Christmas Decorating, North Woods-Style

Transforming a ranch house

When Chris and Wendy Boyer bought a 1940s ranch house in a Minneapolis suburb, they decided the prior owners' all-white modern decor did not complement the living room's knotty pine walls and beamed, vaulted ceiling. "I thought this house leaned more toward an English cottage or a small European hunting lodge," Wendy says, "and I've always liked that look."

So the house got a redo with paint, flooring and furnishings. Wendy likes to layer Ralph Lauren textiles, family heirlooms and an array of carefully chosen collectibles, all of which create a warm and inviting setting for one of Wendy's favorite Christmas traditions-decorating the house with fresh greens and her favorite vintage finds (including the deer head above the hearth, bagged in a second-hand shop). The result is an elegant version of North Woods lodge decor.

Pinecones and magnolia sprigs tucked between the branches of a Christmas tree create a lush, full look.