skip to main content
SPRING RENOVATION EVENT
0
Your shopping cart is empty.
Sign In
Join as a Pro
History of Houzz
GET IDEAS
PHOTOS
Kitchen & DiningKitchenDining RoomPantryGreat RoomBreakfast Nook
Bed & BathBathroomPowder RoomBedroomStorage & ClosetBaby & Kids
LivingLiving RoomFamily RoomSunroom
OutdoorLandscapePatioDeckPoolBackyardPorchExteriorOutdoor KitchenFront YardDrivewayPoolhouse
WalkwaysStaircaseEntryHall
Bar & WineHome BarWine Cellar
UtilityLaundryGarageMudroom
More RoomsGame RoomHome OfficeBasementCraftLibraryGym
Popular Design IdeasKitchen BacksplashFirepit
FireplaceDeck RailingPergolaPrivacy FenceSmall Closet
MAGAZINE
Stories and GuidesPopular StoriesRenovation Cost Guides
DISCUSSIONS
Get AdviceDesign DilemmasBefore & After
HOUZZ TV
HOUZZ RESEARCH
FIND PROFESSIONALS
PROFESSIONALS
DesignArchitects & Building DesignersKitchen & Bathroom DesignersInterior Designers & DecoratorsDesign-Build FirmsLighting Designers & Suppliers
RemodelingKitchen & Bathroom RemodelersGeneral ContractorsHome BuildersTile & Countertop ContractorsMasonry & Concrete ContractorsExterior & Siding ContractorsStair & Railing ContractorsFireplace Contractors
RenovationCarpentersCabinetry & Cabinet MakersFlooring ContractorsWindow ContractorsDoor ContractorsGlass & Shower Door ContractorsCarpet Contractors
OutdoorLandscape Architects & DesignersLandscape ContractorsDeck & Patio BuildersFence ContractorsDriveway & Paving ContractorsSwimming Pool BuildersHot Tub & Spa Dealers
ServicesPaintersRoofing & Gutter ContractorsOrganizers & Closet DesignersHome StagersGarage Door ServicesWindow Treatment ServicesPaint & Wall Covering Dealers
Appliances & SystemsAppliance Sales & ServicesHVAC ContractorsHome Theater & AutomationOutdoor Lighting & AV SpecialistsSolar Energy Contractors
All ProfessionalsAll ServicesFor Professionals
SHOP BY DEPARTMENT
KITCHEN & DINING
Kitchen & Dining FurnitureSinks & FaucetsKitchen AppliancesTabletopCabinets & StorageKnobs & PullsKitchen LightingTileCookware & BakewareTools & GadgetsView All
FURNITURE
Living RoomKitchen & DiningHome OfficeOutdoorBedroomStorageBathroomView All
BATH
Bathroom VanitiesShowersBathtubsBathroom LightingFaucetsBathroom SinksTileBath AccessoriesBath LinensMedicine CabinetsView All
DECOR
RugsMirrorsWall DecorDecorative AccentsArtworkPillows & ThrowsHoliday DecorView All
BEDROOM
Beds & HeadboardsBeddingDressersNightstandsBenchesBedroom DecorLampsCloset StorageFutonsChaisesView All
HOME IMPROVEMENT
HardwareTileBathroom FixturesKitchen FixturesHeating & CoolingBuilding MaterialsTools & EquipmentView All
LIVING
Coffee & Accent TablesRugsSofas & SectionalsArmchairs & Accent ChairsTV Stand & Media StorageHome DecorLampsArtworkBookcasesFireplaces & AccessoriesView All
OUTDOOR
Patio FurnitureOutdoor DecorOutdoor LightingPool & SpaLawn & GardenOutdoor StructuresOutdoor CookingView All
LIGHTING
ChandeliersPendant LightsFlush-MountsBathroom & VanityWall SconcesCeiling FansTable LampsFloor LampsKitchen & CabinetOutdoor LightingView All
MORE
Storage & OrganizationHome OfficeBaby & KidsHome BarCleaning & LaundryPet SuppliesHoliday DecorView All
Looking for the perfect gift? Send a Houzz Gift Card!
SALE
ON SALE - UP TO 75% OFF
Bathroom VanitiesChandeliersBar StoolsPendant LightsRugsLiving Room ChairsDining Room FurnitureWall LightingCoffee TablesSide & End TablesHome Office FurnitureSofasBedroom FurnitureLampsMirrors
SPRING RENOVATION EVENT
Free Shipping
Large Appliances 
Bestsellers
Toilets, Tubs and Showers 
Up to 50% Off
Kitchen Sinks & Faucets 
Up to 40% Off
The Vanity Sale 
Christmas
Christmas
Houzz Readers Share Their Christmas Trees
Top Ideabooks
Houzz Readers Share Their Christmas TreesHow to Keep Your Gift Plants Happy After the HolidaysShow Us Your Christmas-Loving Pets!Stocking Tales to Welcome Christmas Home
Appears in
Holidays
See also
Christmas TreesHoliday Home ToursWreaths
Holidays
Holidays
9 Projects to Kick-Start Organizing for the New Year
Top Ideabooks
9 Projects to Kick-Start Organizing for the New Year12 Ways to Make New Year’s Eve at Home Feel SpecialHouzz Readers Share Their Christmas TreesHow to Keep Your Gift Plants Happy After the Holidays
Appears in
Decorating Guides
See also
HalloweenFall and ThanksgivingChristmasHanukkahValentine’s DayNew Year's EveMother’s DayEarth DayEasterArbor DayFourth of July
Holiday Home Tours
Holiday Home Tours
A Celebration of Design at Holiday House NYC 2014
Top Ideabooks
A Celebration of Design at Holiday House NYC 2014Experience the Holidays at Frank Lloyd Wright's Home and StudioNew York's Wilderstein House Dresses Up for ChristmasMy Houzz: Christmas Traditions in an 1850s New York Farmhouse
Appears in
Christmas
My Houzz
My Houzz
6 Beautiful Master Bathrooms With Double-Vanity Setups
Top Ideabooks
6 Beautiful Master Bathrooms With Double-Vanity SetupsSoothing Blues and Whites in a Virginia New BuildNew Layout and Function for a Chicago Family HomeColor, Heirlooms and Artwork Refresh a Kansas City Home
Appears in
Houzz Tours

