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Sara Hillery displays a series of framed antique French wine receipts on the mantel. The mini stockings crafted in Palm Orleans fabric with vintage trim were made by Bviz of New Orleans. The sofa is from Hickory Chair. The George Washington andirons, the coffee table and the ottomans are vintage. The gold Christmas balls once belonged to Hillery’s mother, and the faux-painted green chest once belonged to her great-grandparents.
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The house, designed by the late Richmond architect Stuart Turner, has a Hendricks Tile roof.
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Hillery purchased the antique French windows in Round Top, Texas, and added the mirror. The antique dining chairs were purchased from Roderick Coles. The haystack painting is an Austrian antique. The table is set with her family silver flatware, as well as Anna Weatherly and Lenox china.
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The headboard in the primary bedroom was custom made. The antique chair is from Kim Faison Antiques. Hillery purchased the antique oak dresser in Texas. The lamps were crafted from vintage iron pieces.
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In the kitchen, an antique painting of onions found in Middleburg hangs on the range hood, and a handmade wreath is styled over the window. The goat-legged stools are one of Hillery’s nods to whimsical interiors.
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On the staircase, pine greenery with blue bayberries (harvested by Richmond stylist KK Harris from the Harris farm) and faux eucalyptus leaves is adorned with hand-dyed silk velvet ribbon Hillery sourced from Etsy. The gilt antique settee is covered in mohair velvet, and the pillow is from Colefax and Fowler.
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The pair of custom matching sofas in the den are covered in a Thibaut fabric. The antique coffee table, crafted from the hatch of a World War II-era ship, is a family piece. The cooking tools in the fireplace were inherited with the house, and the prints on the mantel are antique English lithographs.
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A Christopher Farr Cloth throw brightens the bed in Hillery’s son’s room. The Queen Anne wing chair is vintage Pennsylvania House, and the pillow is crafted from Vaughan fabric. The antique chandelier belonged to Hillery’s mother, and the white alligator figurine is vintage.
For the Hillery family, no two Christmases look alike.
Each year, mother of three and interior decorator Sara Hillery helps her family create a new festive theme for the season.
Holiday subject matter at their West End home has included “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” a Griswold-inspired “Christmas Vacation” and their own spin on “A Christmas Carol,” complete with a candlelit tree adorned with gold coins and green ribbon.
“It’s about the fun of decorating, expressing yourself and creating an experience,” Hillery says.
The attic is a treasure trove of holiday items and objets d’art they’ve collected over the years, and part of the fun is discerning which pieces fit this season’s theme best.
“My kids started asking to pull out the decorations in September,” she laughs, adding that she has to fend them off until after Halloween.
Hillery embraces the joy of the holidays while maintaining the relaxed, elegant style she’s known for. For the family’s “Blue Christmas” theme, she incorporated a pretty palette of blues that complement her everyday decor. The overall effect is understated and classic, free of clutter, with plenty of breathing room.
“While I love a theme, it’s important to pull back and make sure your space feels restful, especially with all the packages and stuff that come with the holidays,” she says.
Small touches make everyday spaces feel special, whether it’s a miniature Christmas tree in each of the children’s rooms or a simple wreath made with wire ribbon and garland by the yard.
Hillery loves dressing her home with fresh greenery during the holidays. She fills bud vases and other containers with wintry paperwhites, cut boxwood and slender holly branches from her backyard.
“I try to use whatever I have on hand — you can make something from anything if you are intentional with it,” she says. “Magnolia leaves are one of my favorite things to decorate with. They’re just so easy. I use them above my fireplace every year, and they stay green almost the whole season.”
For an immediate impression when entering the house, Hillery hangs a fresh garland on the staircase, mixing in faux eucalyptus to keep everything vibrant. She anchors the greenery with long tendrils of ribbon in various colors and textures.
While she’s posted videos on Instagram on the art of tying the perfect bow, Hillery is also a fan of a simple knot with long, flowing ends. “They add a little romantic softness,” she says.
For shimmer and shine, she displays gold and white balls that once graced her childhood Christmas tree. The rest of the house is meticulously planned, but the tree includes a little bit of everything. “It’s contained chaos,” she says. “I’m a big believer in sentimental ornaments. It’s about storytelling and remembering where we’ve been.”
Hillery gives her daughter a silver bell every year, and the family loves hanging them on the tree alongside handpainted nutcrackers and cherished clothespin ornaments from preschool. The tree also includes ornaments celebrating the New Orleans Saints, her husband’s hometown team, as well as a prized win from an ugly ornament exchange.
Instead of tinsel, Hillery ties blue velvet ribbon onto the branches for a Victorian feel. Underneath the tree, she carries the blue theme into the gift wrap, complete with satin ribbon and handmade tags.
Hillery looks forward to designing a different tablescape each year, finding inspiration in her collection of china, glassware, linens and placemats. Her blue-themed table setting includes Anna Weatherly blue china topped with her Lenox wedding china. The monogrammed vintage napkins give a pop of color, while the sheer placemats and oyster salt dishes add a touch of whimsy.
Once the decorating is done, the Hillerys can’t wait to fill their home with friends and family. They even keep a few extra stockings on hand for any Christmas morning guests.
“If you theme it and go through the extreme of all the fresh greenery, you are inviting friends and family over,” Hillery says.
They enjoy mixing up their menu, but a few favorites include New Orleans gumbo and bourbon milk punch from her husband’s family or her mother’s homemade stuffing and coconut cake. While Hillery loves creating an element of surprise every year, one area she never changes is the fireplace in the den, where she strings Christmas cards on ribbon.
“Seeing my friends and family and the faces of all their kids just makes me smile,” she says. “As much as I love things, it’s the people who bring us joy, and that’s what the holidays are all about.”
Style Like Sara
- Use items you have on hand, from family collectibles to freshly cut greenery.
- Make it personal — hang sentimental ornaments and monogrammed linens.
- Tie simple knots instead of perfect bows for an effortless, romantic look.
- Involve the kids for family fun.
- Resist the urge to over-decorate.
