Inside an Idyllic Winter Home

During the winter months after a busy holiday season, Jeannie Breshears fills her home with natural light and the restful ambience of lit candles. “We try to rest and hibernate,” says Breshears, owner and lead designer at House Counsel Interior Design Studio. But in addition to dreaming of spring and making time to relax, winter downtime is also a wonderful moment to organize her home. Clearing out holiday décor creates a blank canvas that can inspire a fresh take.

For Breshears, that means creating beautiful displays in her home to fit the season. In January, she groups clock faces together as a reminder of a new year ahead filled with opportunity and possibilities. “Intentional groupings prevent a space from feeling cluttered,” says Breshears. “I want things to feel fluid and connected to each zone.”

That extends to her kitchen, where counters are kept organized, there are no upper cabinets, and the room feels more like a living space than a work space. She showcases a small grouping of charcuterie boards and some seasonal items, and she keeps her dishes and drinkware organized and handy in a large display case—ready for entertaining if anyone shows up unexpectedly. In an old map case, she stores entertaining essentials such as linen napkins, silver serving pieces and candles.

Rather than save these items for special occasions, Breshears uses them yearround. “It’s quick and easy but always beautiful,” she says.

Throughout the rest of the home, Breshears focuses on melding both beauty and organization. “Everything has its place even with the little storage we have in the home,” she says. “Things we use are sorted in drawers and cupboards for easy access.”

With a palette of off-whites and neutrals and layering natural materials along with textures, Breshears’s home always feels fresh and inviting. In keeping with her warm, candlelit focus on winter rest, Breshears dresses beds and furniture with lots of layers and soft pillows, soft furs and heavier bed linens that make you want to cozy up.

“We layer weathered pieces with new, small groupings of art, ceramic and natural textured pieces,” says Breshears. “We keep our surfaces simple, but strong.” There are fresh flowers sitting out year-round and lots of interesting books to read, so the Breshears home always feels like a comfy place to spend time. She is always experimenting, moving things around and styling new ways—letting her creative mind explore new ideas for her home. “It’s a journey, and the dreaming is never over,” says Breshears.