My Houzz: Christmas Traditions in an 1850s New York Farmhouse

Fresh greens, plaid patterns and cheerful holiday touches give this glassware artist’s home a warm and festive feel

Rikki Snyder
Rikki SnyderDecember 1, 2018
Houzz Contributor. Professional photographer and stylist specializing in food, products, still life and interiors. Contributing home tour photographer and writer for Houzz.
More
Print
Embed
Facebook
Twitter
Email
With a glass of wine in hand and Christmas music playing in the background, glassware artist Bette Hestle of Golden Hill Studio has set the perfect mood to start her holiday decorating. “I was blessed to have had a mother and grandmother who loved Christmas and the holidays. They always made it so special and such a happy time,” she says. “In all my years, I never missed a Christmas with them. The traditions may have changed as life changed, but the spirit never did.”
Rikki Snyder
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Bette Hestle of Golden Hill Studio and her cats, Mr. Bud and Claudette
Location: Great Valley, New York
Size: 3,008-square-foot (279-square-meter) farmhouse set on 100 rolling acres with an updated pool house of 385 square feet (36 square meters)

Plenty of plaid, festive greenery and hand-painted glassware define Hestle’s holiday decorating style in her updated 1850s farmhouse in Great Valley, New York, where she has lived for over 40 years. Christmastime brings wonderful and heartwarming memories that make the homeowner enjoy this time of year. “I really enjoy decorating to make my home a warm and inviting place for my family, friends and myself,” she says. “My house is over 150 years old, so there have been many Christmases celebrated at Golden Hill.“

Hestle’s favorite year-round element of her living room is the view. “Usually there is a lot of snow by the 25th, and that makes everything inside the room have a wonderful feeling,” she says. “Tucked into every corner is a special piece from Christmases past.”
Rikki Snyder
Hestle believes that Christmas trees are the focal point of any home decorated for the holidays. “My tree is filled and stuffed with tons of hydrangeas that I grow all over my property,” she says. “I dry them in the fall, and then the final part of decorating the tree is putting these pretty dried flowers in the spaces. It is a wonderful filler. I also put lots of feathers on the tree toward the top. Many are turkey feathers that I find on my property during the year.”

Find Christmas ornaments and decor on Houzz
Rikki Snyder
Gifts will be opened with friends and family in this space around the fireplace on Christmas morning. “This year there will be 10 of us, and it is so warm and cozy,” Hestle says. “I start planning months in advance. Everyone has a Christmas stocking, and we take turns opening our gifts. Needless to say, it takes us to afternoon to finish. We take our time and have lots of champagne to add to the festive day.”

The homeowner found the fireplace in an old barn in the area and had it restored. “It had about 10 layers of paint on it and was missing some pieces, which I had made.”

Browse popular Christmas stockings and holders in the Houzz Shop
Rikki Snyder
Holiday baking is also a big part of Hestle’s family tradition. She enjoys making holiday sugar cookies to enjoy throughout the Christmas season.

