James Farmer Southern Fall Decor & Holiday Splendor

The beauty of James Farmer Southern Fall Decor & Holiday Splendor glows in traditional, cozy Southern interiors by James T. Farmer III. Treat yourself to an ocean of it in CELEBRATING HOME (Gibbs Smith, 2022) with glorious photography from Emily Followill. You can’t miss the timeless charm, understated sophistication, and undeniably nature-honoring traditional style. Rich color and soulful nostalgic touches reflect the blessings and fruits of the South.

I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.

James Farmer Southern Fall Decor & Holiday Splendor

CELEBRATING HOME by James T. Farmer III

First things first. Get the book by James T. Farmer III! A Time for Every Season delivers goodness for a year of seasons.

Just look at the feast of fall goodness inside:

Isn’t that color combo magical and inspiring for your own schemes?

What I appreciate is how natural and accessible his designs are. The spread above? Delightful, yes, AND we can do this!

Right? Southern hospitality is about accessibility and comfort. You can feel it in every layer of the tablescaping and decorating of interiors.

There’s a golden thread of humility running through the vignettes and strokes of genius.

And joyful color! For a white decor lover like myself, I find all of the seasonal color and natural touches uplifting and not at all overwhelming.

What a lovely understated holiday entrance!

Paint Color Idea Inspired by a Southern Front Door

Shall we take a guess at the coral front door color? Why not!?!

Is it a muted terracotta, brighter coral or peachy-pink? I love BM Old World as a great place to start as far as sampling. Bear in mind that for an exterior, the color may get washed out by the natural light. Here’s a similar coral hue a bit brighter:

That cheerful coral color shows up inside as well.

Southern Holiday, Thanksgiving & Christmas from James Farmer

Isn’t this fun-sized Christmas tree on the table (skirted with a Claremont pattern) delightful?

I love how it is adorned simply with velvet ribbon, sapphire juniper, and sugar pine cones. Cozily tucked into a stairway nook!

Find lovely color stories for a year of seasons inside CELEBRATING HOME along with ideas for mixing vintage. Also find menu ideas, floral inspiration, and delightful commentary. Maybe you glimpsed his work in a copy of Atlanta Homes magazine too?

Even if your skills for decorating a home for the holidays are sub-par (like mine!), you’ll be inspired by un-contrived, naturally homespun moments from James Farmer’s Thanksgiving (Joe Pye Cottage in Cashiers, North Carolina) and Christmas (Farmdale in Perry, Georgia).

Southern Cottage Decorated for Christmas

The Farmdale cottage at Christmastime?

Elegant simplicity and a welcoming spirit flows throughout this home, equipped for hungry guests!

While my style is spare, I admire the sense of abundance from the stacks of white dishes! I would not even mind hand washing them after a feast with the season’s deliciousness.

James Farmer’s CELEBRATING HOME: Southern Holiday at Farmdale

James Farmer’s kitchen table looks and feels wondrous and welcoming with its lime green, vintage brass deer, and old fashioned layered cake, yes? Here’s the thing.

Maybe you’ll see a fanciful over-the-top fantasy festive Christmas moment and think sure, this makes for a breathtaking styled shot at the home of a magazine editor…but what about common folk? Gaze past the architecture to notice the simplicity of festive ingredients, and the scheme is suddenly achievable.

We can gather lime green, vintage deer, and a layer cake (store bought!). And we can also hang three fresh wreaths unified with a pale blue ribbon. Yes, we can! Consider another vignette I recall spying in Atlanta Homes where the ingredients include a fresh bay wreath, topiary with pale blue ribbon, and basket of citrus:

For ideas from another Christmas table by James, enjoy this:

Who wouldn’t be thrilled to be welcomed into such a celebratory, hospitable space? Did you notice from that video how all of the senses are carefully considered!?!

Fresh Color Story for Traditional Interiors

Who says red must star in your holiday scheme? Coral is a color that plays an important part of the Christmas decorations at Farmdale. James Farmer reminds us of the magic that happens when that peachy pink meets turquoise, teal, aqua, and beautiful blues. Notice how his pine dresser positively glows with shelves of collected treasures:

Don’t get me started on how this designer uses teal, aqua, and turquoise in unexpected ways to thrill. (Who else is rushing out the door this second to hunt for similar vintage sconces!?!)

Touches of coral are repeated throughout his decor in such a uniquely lovely manner, and if you own a copy of the book, you’ll learn why that is!

CELEBRATING HOME is dedicated to the memory of his beloved pet, Samson who you’ll see here where James suggests console decorating ideas:

Christmas Decorated Front Door

But what about creating the warmest of welcomes at the front door? This festive Southern welcome features magnolia leaf wreaths with citrine velvet ribbon, and the door is framed with a garland of evergreens, citrus, and ilex.

Can you even imagine the fragrance and sense of arrival when greeted by this!?!

Thanksgiving Decor: James Farmer’s Joe Pye Cottage

The designer reveals that the cheerful color palette in the cottage’s dining room at this mountain home is inspired by a vintage treasure. A large rose medallion platter near the window below was found at an estate sale. Its persimmon, jade, and aqua tones inspired the direction for the decor.

“The Brunschwig and Fils plaid, mountain pottery, and a collection of tabletop items and serving pieces all have a hue, shade, or tint found in the rose medallion platter. Branches of rhododendron add an element of the mountain landscape to the tableau.”

– JAMES T. FARMER III in Celebrating Home

Whimsical Tablescape Inspiration

One of my favorite aspects of all of the holiday decorating at Farmer’s properties is the playfulness. You get the sense people are going to relax and laugh often at these gatherings. And shouldn’t there always be whimsy and child-like wonder at the heart of any holiday scheme?

Above we see a sweetly joyful rustic arrangement of produce, herbs, berries, and foliage. Isn’t it perfect for a mountain location like this? Since I also live in the woods, this would feel natural. Perhaps you have a special platter or compote that has been in the family for years – why not use it as the base of a similar vege-fruit arrangement? (The faux bois log planter hails from the shop, Gardener’s Cottage.)

More Ideas for Holiday Decor

Find a few more natural tablescape ideas for Fall/Thanksgiving tables in THIS. Also see this mood board with a few gathered pretty things for autumn:

Find your copy of CELEBRATING HOME RIGHT HERE.

I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.

Peace to you right where you are.

-michele

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