A Century of Character Makes Christmas in this Kentucky Cottage Worth Experiencing

Text by Bethany Adams

Amber Lyon Ferguson describes herself as a traditionalist at heart. Whether that means not breaking out the Christmas décor until after Thanksgiving dinner or hosting a yearly caroling party with her music students, there’s an air of authenticity to her Kentucky home that progresses throughout the holiday season. “From the time I was young, I was always fascinated by old things,” she says, noting that even in college, she gravitated toward vintage finds. “I go by the William Morris philosophy: Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”

This past Christmas season even more than most, Amber found a reason to emphasize aged Christmas charm, as the home reached its 100-year anniversary, and she leaned into the 1921 theme. A magazine cover and Santa Claus ornament from the home’s first year join elements inspired by what would have been available to the original owner, lending an Old-World spirit with a touch of colonial-inspired style.

“I search high and low for the most realistic greenery that I can find,” says Amber, who uses faux due to allergy concerns in the family. She paired her selections with dried apple and orange slices, pine cones, studded pomanders, and one of her favorite elements: velvet ribbon. “I think that ribbon can dress up anything and give it that festive feel,” she says.

It does everything from binding a collection of vintage books on the mantel to accenting a vintage horn in the music room, which houses the first antique piece Amber ever owned—an organ that she plays during her yearly caroling party. “That was my actual first antique that was gifted to me by my grandfather, who was my first music teacher,” she says. “He got that for me when I was 4 [years old], before we ever knew I would be a music teacher—but that’s probably something that paved the way.”

The original dark woods that fill the home’s living spaces with warmth and timeless character make way for a breath of fresh air in the kitchen, where all-white cabinets show off the brick floor. While many of the same vintage touches—like Victorian postcards and ironstone pieces—fill shelves and dress up corners, Amber notes that the space leans a bit more farmhouse. “Because it’s the kitchen—it’s the heart of the home, so it might get a little more [of a] homespun vibe than the rest of the house,” she says.

The corner nook is a favorite spot for coffee and Christmas cookies, which is why Amber opts for a simple arrangement on the breakfast table, but the room even gets use during Christmas dinner, when extended family spill over from the dining room. “Everybody just sort of gathers around, and we do have an old-fashioned Christmas,” Amber says.

From Christmas dinner and caroling to hanging the family stockings on Christmas Eve with her husband, William, and two sons, Liam and James, Amber decorates her home in the hope of creating an authentic Christmas experience for friends and family. “That’s what makes me so happy,” she says. “It’s not just about making it look pretty—it’s about making people feel the holidays.” But with the help of 100 years’ worth of charm, it’s clear that she’s able to do both.

To see more of Amber’s style, visit her at followtheyellowbrickhome.com.