FEATURES

ADORNING HER GEORGIAN VICTORIAN WITH A COLLECTION OF SPARKLING DECORATIONS, INTERIOR DESIGNER KATHLEEN CRAWFORD TRANSFORMS HER FAMILY HOME INTO A WINTER WONDERLAND

Venturing into Kathleen and Jeffrey Crawford's 1880 white Georgian Victorian during the month of December is like entering another world—a shimmering wonderland filled with silver-sprayed wreaths, miniature trees, mercury glass accents and scores of ornaments encrusted with rhinestones, beads and pearls. Expertly placed with Kathleen's trained designer's touch, the holiday decorations intensify the historic allure of their house, which sits on a tree-lined street in Litchfield County. Supplemented by the sweet smells of Jeffrey's holiday confections, Christmastime here has all the allure of a movie set.

Kathleen is no red and green traditionalist. Rather, her holiday palette consists of glistening whites and silvers, metallic greens and deep pinks sprinkled with touches of delicate blues. The contrast of light and dark is the main ingredient in her decorating recipe—along with lots of twinkle, of course. In a tableau in the foyer, for instance, a white bottlebrush tree sits in drifts of bright faux snow on top of a rich brown mahogany table.

On the same surface, white organic branches spill out of a cobalt blue cachepot, with a silver bell glimmering nearby. The entire scene is reflected in a brown beaded and veneered Moorish mirror she brought back from Belgium. Kathleen, who worked for the furniture company George Smith for many years and has designed private residences, boutique hotels and projects such as The Williams Club in New York City, began collecting Christmas ornaments at age 18 when she was a fashion design student at F.I.T.