A Cabin Christmas
On the banks of the White River, a cozy cabin is the ideal setting for naturally
inspired holiday décor
BY
Laura Keech Allen
PHOTOGRAPHY
Brian Meredith
When she began creating the holiday décor for a relative’s river cabin, Jo
Buttram, a certified Arkansas master florist and owner of Shirley’s Flowers in
Rogers needed to look no further than the home’s beautiful setting on the White
River for inspiration. Designed and built by Michael Johnson of MCR Enterprises,
the wood and stone cabin is constructed of hand-hewn white cedar siding and
custom beams. “The best spot is really in the living room, which has enormous
walls of windows, so you can enjoy views of the river and countless deer and
birds,” Jo says.
Planned as a getaway from the world, the home was also designed to be as
maintenance free and ecologically responsible as possible. From the use of
sustainable materials to a geo-thermal heating and cooling system, every effort
was taken to ensure that the home would impact its wooded setting as little as
possible.
Nature takes a leading role in the holiday decorations as well, which are
crafted of fresh greenery and flowers, including a live tree outside adorned
with honey and birdseed ornaments and topped with a bird feeder. Inside, this
gentleman’s retreat required decorations that were rich and textural in tones
that still bear the touch of autumn. “I wanted the color scheme to be warm and
cozy with a masculine feel,” Jo says. “We used dark chocolate browns and
accented them with gold, orange and deep red.”
To make the most of the open floor plan, she continued this color scheme
throughout most of the home’s public spaces. Swags on the rough-hewn wooden
staircase blend beautifully with the trees in the living and dining rooms and
the fireplace mantel. Fresh greenery is accented with natural pinecones and
feathers along with ornaments and silk greenery in muted metallic tones.
Adding a whimsical, lighthearted touch was
essential, however, so Jo created floral sculptures in a variety of shapes,
including wrapped packages, snowmen and fish. Displayed on the coffee table,
the fish are made of button mums, hypericum berries and sunset safari
leucodendron and are a nod to both the trout that populate the waters of the
White River and the stained-glass fish on the cabin’s front door, which was
custom designed by her husband Randy Buttram.
In the dining room, Jo took a more formal approach, while still utilizing
the same color scheme and natural materials. The table is dressed in orange
and brown with a decorative iron tree dressed in gold glass ornaments and
fresh orchids in the center. She even added a Western touch by filling
cowboy boot-shaped mugs with individual flower arrangements at each place
setting.
Since the cabin was completed last Thanksgiving, it’s been the setting of
many new memories for Jo and her family, made even more special by the
stunning décor. “The whole scene just makes you smile,” she says.
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