I’m in Better Homes & Gardens Magazine!

Better Homes & Gardens came to my house last January to photograph my home all decked out for Christmas. I’ve waited impatiently for 10 long months to get my hands on this issue and the wait was definitely worth it! I’m excited to share some photos from the magazine as well as behind the scenes styling tips from the pros. So let’s take a peek into the Better Homes & Gardens Kelly Elko Christmas feature.

If you don’t subscribe to the magazine and would like a copy, leave a comment letting me know and I’ll mail one to 5 random winners!

Update: Giveaway has ended

Better Homes & Gardens Kelly Elko Christmas - see the 6 page spread of Kelly's decked out home that is filled with creative Christmas decorating ideas kellyelko.com #christmas #christmasdecor #christmasdecorating #christmasdecoratingideas #bhgchristmas #kellyelko.com

If you missed it, you can read all about the behind the scenes of the photo shoot here.

The stylist, Matthew Gleason, ensured that every photo in my six page spread was magazine worthy. In the photo below (it’s the actual PDF that the magazine sent out to be printed) of my living room, he stuffed my stockings with paper to make them look like they were loaded with gifts from Santa, added fresh sprigs of cedar to the mantel, turned a bunch of old boxes into beautifully wrapped gifts, added a bowl of fresh amaryllis on the coffee table and put a basket filled with logs on the hearth to add texture. We even went together the day before the shoot to borrow the fireplace screen from a local shop.

Kelly Elko featured in Better Homes and Gardens magazine kellyelko.com #christmas #christmasdecor #christmasmantel #bhgchristmas #betterhomes&gardens #christmasmantel #christmastree #christmasstockings #chalkart #vintagechristmas #kellyelko

Above photo: Copyright 2019 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.

This post contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

If you love the chalk art of Santa on his sleigh, you can buy an art print, canvas print, pillow or tray in here.

Click on each pic to shop my look.

I love the value of these snowballs that I simply nestled in the tree.


I’ve heard that stylists often change up the entire look of a house and I’m glad to say that did not happen here. 95% of what you see in the six page feature is all mine.

They have these shoots planned out well in advance and a few weeks before they arrived, the home editor at Better Homes & Gardens called me to go over the plan. She had scoured my blog and wanted to combine my 2018 Christmas home with elements from my 2017 Christmas home.

My 2018 Christmas Mantel

Click here to get the free printable of my Christmas chalk art

For example, in my 2018 home, I hung my antique wood stocking stretchers on my mantel as seen below.

Cheery Christmas Home Tour with Free Chalk Art Printable kellyelko.com #christmasdecor #christmasmantel #farmhousechristmas #christmashometour #christmasstockings

My 2017 Christmas Mantel

She asked if we could use these red pom pom stockings from 2017. I think the pop of color is just what the mantel needed!

Let's Stay Home for Christmas Home Tour - love this chalkboard mantel kellyelko.com #christmas #christmasdecor #christmasmantel #vintagechristmas #christmasstockings #diychristmas #christmastrees #chalkart

No detail was overlooked. She asked if we could use a polka dot plate that I had used years before as well as other things she spotted on my blog. Of course, being a boarder line hoarder, I had everything on hand when they arrived.

The photographer, David Land, took tons of photos at different angles so they would have lots of options. I went from setting the table in the dining room, to frosting cookies with my girls in the kitchen, to drinking a mug of hot chocolate (or at least posing with an empty mug) on the daybed in my sunroom to standing on my front porch for about 45 minutes waiting for the perfect lighting. My girls went from to walking down the stairs (they did it at last 20 times) with our dog and without, to pulling a tray of freshly baked cookies (or were they?!) from the oven, to helping me decorate those same cookies at the kitchen counter. My cheeks never hurt as much from all the smiling I did over the course of the two day shoot!

Better Homes & Gardens featuring the beautiful home of Kelly Elko kellyelko.com #bhgchristmas #christmasdecor #christmasdecorating #christmasmantel #vintagechristmas #vintageornaments

They like to make sure there is plenty of variety among all the stories in the magazine so, for example, if one story includes a photo of the homeowner in her kitchen, other articles would most likely have photos of the owner in a different room. It was interesting to see which photos they included in the article and which were left on the cutting room floor. I’m thrilled that a beautiful family photo made the cut as well as another shot of my girls and me in the kitchen baking up a storm (or at least pretending to)! Of course, Sushi steals the show posing in the sunroom in her winter scarf and she’s even featured on the Table of Contents page. I swear that dog needs an agent. There are lots of other pics too and my house never looked better thanks to the help of a professional photographer.

Better Homes & Gardens Christmas issue kellyelko.com #christmas #christmasdecorating #christmasdecor #shinybrites #vintageornaments #christmasornaments #bhgchristmas #kellyelko

For the rest of the story, please see the December issue of Better Homes & Gardens available through 12/14/19 wherever magazines are sold.

Don’t forget to comment letting me know if you’d like a magazine. I’ll pick five random people and mail them one!

Update: Giveaway has ended

See my Christmas Home Tour here

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60 Comments

  1. Congratulations! I subscribe to BHG so will be on the lookout for the issue. Your home is always so lovely for the holiday. Merry Christmas!

  2. So excited to see your Christmas decor! Love what you do and how you do it!!! Would love a copy of the magazine!!!!

  3. Can’t wait to get my copy in the mail. I love your vintage flair. It’s inspiring And I am a boarder line hoarder too! Thanks for pulling back the curtain. It’s nice to know sometimes the stylists add stuff to the average magazine spread. Not everyone is that perfect!

  4. Congratulations!! What an honor! Your house is always beautiful without the special photographer!
    Can’t wait to get an issue!!!

  5. Hi there! The Better Homes and Gardens layout on you home is so beautiful! I totally love the trees that are in you living room and your dining room. Can you please tell me what kind of trees and from whom did you buy them. The BH&G resource page says they are Woodland Spruce from Balsam Hill, but that one in their catalog doesn’t look anything like yours. Is it from Puleo International or is it a European Fir? Please help!!!

    Thanks!
    Sue

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