She brings in boxwood trimmings from her yard to display around plates for a natural decoration, as seen here on her living room coffee table.
Rikki Snyder
Hestle’s in-home design studio, pictured, also gets dressed up for the holiday. “I spend 90 percent of my time here, so I sure want it special,” she says. “The mantel is loaded with greenery and lights, and I have small trees in here.”
Rikki Snyder
The seating area, which has mostly wood and white furnishings, is decorated each year with Hestle’s plaid and holiday-print pillows that are sold through her online shop on Houzz.
Rikki Snyder
This sideboard is set up as a cocktail station with her glassware collection for Christmas Day. “I love to cook, and I love to plan,” Hestle says. “This year the special cocktail is going to be Bellini cocktails. They are made from fresh peaches with champagne. I used to drink them with my grandmother many years ago — special memories.”
Rikki Snyder
The decorations continue in the kitchen, where Hestle displays her Christmas glassware and tea towels and has added a wreath on top of her range hood. “All my friends know the routine — grab a glass and open the fridge and make yourself at home,” she says. The homeowner remodeled the kitchen in 1998 and installed traditional-style Wood-Mode cabinets.

“There are two things that I especially love in my kitchen — in front of the bay window, I have my mom’s vintage Santa Claus collection, and I smile with great memories every time I look at them, which is a zillion times a day,” she says. “The second thing is my kitchen Christmas tree,” shown in next two pictures.

Find a kitchen designer near you
Rikki Snyder
“Christmas Eve is our big dinner, and it is very special, as the house just glows,” Hestle says. Every spot in the dining room, including the chandelier, is decorated with greens in preparation for the meal. “My favorite part is getting ready and planning for all my special friends who come for Christmas. I have friends that come all the way from Australia and California. We range in age all the way up to 94! A very special time, and I want my house to glow.”
Rikki Snyder
Seen here is a second Christmas tree that Hestle decorates for the kitchen and dining area. The tree features her collection of blown-glass ornaments from Egypt.

A boxwood wreath decorates the hutch.
Rikki Snyder
“At Christmas I have special Christmas plates and silver serving pieces that have been in the family for generations,” says Hestle, pictured at the top left with her friends. “Many of the silver pieces have dates on them. I smile when I am setting the table and remembering Christmases past as a little girl.“
Rikki Snyder
When decorating her table, Hestle starts with the linens. “I love linens. I think that sets the tone as to the type of entertaining that you are doing,” she says. “Plaids are more casual, and the glassware adds to the feeling of a farmhouse Christmas.”

Browse holiday drinkware
Rikki Snyder
“I designed this Pine collection with plaids in mind to use as accents,” Hestle says. “With plaid accents, you are sure to have a warm table.”

On top of a plaid table runner is a decorative tray used to display pine cones, fragile ornaments and fresh trimmings.
Rikki Snyder
The addition of lights and greenery around the house is a simple holiday touch. “I think nature has provided the real decorating, so I just accent that a bit,” Hestle says.

The handcrafted and hand-painted wood buffet is a Habersham piece. “Their furniture is so lovely and unique,” she says.
Rikki Snyder
Hestle keeps the holiday decor in the bedrooms relatively simple with a wreath, a small tree and festive pillows. In this guest bedroom, Hestle added a bottle of wine with some decorative glasses on the nightstand as a welcome gift for her visitors.

3 Simple and Easy Details to Get Ready for Holiday Guests
Rikki Snyder
A pine garland with string lights and stockings adorns the stair railing, which is the first thing guests see when walking through the front door.

Browse Christmas garlands
Rikki Snyder
The front porch has a Christmas tree and festive holiday pillows to welcome her friends and family.
Rikki Snyder
“This year I tied fresh pine boughs with ribbon on the back of the two rocking chairs and then nestled the pillows in the chairs,” Hestle says.
Rikki Snyder
At night, garlands with lights on the porch railing make her red farmhouse glow.

