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Interior designer Kenneth Byrd adds sparkle to the Vanguard console in the foyer of his Fan district home with golden trees, lush garland and beautifully wrapped gifts.
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For Byrd, pictured here on his back deck, holiday decorating isn’t limited to the indoors. Prelit garland decorated with gold and white ornaments runs down the center of the table and a coordinated floral arrangement pulls his holiday theme outdoors.
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A Christmas tree casts a golden glow in Byrd’s living room that is mirrored by the prelit garland draped over the fireplace mantel.
From the wreaths adorning both the inside and outside of his windows, to the taller than 11-foot tree in his front room, to the garlands adorning mantels and tabletops, Kenneth Byrd uses shine and sparkle to reflect the joys of the season.
“I think decorating for any holiday is always a good idea,” the Richmond-based interior designer says. “Why not? If you have a chance to celebrate, you should.”
Byrd, who is the principal of Kenneth Byrd Design, says he knows some people dread or resist holiday decorating, citing demands of everyday life. He offers an alternate perspective: “We are all stretched very thin, but you can do a little here and there, to make your house feel a little different,” he says. “Winter doesn’t have to be sad; it can be fun.”
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Wreaths in the windows and garland add holiday glow to the casual living room off the kitchen.
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In the kitchen, mixing styles from eras old and new feels dynamic and interesting.
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A tabletop tree in Byrd’s hallway is festooned with ornaments collected from his travels.
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Wreaths and garlands, lit and decorated with jewels, provide a festive touch in the dining room.
The strategy Byrd uses in his own Fan district home is structurally the same from one year to the next. Change comes in the form of a new theme every year to provide something fresh for visitors and Byrd himself. Past themes have included brass and marble, and butterflies. “I had the butterflies nesting as well as flying off the tree,” Byrd says. “It had a Lewis Ginter vibe to it but done in a slightly more abstract way.”
“I think decorating for any holiday is always a good idea. Why not? If you have a chance to celebrate, you should.” —Kenneth Byrd
On the home’s classic exterior, locally sourced live wreaths hang by ribbon on windows facing the street. A statement wreath — decorated in keeping with the year’s theme — adorns the front door.
Another regular decorating feature is garland from Balsam Hill, a company known for natural-looking faux greenery. Byrd drapes lengths along the porch railings and around the front door, weaving snips of real greenery into the fabricated prelit rope, making it plumper and irregular just like fresh garland. Inside, he uses garlands to bring light to the perimeters, whether along a side table or on top of a mantel, to create a connective thread from room to room. These garlands are also filled out with live greenery, bringing the scent of the season indoors.
“You get the best of both worlds,” he says. “The lights are built into the garland, but the clippings fluff it up.”
The interior of the house, built in 1908 but fully renovated by Byrd when he purchased it in 2014, reflects his signature approach, which he calls New Traditional: “Modern, but with details of yesterday,” he says. As an example, he points to the couch in the first-floor living room, with its traditional form and nailhead trim but covered in a less traditional fabric choice of mink-gray velvet.
“Select a simple color palette to complement your existing decor. By doing so, things will flow more harmoniously and feel thoughtfully composed.” —Kenneth Byrd
Byrd’s go-to color palette is neutral, and includes white, black and shades of gray, sometimes found in striking patterns, as in the grasscloth wallcovering above the fireplace opposite the couch. He adds visual interest with brass and gold-toned accent pieces.
“You definitely need to be playful,” he says. “You don’t want things to be too formal.”
“The same is true at Christmas,” Byrd says, pointing to a tabletop tree that sits in his hallway. Festooned with ornaments collected from his travels, this tree is personal. “This is really Christmas for me,” he says.
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Byrd relaxes in his second-floor sitting room.
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Byrd’s monochromatic, neutral palette of greys continues in the master bedroom.
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The home’s classic exterior is decorated with live wreaths hung from ribbons on the windows and a statement wreath on the front door.
When it comes to holiday decorating, Byrd says it’s not necessary to cover every surface; small touches in unexpected places create surprising impact. He adds strands of lights in a muted gold to the Christmas tree in the front room to give it depth and a warm glow. As with the garland, he fills out the tree with cut boughs of live greenery. “People often don’t believe me when I tell them the tree isn’t real,” he says, laughing.
Above the dining room table, wired faux boughs with champagne-colored beads sparkle, while tabletop hurricane candleholders shimmer with not one, but three, tea lights in each.
“I go crazy with lights and recommend you do, too, whether it’s inside or out; anything green must get lights.” —Kenneth Byrd
Byrd also likes to repurpose everyday items in his decorating scheme, which lets them be seen in a new way. A tabletop gold sputnik and a gold “tumbleweed” — from his Byrd Home collection — are tucked among the tree branches, becoming hidden gems.
“You want to strike a balance; take some items away or use what you have in different places,” he says. “Edit everything, and decorate where you can.”
In the end, Byrd says, the point to remember is that holiday decorating is an extension of your personal style and doesn’t need to be dictated by current trends or tradition.
“Personal style is looking at what other people are doing and extracting what you like,” he says, noting that looking through a single magazine and pulling out pages that catch the eye is an easy way to start. “Choose what makes you happy.
“You can either be a wallflower, or you can dance,” he adds. “Why not dance?”
Kenneth Byrd’s Decorating Tips
- If you have an artificial tree, tuck in a few branch clippings from live trees. Not only will it give a more realistic look and feel, but it’ll provide that wonderful smell of a real tree. I use this method for all artificial runners, wreaths and trees. Most tree farms, nurseries and garden centers are thrilled for you to take clippings off their hands for free.
- Create an instant table runner or mantle topper by bunching tree clippings together. Then strategically place them with a few sticking out or draping over the edge. It’s 100% free and requires no skill whatsoever to create a festive and natural accent.
- Select a simple color palette to complement your existing decor. When decorating, I typically go with neutrals and brassy tones, which work with the accents in my home. Things will flow more harmoniously and feel thoughtfully composed.
- Carry your theme through to the wrapping paper. Beautifully wrapped presents in similar hues help pull the collection together.
- I typically reserve colored lights for smaller, niche accent trees. I feel that the main tree in a home, and especially my home, always looks best wrapped in classic white. Gold lights are nice for a warm accent color. I go crazy with lights and recommend you do too — inside and out, everything green gets lights. There’s no better way to spread the holiday cheer and bring a glow to someone’s face than a house decked in lights.
- For artificial trees, I like Balsam Hill’s quality and selection. For live trees, nothing beats chopping down your own from a farm in the mountains, but if you’re looking for something a little more convenient many local garden centers have great selections.
