During the month of December, I will be posting more pics of some of the holiday decor I have in my home. But today I wanted to share pics of a wonderfully decorated staircase that belongs to a good friend of mine, Joy.
Joy lives in the beautiful state of Oregon. Unlike me, she actually enjoys cold weather and that white stuff we so rarely see here in Georgia. Can you believe she gets out and goes hiking in that stuff?
Last year, Joy became the proud owner of her very first home. Joy describes her beautiful home as a combination of an American Foursquare and a Craftsman Cottage. Here’s a “summer” view.
And here’s the “winter” view. Hey…where did the sidewalk go? Even though I’m not a big fan of cold weather, I do so love the picturesque view of a snow covered cottage. Ahhhh.
When the first Christmas rolled around, Joy had a lot of fun decorating in her new home. Recently, I asked Joy if she would share some pics of how she decorates her stairway banister each year, and she graciously agreed.
Joy told me, “I’ve always wanted to live in a house with a banister I could decorate. Last fall, I bought my first house complete with a banister ideal for a Christmas garland. I wanted to do something different.
“I spent about two hours at a local store trying to decide which ornaments to choose, when I spotted a couple of containers of silver jingle bells. “From there I added the red flower ornaments… 
“…the snowmen, and other silver on silver ornaments with snowflakes.
“The garland is a made from two, 15 foot sections from Target. I then wrapped the banister in 500 lights, added the large ornaments, the silver ones, and then 100 jingle bells.
Wow, isn’t this positively breathtaking?! It feels so magical, enchanting even!
Joy, would you fly home to Georgia and decorate my banister, pleeeeeease??? Don’t make me beg!
Joy said, “I love the end result which is actually visible from the street when you drive by my house.”
I love the end result, too! Joy, thanks so much for allowing me to share your gorgeous stairway.
This is absolutely stunning! Joy, when you go to Susan’s, can you stop in Arkansas and help me decorate? I don’t have a pretty banister like you, but I can see that you could be a huge help. Your home is beautiful. Thank you for letting Susan post this. It is such an inspiration. I’m going to jump up now and do some Christmas decorating! laurie
Joy, this is so pretty. The lights are fabulous, gives out a magnificent glow! Congratulations on your first house…so lucky of you to have a gorgeous one for the first one. Thanks for sharing it, Susan and Joy, and have a Merry Chirstmas!….Christine
Oh my gooness it is fabulous!! I wish I had a banister to decorate! I could steal a few of your ideas…OK all of em!!*winks* Congratulations Joy on your beautiful new home! And I’m almost a neighbor, I’m in Wash st. Susan thank you for featuring Joys home, It was inspiring! Vanna
Joy, has a beautiful home and is a marvelous Christmas decorator. Thanks for sharing her Christmasnes!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia;)
Susan you are so right the banister is breathtaking… I love it! And those little Christmas ornaments are just devine… I have a cute little 3 foot tree in Tassie… She can’t handle any bigger then that.. LOL LOL Have a great night
(((HUGS)))
Donna
What a nice way to share the joy of Christmas…friendship!
Her banister is a joy and a delight!
Please tell her we are happy her dream has come true!
Joy, you are so gracious to open your home to all of us. Thanks so for sharing this enchanting staircase. I adore the snowman ornament..or as I so often say I love, love, love the snowman ornament..lol. I can tell you had a ball decorataing your staircase in your first home. Congrats on a great accompolishment. It is beautiful girl. I’ll be looking forward to seeing some more of your decor.. Susan I’m so glad you talked your dear friend into sharing with us.. hugs ~lynne~
Stunning! I love it! 🙂
Susan, What a great bannister. Joy, I can just see the sugar plums dancing! Great job! Let me know if you want any other bannisters to add to your list of requests!
Carol
Impressive! I love the fullness and all the lights. Beautiful!
Joy is so sweet to share this beauty with us! I would give anything for a banister to decorate….I decorate OTHER peoples homes for Christmas, do alot of banisters and WISH I had one to do….maybe my next home!!! Holiday blessings to all! Pinky
How wonderful for Joy to have a home to decorate the bannister. It is breath taking. Love the snow photo.
Oh how pretty – it’s magical. 🙂
Thank you Susan & Joy! This is amazing! Hey Joy, I live closer than Susan, so can you stop in California first??? ♥ Diane
All I can say, Joy, is you learned from a master and you learned very, very well. That last picture is a stunner. I don’t have a single doubt it is visible from the street.
