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In the den, formerly the dining room, emerald green pops against the grayscale palette. The tree is decorated with selections from her vast collection of Eiffel Tower ornaments.
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Mixed plaids add a seasonal vibe that can be enjoyed throughout the winter, Spearing says.
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Chinoiserie-style — a painted altar table, foo dogs and a pagoda-style mirror — in pristine white with a touch of gray
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The large-scale, scenic-print wallpaper in black and white adds dimension to the main bedroom, which is decked for the holidays with muted metallic accents.
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A mix of live and faux greenery adorns the fireplace mantel. Touches of red toile and plaid add to the holiday spirit.
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In this room, the Christmas tree is decorated to coordinate with the red and blue decor.
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Pinks in different patterns, hues and textures soften this room’s grayscale palette.
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A marvelous mix of pattern in the dining room, where every element adds to the aesthetic
Amy Spearing’s home is decked out for the holidays. But here’s a little secret: Her interiors are festive year-round, a party of pattern and bold color in every room. The Christmas season is just another excuse to exercise her love of maximal style.
A decorator, Spearing often uses her home as a proving ground for her clients, fearlessly mixing, repurposing and restyling for a look that is unstudied but completely pulled together. “I’d rather make a mistake here than for a client,” she says. “And almost anything can be fixed.” If she doesn’t like the finish of a fixture or a piece of furniture? She paints it. Wishes a dresser were taller? She adds legs. Needs a table? She builds one out of plywood and 2-by-4s and covers it with a bespoke tablecloth.
The foyer in Spearing’s traditional Colonial introduces her love of bold moves. Peel-and-stick wallpaper in a painterly graphic on the ceiling is an example of what you’ll see throughout — on walls, stair risers, the backsides of bookcases, even on furniture. Tucked under a Chinese altar table, Nate Berkus stools got a new look when Spearing reupholstered them with rugs from Home Goods — just one of her design hacks. “Just because something is a rug doesn’t mean it can’t be something else,” she says. “Be sure to look at things in a different way.”
In decorating both for the holidays and year-round, Spearing embraces a mix not only of pattern and texture, but also of high and low, old and new, custom and ready-made. “I tell my clients, ‘Don’t shop in one place,’ ” she says. “A collected look of eclectic pieces gives more personality to a space.”
In the living room, graphic wallpaper and patterned panels are the vibrant backdrop for modern gray couches, a Ming-style coffee table, traditional chinoiserie stools, and lamps with shades Spearing covered in a patterned fabric. Furry stockings contrast with abundant-but-faux greens on the mantel. Though Spearing prefers live florals, she adds that “in the real world, faux is helpful.” You’ll find nods to Paris — Spearing’s happy place — throughout the home, as with the bar cart’s glassware.
Spearing’s maximal holiday mix makes the screened porch another cozy spot in her home, where a modern gray-and-white sofa and paisley panels are accented for the holidays with pillows and throws in cozy textures. The painted-stripe floor is pet-friendly, coordinates with any decor and adds enough interest that a rug isn’t necessary, she says.
Meals throughout the season are always served on Spearing’s Christmas china; this year, her red and gray palette complements both the dishes and her bold custom tablecloth. “If I want to do something jazzier, I can easily change out the napkins or add gold,” she says.
In both home and holiday decorating, Spearing believes you should surround yourself with things you love. In sharing her rules for pattern play — mix scale, keep the color palette consistent — she notes the most important rule of all: “If you like it, who cares?”
Amy Spearing
Amy Spearing’s Holiday Decorating Tips
- Don’t buy faux greenery from the holiday section of the craft store. Instead, shop the floral department, where the product has a more authentic look. Mix in live greens to elevate the display.
- Break free from prescribed holiday motifs. Opt for faux fur, warm plaids, chunky knits and boucle. When the holidays are over, you can enjoy this decor well into February.
- Bring your personality to holiday decorating by thinking beyond seasonal themes. A pillow patterned with red pagodas can reflect the season and your love of chinoiserie.
- Tree too low? Build a simple platform and cover it with fabric and presents.
- Place small holiday trees in planters you already have.
