Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

A Holiday Haven in Vail

A Holiday Haven in Vail

A Vail Racquet Club townhome with Old-World style and timeless comfort, decked out for the holidays

When Vail interior designer Courtney St. John set out to decorate a three-bedroom Vail Racquet Club townhome for the holidays, she drew inspiration from the timeless Old-World style she’d created for the interior five years earlier. “The Denver owners wanted a sanctuary with a modernized, quintessential Vail Bavarian feel,” she says.

    

She gathered collectibles, antiques and found objects including old skis and snowshoes that evoked Vail’s active lifestyle and brought the outdoors in with items pulled from nature, such as feathers, branches and berries. A red, green and plaid color scheme carried throughout the home lends seamless harmony. Candles of all shapes and sizes nourish the coziness-especially welcome this uncertain year, when we’re spending more time at home.

    

Mimicking the townhome’s Nordic wooden table and chairs, a handcrafted German Christmas pyramid provides a playful centerpiece and drives the table setting. “They have young children, so it’s fun for them to light the candles and watch the carousel spin,” St. John says. Small wooden cut-out trees, various sizes of cut-crystal glasses, an antique white runner with red stitching and plaid chargers beneath dinner plates that match napkins lend homespun elegance.

                                



In the kitchen, St. John likewise relies on wooden elements, including pine garlands threaded with white twinkle lights, antique wooden snowshoes and a three- dimensional wooden snowflake on the window shade. Plaid bows echo the table setting, along with a bowl of red apples embraced by greenery. The dry bar becomes an inviting seasonal serving area with a red floral arrangement enlivened by feathers, a silver tray laden with china and a glass bowl of red ornaments.



Above the stone fireplace, antique antler mounts cloaked in pine boughs and ribbons bolster design cohesiveness. The red floral arrangement on the mantel creates a focal point while white candles nestled in aspen log holders spark drama.

    

Below, a weathered antique olive bucket holding aspen, berry and pine branches and wooden skis adorned with a plaid bow supports the dining and kitchen motif. Plaid and checked red, green and white hand-wrapped gifts add fairy-tale charm.

    

The tree conjures visions of sugarplums with its retro painted glass ornaments. “Some of the balls are antiques, but a lot are handblown and collected over the years,” St. John says. “Each has its own story, whether found in an antique store, a garage sale, while traveling or received as a gift. Each offers an opportunity for sharing and reflecting on family traditions and memories.”


Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
×