Old- World Opulence

Design by Angela Mazanti | Story by Terri Glazer | Photography by Sélavie Photography

Step inside the East Memphis home of Kim and Johnny Pitts and be transported to a lavish Christmas in a French chateau.

The holiday decor in the Pitts home reflects all the best of the season, with a decidedly European flair. Designer Angela Mazanti decks these halls, keeping in mind the French chateau style of the architecture and the house’s year round color palette. Rather than traditional red and green, Mazanti opts for tones of persimmon and gold. Those hues play perfectly off the Turkish rug in the foyer, artwork in the dining room and upholstered antique French chairs.

The home’s exterior gets the holiday treatment from Tennessee Christmas Lights. The company illuminates the front yard for the season, including the jasmine espalier around the entry turret, welcoming guests to the front door.

Once inside, visitors are immediately wowed by a tree filled with ornaments that have special meaning for Kim. “Her maiden name is Swann, and friends love to give her swan ornaments because of that,” Mazanti explains. 

Fresh pine and magnolia combine with lights and silk, velvet and taffeta ribbons to drape the front stair railing, the orange-brown of the underside of the magnolia leaves adding a natural element to the unique color scheme. 

The centerpiece of the Pitts’ holiday decor is the enormous fresh Christmas tree. Reaching to the family room’s 12-foot ceiling, it fills the home with holiday spirit and the aroma of evergreen. Mazanti says decorating the massive Douglas fir is no small feat, but luckily, Kim has amassed a large collection of beautiful ornaments over the years. Mazanti combines the keepsakes with thousands of twinkling lights and lush ribbons to create a spectacle worthy of European royalty.

The home isn’t fully ready for the holidays until Kim’s treasured angels are on display. Her collection of exquisite Old World-style angels, many of which she found in a shop in The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia, is large enough that Mazanti places them throughout the home to add an element of elegance.

Sets of sparkling snow-covered houses and glittering vintage Santas nestled in more fresh greenery dress up the dining room buffet.

Many of Kim’s beloved Christmas pieces are also sentimental, as they have been gifts from the family’s large circle of friends over the years. Bringing them out every year to trim her home is like gathering again to share memories with the people who mean so much to her. It’s that emotional connection that truly mirrors the spirit of the holiday season.