den is an all-hands-on-deck decorating spot. The children strung this year’s mini stocking garland, while Ruth created the rustic wreath using ivy and eucalyptus branches from her garden.

A HOLIDAY WITH HISTORY

“We both love period properties and wanted to try and recreate something with a Georgian feel, but Mark was also keen to build something slightly quirky,” Ruth says. “It was also important to both of us to incorporate as much natural light as possible.”