It’s time for another holiday home tour! Home tours are some of my favorite things that we cover here at Modern Reston, and they are especially fun during the holidays. We have featured lush autumn decor and dramatic Halloween decorations in earlier tours. Now we are pleased to present our first Christmas home tour, Allison Romero’s elegant house in North Reston.
As you approach Allison’s front door, you are greeted with a warm and welcoming arrangement of Christmas greenery, lights, and candles. The inside is just as beautiful and cozy as the entrance. Step inside to learn more about Allison and her holiday style.
Allison Romero lives with her husband, Alexander, her father-in-law, Dr. Gonzalo Romero, and her three children in a house in North Reston. Before her children were born, Allison worked with the historic Gump’s home goods company in San Francisco. One of her roles was to stage home interiors for catalog shoots. This time the cameras were turned on her own picture-perfect home.
Allison’s home is spacious, with tall ceilings and an open floor plan in the family room area. She uses a neutral color palette of serene creams, whites, and taupes throughout the house. Pops of color, such as the red on the Christmas tree, add depth and interest and can be changed seasonally.
The mantel is draped with a garland of greenery, pine cones, and lights. Candles in silver candlesticks and a wreath are displayed above the fireplace. Allison prefers a “less is more” style of decorating, creating impact with thoughtfully selected holiday elements throughout the house. She buys the decorations from a variety of sources, including Neiman Marcus, Marshalls, and Home Goods.
When I asked Allison to give advice for holiday decorating, right away she mentioned her love of family traditions. She recommends that people establish annual traditions with their decorations, even if their older items don’t necessarily match their newer ones. Her family adds a meaningful ornament to the tree each year, to commemorate something significant that happened during the year. For example, they added a running shoe ornament the year her sons competed in a triathlon, and a basketball for the year they made the team. Their Christmas tree is a three-dimensional memory book of their lives.
Allison also recommends that people use candles throughout their home. They are an easy and inexpensive way to set a lovely mood in a room. In her formal living room, she displays an arrangement of candles on the coffee table and more above the fireplace. The mantel is decorated with a lighted garland, and a wreath hangs on top of the mirror above the fireplace.
More candles are on display throughout the home, including formal silver and white pillars in the dining room, and a playful arrangement of tree-shaped candles and a snowman in the kitchen. I also loved the paper trees displayed in the dining room, which she bought at Chick’s Picks.
The dining room is a mix of old and new. Allison assembled a beautiful combination of heirloom antiques and contemporary furnishings. The chandelier and sideboard buffet table are antiques, and the lamps and mirror are contemporary designer purchases. The dining table is a family-friendly purchase from World Market. I loved how skillfully layered this room looked.
A clever touch is the monogrammed chair covers. Allison bought basic Pottery Barn covers for their parsons chairs, but had them monogrammed with their initials. The monograms give an upscale, personalized finish to the room.
The dining room is decorated in Allison’s preferred neutral palette, with a pop of Christmas red in the poinsettias. A vase filled with glass ornaments is the centerpiece of the table. The kids enjoy seeing their names in the ornament-shaped place cards. A wreath is hung over the dining room mirror.
I enjoyed Allison’s use of wreaths throughout the house, and her placement of them over windows and mirrors. Her wreath collection includes a red floral one in the kitchen, and a monogramed one in the entryway.
As the sky darkened, I stepped outside to admire their Christmas lights. Two Christmas trees sparkle on their front porch, and candles in lanterns adorn the front steps.
The most dramatic part of the exterior decorations are the luminaries that line the front path and driveway. They are made of paper bags with holes punched in star shapes. Inside each bag is a candle in a votive holder, held into place by sand that weighs the bag down securely. Allison bought the luminaries on Amazon.com.
These candle luminaries are such a fun and unexpected way to brighten a front yard. I love how they create drama while remaining simple and sophisticated.
Many thanks to Allison, Alexander, and their family for the tour. I loved seeing inside their beautiful home, especially during this time of year. Thanks for the Christmas ideas and lovely eye candy!
Would you like us to visit your home for a home tour? We are always looking for interesting houses to feature, of all types and styles. Please contact us at [email protected] with your ideas.
Related stories:
Holiday Home Tour: The Wests’ Incredible Halloween Decorations
Holiday Home Tour: The Wests’ Lush and Surprisingly Affordable Fall Decor
Home Tour: Basil’s Eclectic, Art-filled Condo
Home Tour: A Designer’s Vibrant Waterfront Townhouse