The Holiday Houses: Get The Look

If you follow Modern Country Style on Facebook, 

then you'll know how excited I am about Christmas. 

Over at the Relics of Witney blog 

(remember the other blog I write?), we're starting a 

Beginners Guide To Gilding series. 

Have you always wanted to add a little bit extra to your Christmas decorating? 

Then this series is for YOU! 

{Come over and say hi!}

So then, how to Get The Look of both 

The Holiday Cottage AND American house?

Although they look very different, 

there's actually plenty that these to homes have in common....

Let me first of all get these heart-breaking pictures out of the way....

Yes, the dream English cottage is all a fake. 

Shocked? I was!!

From that to this...

Don't be sad: every cloud has a silver lining...and the lining of this particular cloud is so thick that it pretty much makes it a silver cloud through and through.

If The Holiday cottage can look so characterful 

and yet be a complete sham

 then just think what you can do with your house.

It means that ANY house can be given character with a few tweaks here and there. Lots of books, carefully chosen fabrics and bare wood, and you'll be well on your way....

Once again, just as in the Something's Gotta Give house, both houses have a consistent palette all the way thorough.

Amanda's home has a backdrop of white, 

with brown and black accents, plus lots of greenery. 

It's hard to spot any other colours. Can you?

Iris' Rosehill Cottage gives the impression of being charmingly flung together but take another look. The palette is just as tight as Amanda's. Cream and Blue-grey with the odd touch of raspberry.

You all know what a fan I am of restricting the colour's in your home for a gorgeous, cohesive whole. These houses perfectly demonstrate how well the concept works.

Secondly, in both houses, Nancy Meyer has chosen a theme and stuck to it. Consistency is her middle name. There's nothing in either house that stick out. Nothing Country in the Modern house and nothing Modern in the Country house.

You want more specifics about creating a very English look?

That'll be coming in the New Year....

But for now....

it's Christmas time.....

{and my crafting fingers are getting very itchy....}