I really like your choice of ornaments. The red ones in particular remind me of some vintage ones I have seen. Can’t wait to see what you do with your porch railings on that magnificent porch. Please let Susan post some pictures if you do decorate them this year. Congrats on a job more than well done.
Put me on the list for bannister-scaping! How beautiful!!!
Thanks for all the wonderful comments. Yes, Glenda, I did indeed learn from the master.
A little background, I spent a lot of time with Susan when I was a teenager learning about life including antiquing and decorating. Other teenagers where at the mall with their friends. I was at the antique mall with Susan and her family.
Anyway, if you ever happen up to Oregon and see my family room, which Susan helped me arrange around an awkward fireplace by way of cell phone, computer and digital camera, you’ll think it looks very familiar. I based it on Susan’s bonus room but with red accents instead of yellow.
Oh, and Glenda, the plan is to run garland inbetween wreaths on the porch.
I am THRILLED that I have led you down the path of more dishdom. But you could go to town making tablescapes with Ironstone pieces.
I bet the Flea has some pretty things.
Which lamp did you want to see?
Also, I heard a rumor about Spode–are they going to quit making ALL patterns?
Joy, please send Susan pictures so that she can post them, if you have a chance and she has the time.
Love Joy’s banister decor!!
I’m in Oregon too. Where does Joy live?
Now to check out the rest of your blog. Thanks for sharing.
Barbara Jean
I live in Oregon too! Can you send her on over to my place? Her staircase is gorgeous with the trimmings!!
Joy has a beautiful home to be proud of…and a bannister to die for! I’d love to have a bannister…no upper rooms…just a bannister to decorate! Thanks for sharing this Susan… 😉 Bo
The banister is gorgeous!!! I love her home, so inviting.
Thanks so much for visiting my blog! I don’t have many pictures on there yet, I just started the blog so there will be more to come. We’ve been in this house a year and a half and unfortunately most of the work we’ve done so far isn’t much fun to photograph. We had to rewire the entire house which took a while (and left a lot of holes in the walls and ceilings!). Now we’re to the point of being able to patch things up and decorate, yay! More pictures to come as we get things accomplished.
I was so happy to find your blog, I really enjoyed your postings at RMS! You have a beautiful home.
I love the bannister, and your photos of it are great!
Hi Susan! Joy’s home and banister decorations are lovely. I just finished your Tablescape post and it was delightful. I really enjoyed seeing all your beautiful things. Deb
Susan and Joy, thank you for sharing this with us. The banister is just gorgeous.
That is really beautiful! Thanks for sharing.
How is Sammie doing?
Wow! That banister shines! I really am going to have to add lights to mine tonight! I am missing out!
Merry Christmas!
Awesome pictures. The garland is soo full. It looks really great!
~Liz
THIS MAKES ME WANT A BANISTER.LOVELY JOY.YOU ARE A VERY TALENTED LADY.MERRY CHRISTMAS IN YOUR NEW WONDERFUL HOME…ANN
Your friends stairway is just beautiful, Susan. Like you, she has a knack for creating beauty!
Merry Christmas…Kathy
Barb,
I live in Bend so I’m always highly amused when someone from Georgia askes me, “You moved to Oregon? How in the world do you handle ALL that rain?”
Joy’s banister is just fabulous. How fun to have a dream come true like that. Have a wonderful weekend Susan. I’m having fun in my home in Seattle trying to tablescape up a storm while I have all my stuff around me :0) and take lots of photos for tablescape tuesday…
SS and gals- Have been w/o my computer for about a week!!! (Yep, talk about "WITHDRAWAL"!)- DH finally thought to find & set up his old laptop for me, which I really don't know anything about, but it DOES let me tell you all hello & that I've missed y'all MUCHO! (Feeling rather "stranded" here w/o the computer, altho I HAVE done ALOT of SHOPPING n' things!)- Am thinking of sooooo many of you w/ warm holiday thoughts, & HOPES to be back on "regular line" by tomorrow! Season's warmest hugs- Love, Linda/ "Mom…" (Can't use E-mail cuz this is an old, "closed account", I THINK!!! Don't even know the address! Aaaargh!)—
Oh, that is the one thing I truly miss about a two story home…the bannisters! What a beautiful Christmas decor she created with that bannister. Love it!! Thanks for sharing Joy’s home with us Susan. Jan
The garland is really fabulous.
Thank you for visiting my nativity blog. I just wanted to let you know that i just posted about the second holiday giveaway. Here’s the link:
http://carolanativitygallery.blogspot.com/2008/12/second-holiday-giveaway.html
Carrie
wow that bannister is breath taking!
