![williamsburg-christmas-house A white colonial house is dimly lit and surrounded by bare trees.](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Flower.ColonialChristmas1783R.jpg)
To design the interiors of the Nelson-Galt House, Heather worked with the licensees of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, including Schumacher fabrics, Mottahedah tableware, and Benjamin Moore paint. Flexing her style muscle memory, she also pulled from the Foundation’s collections of priceless art and ceramics. In addition, local antiquarians loaned her period furnishings that help ground the house in the early 18th century.
![williamsburg-heather-and-jimmie A man and woman stand in a forest holding foraged branches.](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Flower.ColonialChristmas1724R-1.jpg)
Floral designer Jimmie Henslee and designer in residence Heather Chadduck.
![williamsburg-dining-room A simply decorated dining room table sits in front of a brick fireplace is decorated in greenery.](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Flower.ColonialChristmas1345RBrighter.jpg)
Formerly the kitchen building, the dining room has an operable walk-in fireplace and connects to the main house by a hallway. Jimmie fashioned a loose garland of pine, magnolia, smilax, and winged elm, as well as a centerpiece full of fruit and foraged greenery.
To give the holiday decorations local flavor, Heather and Jimmie went on a foraging expedition along the Colonial Parkway, a National Historical Park. “We collected loblolly pine, bay, holly, privet, and seedpods,” says Jimmie. “Lots of seedpods.”
![williamsburg-white-bedroom A wreath hangs over a simple white bed.](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Flower.ColonialChristmas0984R2Brighter.jpg)
In the main bedroom, a medallion print adorns the scalloped canopy. Walls in “York Gray” by Benjamin Moore add a soothing backdrop to the rice bed by Baker.
![williamsburg-floral-bedroom Three wreaths hang in a bedroom with blue floral wallpaper.](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Flower.ColonialChristmas0869-1RMoreContrast.jpg)
“Lafayette Botanical” fabric from Schumacher’s Colonial Williamsburg Collection creates a whimsical “garden” in the guest room.
![williamsburg-fireplace-oranges A blue room and fireplace mantel are decorated with greenery and oranges.](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Flower.ColonialChristmas1226RCooler.jpg)
![williamsburg-white-flowers A large bouquet of white flowers are backlit by a window.](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Flower.ColonialChristmas0828-1RBrighter.jpg)
Jimmie Henslee filled a large blue jar with pine boughs, holly branches white amaryllis, and a cluster of red berries before hanging silver acorns on white ribbons throughout the arrangement. Photo by David Hillegas
![pink-flowers-colonial-williamsburg Pink flowers sit in a gold urn on a console.](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Flower.ColonialChristmas1329-1R-1.jpg)
A bronze-colored urn is filled with salmon amaryllis and surrounded by pots and bottles of paperwhites. Photo by David Hillegas
![colonial-christmas-living-room A white fireplace is decorated with magnolia leaves.](https://flowermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Flower.ColonialChristmas0935-1RBrighter.jpg)
Photo by David Hillegas
A WHOLE-HOUSE CELEBRATION
Heather shares her tips and tricks for making every room feel merry and bright.
1. TAKE A GARLAND TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Use clippings of greenery from your yard, along with seedpods and branches with berries, and wire the items into a store-bought fir or boxwood garland. Floral wire can help to attach them firmly.
2. DECORATE WITH PINEAPPLES
The classic symbol of Southern hospitality is always a welcome sight at the front door.
3. USE AMARYLLIS BULBS
As the blooms you forced begin to splay out, cut them and adorn a wreath or garland with them. Water tubes can extend their freshness. Or cluster some blooms in a small container.
4. REVIVE A TIRED TOPIARY
Heather gave new life to the ones at the front door that were from an earlier garden club tour of her house. She used sprigs of fresh privet, lady apples wired into the form, and a pair of pineapples perched on top (see Tip 2).
5. DON’T FORGET THE BEDROOM
Heather hung a wreath over her bed. Then she added an arrangement of roses, fir, and amaryllis to the bedside table to bring some of the home’s floral themes into the private space.
Photography by David Hillegas
Follow Heather Chadduck and Jimmie Henslee on Instagram.
See more colonial Christmas in “The Wreaths of Williamsburg.”