Paige embraces bold colors not only for the holiday season but year-round. “Color makes me very happy, and patterns bring me great joy. I love mixing them and adding more and more,” says the Florida native, who shares her decorating adventures on Instagram (@paigeminear) and on her blog, The Pink Clutch. “Since I have so much color and pattern in my home year-round, it is easy for me to run with big colors and patterns at Christmas.” Being immersed in jaw-dropping holiday decor was a foundational part of Paige’s childhood. Every year she accompanied her grandmother on a visit to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort to ooh and aah over the decorations. Inspired by all this sparkle and joy, Paige helped festoon her grandmother’s home for Christmas. “I feel like those experiences are the root of how I decorate,” she says. “My three kids tease me now, but at some point I want them to be like, ‘Mom went ALL OUT.’ I want my decorating to be transformative.” A cedar garland studded with pink velvet bows dresses up the entry stair rail. Paige likes to mix cedar greenery into her decor for its unexpected texture. She sets it off with vintage elements like a Christmas house and a favorite find, a “Silent Night” needlepoint sign. The decking out of the family’s 1982 Georgian begins “the moment the tree is plugged in,” Paige says. “The holiday movies are played on repeat, the music is loud, and I am Mrs. Claus!” Paige’s beloved Christmas collectibles—needlepoint stockings and pillows, bottlebrush trees, holiday china—dovetail with each room’s smattering of antiques and vintage treasures. Soon, a carload of boxwood wreaths adorns every window and door, garlands trail along the stair rail and mantels, and bowls of vintage ornaments perch on almost every tabletop. As for the tree, she takes a few days to decorate it, “adding more and more." Paige welcomes friends and family with a festive entrance. She embellishes a flocked wreath and garland with oversize pink and gold jingle bells. And pink ribbon, which she buys in bulk, gets tied onto not only the wreaths and garlands but also ornaments, her vintage Staffordshire pup figurines, and the treetop. “I tie bows on anything that will stand still! Honestly, no space is safe,” Paige says. “I love the extra details. I want it all to come alive—to feel joyful and celebratory wherever you look from Thanksgiving to Epiphany.” For Paige, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without spools of ribbon, bowls full of shiny ornaments, and lots of vintage finds. She suggests choosing a color scheme that inspires you, whether traditional, metallic, or something more unexpected, like pastels. Build on that palette with ribbons, papers, and ornaments. Play up the main hue, like Paige’s pink, in different shades, carrying it through as an accent from room to room. To enliven a space, Paige tucks in fresh greens (even among the faux ones) for a fragrant, festive touch. Lastly, she weaves in meaningful pieces, like heirloom ornaments and vintage needlepoint pillows. As a former owner of a monogramming business, Paige likes to top each place setting with a napkin from her collection. She discovered these vintage gold tassel napkin rings at an estate sale and knew they would add just the right flourish. To complete each setting, she pairs a bottlebrush tree with one of her beloved dog figurines and a handwritten place card. The dining room’s holiday palette of blues and pinks complements the Benjamin Moore Begonia wall color. “My husband loves color just as much as I do,” Paige says. “He doesn’t blink when I announce things like, ‘I am painting the dining room pink.’” The floral tablecloth is a piece of fabric she found at an estate sale.
5 Tips for Shopping Estate Sales for Holiday Decorations
Paige is a pro at shopping estate sales. Use her tips to score finds, whether they’re for your holiday or everyday decor.
1. Know your Must-Haves
Keep a list of items you’re looking for, then check the site estatesales.net to preview a sale. The most popular holiday gems are Spode Christmas china, sterling silver ornaments, vintage stockings, and all types of Christmas pillows. The preview will never show everything, but if you like a lot of the pieces or spot that fave, it’s a sale worth going to.
2. Do Your Research
If an unfamiliar item in the preview catches your eye, copy the photo and use a Google image search to get some intel.
3. Make Time
Holiday wares are typically mixed in with nonholiday objects, so plan to dig.
4. Shop Smart
Make piles of likes, then edit so you don’t overspend. Take a friend with you to help narrow things down.
5. Offer Wisely
Most estate sales won’t barter on day one. Come back at the end of the day or the beginning of the next to see about discounts. Styled by Eddie Ross
