BOX OF DELIGHTS

This saltbox house on America's East Coast was just made for the festive season - its charm seducing everyone who visits

- EMMA JPAGE

While many American homes opt for a ‘more is more’ approach during the holidays, Lori Guyer’s clapboard-fronted house offers a more discreet – though no less joyous – air of celebration. Its exterior is festooned with fir swags and wreaths made from foraged foliage and it all adds up to an understated elegance, much like the interiors the homeware specialist favours.

Located in a small maritime town in Long Island’s North Fork, the house takes its cue from simple surroundings. ‘This is a fishing community and at this time of year our local decorations pay homage to that,’ says Lori, whose homeware store, based on her love of white decor, is a ten-minute drive away in Southold. ‘Illuminated mermaids are suspended from telephone poles and the streets are strung with replica ships. We can walk to the grocery store or post office, and doing so in the snow is especially beautiful.’