From whimsical elves to life-size Santas, this Evans house is all decked out for the holidays.

Photography by Sally Kolar

At the Evans home of Bridget Flynn and Jack Edwards, every room is brimming with Christmas cheer.

“She loves decorating for Christmas. It’s her passion,” says Jack. “She invites friends over to see everything. She puts so much into it that people need to see it.”

Ever-Growing Collection

Bridget started collecting Christmas décor about 15 years ago.

“It grows more and more every year,” she says. “I started with the RAZ elves I have in the Christmas tree in the living room, and it just escalated from there. When I first saw the elves, I fell in love with them. I love their faces and their expressions.”

She starts decorating in mid-October, and she works as hard as any elf in Santa’s workshop to create holiday magic in their home.

Although she has a thing for elves, Bridget also has certain brands that she likes including Mark Roberts, Katherine’s Collection, MacKenzie-Childs, Regency International and Karen Didion. She always keeps an eye out for specific pieces that she wants to add to her collections.

“If it’s not available, I will search until I find it,” Bridget says. “I start looking early to see what’s coming out for the year. I shop for Christmas all year long. When we go to the mountains, I hit all the Christmas stores.”

Last year the newest addition to the décor was a large nativity scene that Jack found at a local department store. He had planned to give it to Bridget as a Christmas gift, but the sales associate convinced him to buy it after the holiday when it would be half price.

He got enough figures in 2021 to start it, and others have given her pieces for the collection as well. The nativity scene is the first thing the couple sees when they enter the house from the garage.

“I don’t get excited about a lot of things, but I really enjoy the nativity scene,” says Jack, the son of a Methodist minister.

The Fun Room

The lower level décor also reflects Jack’s lifelong fondness for Snoopy, where the “Peanuts” character is the star of the holiday decorations.

Resting on a blanket of “snow,” a Christmas vignette in the garage features Snoopy, Woodstock, a doghouse with snow and colored lights on the roof, and a Christmas tree.

In the sitting room, stuffed Snoopys and other ornaments hang from a tree. One of Bridget’s friends crocheted the red and white skirt under the tree as well as an identical skirt beneath the dining room tree.

The basement also includes statues of Snoopy, the Grinch, an elf and Mickey Mouse in the sitting room.

On the final night of a visit to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, Bridget “earned” the right to purchase the Mickey Mouse statue after she beat Jack in a game of pool.

“I said if I won the last game, I was going to get Mickey Mouse,” she says. “The ball did exactly what I said it was going to do. We stopped on the way home to get Mickey.”

The basement décor also features a snowman that Bridget made out of fishbowls and filled with Mickey Mouse Christmas decorations. Other decorations include Ralphie, clad in his pink bunny suit, of A Christmas Story fame and a 1957 turquoise Chevy Bel Air convertible with Elvis behind the wheel and Barbie riding shotgun.

“The basement is my fun room,” says Bridget.

Gingerbread & Peppermint

Bridget loves gingerbread houses, so naturally, she centers the kitchen décor around food.

The kitchen table includes a gingerbread house centerpiece with a gingerbread tree on either side, and round red and white placements that resemble peppermint candies. A gingerbread wreath hangs on the door from the basement.

A RAZ elf sits on the secretary in the kitchen, while another elf with a pretzel in his hand lounges on the counter.

“I buy little things to put in their hands,” says Bridget. “I can change it each year.”

The first gingerbread house that Bridget ever bought rests behind the cooktop. Other kitchen decorations include a gingerbread train, block letters spelling out the word “Merry,” reindeer with candy cane antlers and peppermints on their backs, a red boot and a bow made of MacKenzie-Childs ribbon on the tree.

A Mark Roberts elf with a sweets shop sits on the island, where a cake stand is covered with individually wrapped Little Debbie Christmas cakes that Bridget shares with guests.

The gingerbread theme continues into the dining room, where the table also features a gingerbread house centerpiece. A gingerbread man and woman with flashing lights sit atop the china cabinet.

“I use a lot of whimsical decorations,” says Bridget.

While the sideboard includes red and green balls and a pair of nutcrackers, the Christmas tree is filled with painted ornaments that pop with glitter and gold.

Three hot air balloons with a Mark Roberts elf inside dangle from the entryway between the dining room and living room.

Bridget also keeps a container filled with Christmas soaps in the half bath. Since Christmas is for sharing, she gives a soap to their guests before they leave.

Always Room for Elves

In the living room, RAZ elves in the tree are accompanied by poinsettia ornaments as well as red, green and white balls. Christmas picks spray out from the treetop, and lighted red and green decorative presents sit beneath the tree.

