Date:  December 1, 2023  |   Story: Rebekah Hall Scott  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |   Styling: Lauren Cerrato  |  

Whitney Bonaminio helps family friends create a cohesive design story in their home—at Christmas and all year-round

Whitney Bonaminio has specialized in holiday decorating with her business, Christmas by Whitney, for many years, but she recently branched out to full-service interior design projects. When some close family friends were building their new house in Little Rock’s Falstone neighborhood, they approached her to help with every element, including the home’s layout, architectural features, and furnishings. “This couple envisioned building their dream home,” Whitney says. “They wanted it to be full of all the amenities and welcoming to their four children in this blended family.”

Whitney says the homeowners have completely different design styles, which presented a challenge she was excited to take on. “I looked at it as an opportunity to make a really interesting space,” she says. While one homeowner was drawn to “dramatic, masculine, contemporary, and moody” design, his wife kept coming back to inspiration that was “clean and fresh, peaceful, beachy, and airy,” Whitney says. To combine these aesthetics, the designer used a white paint color throughout the home for a clean backdrop, but chose a mix of vintage and contemporary furnishings and accessories to bring the spaces to life. “The furniture, décor, and lighting is bold, and I included architectural elements to create a home that leaves a lasting impression,” Whitney says.

The couple loves to shop vintage stores and flea markets, so Whitney included many of their finds in the home, including a pair of antique wooden doors and one-of-a-kind Turkish rugs. The homeowners also enjoy entertaining, so ensuring the space had plenty of room for gathering was key. “They have a beautiful outdoor space, so they wanted the home to flow naturally between inside and outside,” Whitney says. “I asked them recently what their favorite spot in the house is, and he quickly said it’s their back patio.”

For the holidays, Whitney says this tight-knit family goes all out. “Christmas is very special to them,” she says. “My client wants to create traditions for her children to have as their own, since they don’t have extended family.” This time of year, Whitney adorns the home with traditional red and green décor with a touch of glam. “I wanted to extend the fresh but glamorous design that the house has,” she says. “The Christmas décor needed to be traditional, but with a twist.” The result is a sophisticated mix of timeless festivity with bold modern touches, a fitting representation for the family.

Moody and Merry
In the study, Whitney’s client was very specific about what he wanted this room to look like. “I used this color to create a more moody, masculine and modern feel in this room,” she says. Leather chairs and a shagreen bar cabinet bring an upscale lounge effect to the space. For the jubilant Christmas tree, Whitney continued the home’s holiday narrative with plaid ribbons, ornaments, and bursts of holly, along with a large-scale gold beaded garland. The walls are painted “Kendall Charcoal” by Benjamin Moore.

Warm and Welcoming
Inside the foyer, Whitney highlighted the height of the 12-foot ceilings by hanging a large mirror over a rustic console table. A brass light fixture by Visual Comfort adds a bold statement. “I wanted something that would appropriately stand out and make an impression,” Whitney says. Swaths of pine, cedar, and red holly berries bring cheer to the entry, along with ceramic white and gold Christmas trees by Arkansas artist Julie Holt.

Compelling Comfort
Because Whitney’s clients brought her into the building process early on, the designer was able to suggest architectural elements that add to the home’s appeal, including the arched bookshelves that flank the fireplace in the living room. Matching sofas and a patterned swivel chair provide seating for the whole family, and a teak root coffee table plays off the open shelving and other natural textures. In lieu of a Christmas tree in the space, a swagged garland above the mantel provides festive coziness. “Since the client requested beaded garland, I wanted to ensure it was in a highlighted spot in the house,” Whitney says.

Glimmers of Gold
In the kitchen, which opens to the living room, Whitney and the homeowner chose large hammered brass pendants for over the island. A marbled tile behind the range and along the adjacent wall keep the space feeling light, and leather stools with brass legs from Urban Pad provide ample seating at the bar. White glass Christmas trees bring subtle cheer to the open shelving, along with sprays of cedar and red berries. On the range hood, Whitney layered a large magnolia wreath with a smaller red berry wreath and the same ribbon used throughout the home.

Sophisticated Spread
The dining area is anchored by a large frosted glass pendant with brass joinery from Visual Comfort, which makes a statement over a substantial table from Restoration Hardware. High back chairs with nailhead trim lend a more traditional touch, while glass trees in gold and silver provide a modern edge. A garland of fresh juniper, cedar, pine, gold and red berries, and red velvet magnolia leaves winds its way through the tablescape. Whitney chose a wide red and white striped runner, then placed a more narrow plaid runner on top. “Every tablescape needs to have a layered look—the more layers, the better,” she says. The clients’ own reindeer dishes add a sweet sentimentality, along with glittery spiked star ornaments at each place setting (below).

“The Christmas décor needed to be traditional, but with a twist.”
—Whitney Bonaminio, designer

Bold in Black and White
Whitney commissioned her sister, Arkansas artist Audrey Rich, to draw a series of abstract designs, which she framed to create the graphic gallery wall in the primary bedroom. “I wanted to do something bold, and black and white is bold,” Whitney says. “I also wanted to do something really eccentric.” On the bedside table, small gold trees are a quiet nod to Christmas. “The glass trees in here are subtle and feminine—just a little touch of the holiday season,” Whitney adds.

Refreshing Retreat
Gleaming large-scale marble tile travels seamlessly from the floor up the entire wall behind the black, hammered-copper bathtub. The chandelier is made of pieces of wood designed to look like candles, which Whitney says she wanted to be the focal point of the room. Picked up during the clients’ travels, a hand-knotted Turkish rug “ties in that unique, antique feel that they like,” Whitney says. The antique wooden doors were the inspiration for the custom doors at the home’s entrance.

On the patio, a large wreath topped with magnolia blooms and ribbon anchors the fireplace, which is flanked with lanterns and small trees. A hammered copper drum table displays bursts of greenery, red velvet magnolia leaves and gold berries, bringing holiday cheer to the outdoors.

Design Resources
Christmas and interior design Whitney Bonaminio, Christmas by Whitney and W Design Contractor Coburn Construction Company Accessories, bedding, furniture, hardware, mirrors, and rugs W Design Appliances Metro Appliances & More Art Audrey Rich, Barry Thomas, and W Design Cabinets, millwork, and painting Coburn Construction Company Countertops A1 Granite Man Fabrics and upholstery Cynthia East Fabrics Fireplace Antique Brick & Block and Congo Fireplace & Patio Fixtures Ferguson Plumbing Supply Flooring and tile Kaufman Lumber Lighting TEC Electric and W Design Outdoor furnishings Ninth & Co. Wallpaper Designer Effects Windows Coburn Construction Company and Elite Entries Iron Doors Window Coverings Elite Blinds & Shades