See more Christmas decorating ideas in this home

More on Houzz
A Holiday Lighting Pro Talks Nets, Ladders and Seasonal Spirit
Find a holiday lighting designer near you
Shop for outdoor string lights
Print
Embed
Facebook
Twitter
Email
See 63 comments
Explore Related Topics
ChristmasHolidaysHoliday Home ToursMy Houzz
Read Related Stories
My Houzz: A Vintage-Inspired Christmas in CincinnatiMy Houzz: A Vintage-Inspired Christmas in Cincinnati
By Sarah Parisi Dowlin·25
Holidays
My Houzz: Inviting Farmhouse Charm in ConnecticutMy Houzz: Inviting Farmhouse Charm in Connecticut
By Faith Towers·57
Houzz Tours
7 Not-So-Traditional Palettes That Still Feel Like Christmas7 Not-So-Traditional Palettes That Still Feel Like Christmas
By Lisa Batson Goldberg·35
Color
14 Easy Last-Minute Holiday Decorating Ideas14 Easy Last-Minute Holiday Decorating Ideas
By Lauren Dunec Hoang·35
Decorating Guides
My Houzz: Nature-Inspired Christmas Charm in a New York FarmhouseMy Houzz: Nature-Inspired Christmas Charm in a New York Farmhouse
By Rikki Snyder·73
My Houzz
Tour 7 Homes With Fresh and Cheery Holiday DecorTour 7 Homes With Fresh and Cheery Holiday Decor
By Janet Paik·8
Holidays
My Houzz: Holiday Decor Adds Cheer to a Chicago ApartmentMy Houzz: Holiday Decor Adds Cheer to a Chicago Apartment
By Rachel Loewen·9
Houzz Tours
20 Festive Decorating Ideas for Small Spaces20 Festive Decorating Ideas for Small Spaces
By Laura Gaskill·36
Holidays
Show Us Your Christmas Tree!Show Us Your Christmas Tree!
By Anne Colby·265
Houzz Call
Budget Decorator: 15 Shortcuts to Holiday StyleBudget Decorator: 15 Shortcuts to Holiday Style
By Laura Gaskill·31
Decorating Guides
12 Signs You’ve Dropped In on an Aussie Christmas12 Signs You’ve Dropped In on an Aussie Christmas
By Susan Redman·25
Holidays
Show Us Your Twinkling Christmas Tree!Show Us Your Twinkling Christmas Tree!
By Gwendolyn Purdom·198
Christmas Trees
Show Us Your Merry and Bright Christmas TreeShow Us Your Merry and Bright Christmas Tree
By Gwendolyn Purdom·237
Christmas Trees
Put Together a Holiday Centerpiece the Slow Flowers WayPut Together a Holiday Centerpiece the Slow Flowers Way
By Becky Harris·4
Holidays
My Houzz: Sparkly Christmas Touches in a Midcentury Texas HomeMy Houzz: Sparkly Christmas Touches in a Midcentury Texas Home
By Jennifer Perkins·18
Houzz Tours
Shop Related Categories
Outdoor Holiday Decorations
Outdoor Holiday Decorations
Holiday Lighting
Holiday Lighting
Wreaths & Garlands
Wreaths & Garlands
Holiday Dinnerware
Holiday Dinnerware
Holiday Drinkware
Holiday Drinkware
Christmas Ornaments
Christmas Ornaments
Sponsored
Old Dominion Design
21 Reviews
Loudoun County's Kitchen & Bath Design Experts | Best of Houzz 2x
People who liked this story also liked
My Houzz: A Vintage-Inspired Christmas in Cincinnati
My Houzz: A Vintage-Inspired Christmas in CincinnatiFull Story
My Houzz: Inviting Farmhouse Charm in Connecticut
My Houzz: Inviting Farmhouse Charm in ConnecticutFull Story
7 Not-So-Traditional Palettes That Still Feel Like Christmas
7 Not-So-Traditional Palettes That Still Feel Like ChristmasFull Story
14 Easy Last-Minute Holiday Decorating Ideas
14 Easy Last-Minute Holiday Decorating IdeasFull Story
My Houzz: Nature-Inspired Christmas Charm in a New York Farmhouse
My Houzz: Nature-Inspired Christmas Charm in a New York FarmhouseFull Story
Tour 7 Homes With Fresh and Cheery Holiday Decor
Tour 7 Homes With Fresh and Cheery Holiday DecorFull Story
My Houzz: Holiday Decor Adds Cheer to a Chicago Apartment
My Houzz: Holiday Decor Adds Cheer to a Chicago ApartmentFull Story
20 Festive Decorating Ideas for Small Spaces
20 Festive Decorating Ideas for Small SpacesFull Story
Show Us Your Christmas Tree!
Show Us Your Christmas Tree!Full Story
Budget Decorator: 15 Shortcuts to Holiday Style
Budget Decorator: 15 Shortcuts to Holiday StyleFull Story
Sponsored
Bull Run Kitchen and Bath
158 Reviews
Loudoun's Expert Kitchen & Bath Renovation Firm I Best of Houzz 2018
  • United States
  • ABOUT
  • CAREERS
  • MOBILE APPS
  • PROFESSIONALS
  • BUTTONS
  • FOR BRANDS
  • SELL
  • Privacy & Notice
  • Terms
  • © 2021 Houzz Inc.