A life-size Santa sits in a chair in the corner. On the chest, a Mark Roberts elf occupies an ornate Katherine’s Collection chair and rhinestone trees top a pair of drums.

A rocking horse and giant pillar candles on candlesticks add to the Christmas cheer, and of course, there’s always room for more elves. Another Mark Roberts elf sits by the grandfather clock, which is one of 100 clocks that was made to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Dollywood, and a RAZ elf hangs on the clock.

Stifling a yawn, a sleepy Mark Roberts elf reclines in a chair while holding a sign that reads “free kisses.”

However, Bridget has a better idea. “I wish the elves would learn how to clean,” she says.

A wreath decorates the wood-burning stove, which belonged to Jack’s parents, on the fireplace hearth. A Noel banner hangs from the mantel, where flocked greenery, another Mark Roberts elf and two reindeer rest on top.

“We keep the lights low at night so the Christmas lights stand out,” says Bridget.

Four Victorian carolers line the serpentine chest in the foyer, and two black lantern streetlights stand on either side. Bridget’s sister makes all of the bows for her.

Accompanied by two more lanterns, a life-size nutcracker stands guard at the end of the hall. Even the doorknobs throughout the house are decorated with festive tassels, jingle bells and elves.

Snug in Their Beds

The three bedrooms get into the Christmas spirit as well.

A Santa in a chair recites “The Night Before Christmas” in the master bedroom, where more carolers and candles stand on the dresser.

“I use artificial LED candles since I have so many of them,” Bridget says.

To honor Jack’s family, a small tree on the dresser is decorated with White House and Masters Tournament ornaments. His brother, who lives in Virginia, sends him a White House ornament every year, and their grandfather, who helped build Augusta National Golf Club, was the first golf course superintendent at the property.

A Katherine’s Collection fairy sits daintily in the center of the bed, and a Santa, two trees and a musical snow globe occupy a bedside table.

“I always find a place for something, but I don’t put everything out every single year,” Bridget says.

In the “peacock” bedroom, the tree is decorated with peacocks and peacock feathers, gold and teal balls, gold tassels and teal poinsettias. A peacock sits on a glass-topped table at the foot of the bed, and elves dressed in teal rest on the bedside tables next to the four-poster bed. A wreath made of peacock feathers hangs on the door.

The chest of drawers features a teal-outfitted Mark Roberts elf, a gold and teal runner, a glass bowl filled with gold and teal balls, and a pair of white pillar candles wrapped in a peacock motif.

The “animal print” bedroom includes a mannequin Christmas tree with a red bodice and a red sash tied in a bow at the waist. A red skirt with leopard-print trim surrounds the base of the tree.

A leopard-print runner stretches across the dresser, and gold and red ribbon are tied around a lamp. A Katherine’s Collection gnome and a Mark Roberts elf are part of the décor as well.

Even though Bridget, who would love to open a Christmas shop when she retires, starts decorating early in the season, she never really finishes. “I will mess with everything until the day I take it down,” she says.

Jack doesn’t argue. “When I leave,” he says, “it doesn’t mean the decorations will look the same when I get home.”

By Betsy Gilliland

Statement pieces coupled with colorful accents personalize this Appling home.
For Appling residents Jessica and Daniel Yonchak, there was no time like the present to build a custom home in Lamkin Woods for their growing family.

“When you build, you either do it now or do it later,” says Daniel. “We wanted to do it now so we could enjoy it. I don’t think we’ll ever get tired of it.”

After they bought their 2.5-acre lot in 2020, the Yonchaks started building in the spring of 2021 and moved into their home in September 2022 with their two sons, Bennett and Walker, now 5 and 3 years old. Five months later, their daughter, Anniston, was born.

They customized a design from a Southern Living house plan to accommodate their lifestyle for years to come.

“We picked out everything from the colors to the width of the stair treads,” Daniel says. “It allows you to enjoy your home a lot more.”

However, they not only kept an eye on the future. From their fine china to keepsakes from their own childhoods, they included décor that honors their family history as well.

Color, Pattern and Texture
The Yonchaks closely followed the progress of their house, visiting the site several times a week while it was under construction.

“Once it was sheet-rocked, I turned everything over to Jessica,” says Daniel.

Good plan. Jessica knew the look she wanted, and she enlisted interior designer and now friend, Katy King Brosious, to bring her vision to life. Together, they infused playful patterns, assorted textures and vibrant colors into the neutral décor to give the home its distinct personality.

“We wanted a classic, timeless look for the house,” Jessica says. “Katy’s Instagram was a great source of inspiration.”

The incorporation of color, patterns and texture into the décor begins on the front porch, where four black rockers are accented with an aqua and white striped pillow and a pillow with textured flowers and pink tassels. The brick floor of the porch is laid in a herringbone pattern.

