A Cozy Christmas House

Nicole and Brandon Balch’s Victorian home in Oak Park, IL, hits its prime during holiday time. Although icy Lake Michigan gales howl outside, everything inside is snug and festive, from the greenery swagging the original oak woodwork to the Tannenbaum twinkling in the curved front windows. Three years ago, the couple was charmed by the 1890s character of the 3,000-square-foot house, even though Nicole had never been a rah-rah fan of 19th-century architecture. “This place was just so special, it pulled me in,” she says. See more of Nicole and Brandon's cozy Victorian home at Making it Lovely.

While smitten with the meticulously restored period details, Nicole didn’t want the house’s history to dictate the decor. Her game plan: Create a multi-decade mix of bold patterns and fearless colors that’s totally up-to-the-minute––and compatible with the home’s past. With comfy furniture and a meandering layout that encourages guests to circulate, it’s ideal for the holiday shindigs the couple loves to host. There’ll be lots of family at their Christmas Eve brunch and Christmas day dinner because, for Nicole, the more, the merrier. “This house was meant to have a lot of people in it,” she says. 

Located in a historic district, the home was painted in seven different exterior colors by the previous owner. “She did taupes, pink, teal, and purples,” says Nicole. “I love it! It’s like this storybook house I was always meant to own.” 

Originally intended for burning coal, the family room’s fireplace was retrofitted decades ago to run on gas. “It’s great—you get the visual of flickering flames without any of the work,” says Nicole. Brass reindeer from the 1970s found on eBay and a large abstract painting of the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, loosen up the traditional oak mantel.