You go girl, looking good! vickydarnell
That is really impressive and I love all the lights. Makes me wish I had a bannister except I don’t want to have to go upstairs.
Roberta Anne
What a gorgeous staircase. I bet the bells give a wonderful jingle too.
Wow! Gorgeous! Now I want a bannister! And I don’t even have any stairs! Susan..could you ask her to send some snow our way? Ladies..thanks for sharing…Debbie
Joy, I already live in Oregon, so it’ll be much easier to stop by. 🙂 Your staircase is gorgeous. Merry Christmas! Pam (pc25)
Oh My Gosh, can you imagine seeing that bannister in your home. Simply stunning.
Hugs,
Chris
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Every year during the holiday season when the decorating gets underway, my husband gets so irritated with me about the lights. My theory – the key to beautiful holiday decorations are the lights and the more the better. My husband on the other hand cannot stand dealing with the lights. His theory is less is more. It was wonderful to be able to show him this beautifully decorated staircase with 500 lights!!!! Thank you for sharing these beautiful decorations and for providing the reference information. You have proven my theory to be correct.
You can never have too many lights. I don’t turn on other lights in the room during the holidays. Just the banister lights and the glow of the fireplace.
The lights actually go up and down the banister four times. One of the biggest challenges is to hide the cord, but I completely wrap the lights within the garland working my way back and forth.
It has been a long day. I know I came by here this morning and thought I had commented! I came back to see this beautiful bannister! WOW!
Thanks so much for sharing this, Susan. It’s lovely.
What an absolute GORGEOUS banister!! And how exciting that it is in your beautiful new home!! I decorate mine with garland, lights, and bows…but I never thought of using ornaments! This is just BEAUTIFUL!!
Wow! Just beautiful!
Patricia :o)
Hey Susan; Wow you friend Joy did a wonderful job on her banister. It is just beautiful. Makes me wish I had a banister.
Hugs;
Alaura
That is so beautiful. Now, I am going to have to decorate that garland around my front door. It just looks so bare now.
Debbie
I love garland. And this looks great. Mishelle
Susan, Joy’s bannister IS lovely. Thanks for giving us a peek!
It’s so bright and beautiful! I really need to light mine up as well but I have no plugs around. I’m looking for plugs near stairs when I house shop next year. LOL! 🙂
I love Joy’s home and her garland is glorious!!!! That is just so pretty….makes me want a house with a staircase! lol Hope you have had a great week girl!
Helloooo Joy!! Please add me to the list of those who’d love to see your family room! I wish I could take lessons from Susan! *winks* And Susan thanks so much for stopping by! Vanna
This is beautiful! Thank you Susan and Joy! It is such a warm and beautiful welcome to have such a fabulouly decorated banister!
I envy her being able to light it…I have no plugs anywhere near my staircase…darn!
HI Susan, wow this is gorgeous and makes me wish for a lovely bannister! Cant wait to see your photos as well…I know they will make my mouth drop open…because they always do! Hope you have a lovely day!
Debbie
So pretty! I’m sure enjoying seeing what everyone is doing this year.
Me again Susan…The Virgo in me is going bonkers over my pathetic spelling…not once, not twice but THREE times I said baNNister…ugh!
Really, I used to be a good speller
back when…LOL 😉 Bo
Hi Susan,
Thank you for stopping bye my blog and all of your sweet comments. I just love your bright and cheery Christmas decorations. You have truly done a beautiful job.
My dish collection is Spode Woodlands. I started collecting it a few years ago, but this is the first year I have used most of the pieces, I love it. I am just waiting to start finding some of it at Marshalls though.
-Cheers, Amy
These pictures are so gorgeous! Love the railing!
I love it! I haven’t done anything with my banister this year….not a thing! This one is so beautiful…I’m jealous, Joy! Love the photo looking straight up at it…it is, indeed, magical.
Oh your friend has a gorgeous home! I LOVE, LOVE the staircase, so beautiful! I’m also dying over the pics of Bunny’s pantry and your beautiful dishes! Thanks for sharing! Suzie Button
Funny that you should post that now, since I’ve got fake garland “splinters” all over me from fluffing it. It’s beautiful, isn’t it? So, if she heads to GA, be sure she has a layover in Charlotte, and I’ll entertain her for a few hours! I have some garland that could use lots of bling.
Will there be a trim the tree thursday tomorrow?