White satin ribbons accented with a bright blue “Y” are tied to the green wreaths on the double front doors.

The eclectic mix of design elements continues into the interior, which features white oak flooring and six-paneled doors throughout the house.

In the living room, where Southern charm meets chinoiserie (the European interpretation of Chinese artistic traditions), two Oriental calligraphy brushes and a ginger jar sit atop the wood coffee table.

However, Jessica says, “We found the rug first and decorated the living room around it.”

Patterned pillows, which feature green and white buffalo checks or a blue and white design, accent the off-white couches. The pillows pick up the colors in the rug as well.

A pair of oversized chairs, upholstered in spotted blue and white fabric, also adds color to the space.

White walls, custom built-ins, a raised hearth brick fireplace with gas logs and a wood beam mantel, a ceiling fan and a coffered ceiling complete the living room.

“We wanted a neutral background with pops of color,” says Jessica.

The open floor plan connects the living room to the kitchen, where an island separates the two spaces.

“We really wanted an open concept with a big island,” says Jessica. “We like to host and entertain. Storage also was important to us.”

Champagne bronze light fixtures hang above the island, which includes a farmhouse sink.

The kitchen also features quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, glass-front cabinets on top of enclosed cabinetry, brushed bronze hardware, a pot filler and a picket fence backsplash. A French antique chandelier hangs in the adjoining breakfast area.

Legacy Pieces
The butler’s pantry borrows design elements from the kitchen such as brushed bronze hardware and glass-front cabinets, where white bowls and blue and white Georgia historical plates are on display.

The plates, originally produced by Wedgwood in London and sold by The Transylvania Club of Sandersville, were conceived and executed as part of the 1933 Georgia bicentennial celebration. The plates are issued in blue and pink, and the Yonchaks have a set of 12 plates in each color.

“My family had those plates when I was growing up,” Daniel says.

They hung more blue and white Georgia plates around a mirror on a wall in the dining room, which also features a coffered ceiling and a gray chandelier with gold accents.

An oak pedestal table, which is surrounded by skirted, upholstered chairs, sits in the center of the room, while a white sideboard and white china cabinet line opposite walls.

“I wanted the dining room to be classic with a little twist,” says Jessica.

She keeps her grandmother’s china in the china cabinet, along with a plate with gray flowers that has special significance to Jessica’s family.

“My great-grandmother hosted a president for dinner, so a president ate off of the plate,” she says. (No, she doesn’t know which president dined with her great-grandmother.)

Her grandmother gave each of her three granddaughters four place settings of her china, and Jessica’s mother found the rest of the china to complete the set.

“The dining room is my favorite room in the house even though it gets the least use,” Jessica says.

A grandfather clock that belonged to Daniel’s grandparents accents the office.

The master bedroom features a four-poster California king bed, a windowpane mirror on either side of a TV cabinet, an upholstered chair and an upholstered bench at the foot of the bed.

“This furniture was a wedding gift to us from my parents,” says Jessica.

The adjoining master bath features a soaking rub with a freestanding telephone faucet fixture, two vanities with quartz countertops and a walk-in shower. A rainfall showerhead, subway tile and marble floor accent the shower.

The children’s bedrooms reflect their personalities and interests. Bennett’s room has a sports theme (He loves baseball and insists on keeping his Christmas sheets on his bed year-round). In Walker’s room, antique trucks that belonged to Daniel when he was a boy are part of the “anything-with-wheels décor.

On the wall in Anniston’s nursery, two white frames hold a pink baby bubble outfit that belonged to Jessica when she was a toddler. When Anniston first came home from the hospital, she also wore the same gown that her mom had worn when she arrived home as a newborn.

Porch Life
When the Yonchaks spend time together, they’re likely to gather on their covered back porch.

The space includes a concrete floor, tongue-and-groove ceiling, wicker furniture, two ceiling fans and a raised-hearth, wood-burning fireplace. Special features of the brick fireplace include two Augusta pavers that came from an old homeplace on family-owned land in Harlem and the custom-built, live-edged, 450-pound wood mantel that Daniel’s college roommate made from a pecan tree.

“He has a lumber company in Sylvania,” says Daniel. “He had several trees on the grounds that were not cut up, so we got to pick out the tree.”

A dining table, which is set with colorful melamine plates on chargers edged with pink beads, rests on an area rug.

“I think we’ve eaten more meals on the porch than we have in the kitchen,” says Jessica.

With its fireplace and view of the woods behind the house, the back porch is Daniel’s go-to spot. They also plan to add a pool to the backyard one day.

“We built the house to last,” says Daniel. “Our whole goal is to maximize the space. We’re not going to outgrow it.”

By Betsy Gilliland