We love spending time in our craft room year round, but over the holidays this multifunctional space really gets a workout. If there's a DIY Christmas ornament to be made, Christmas cards to be addressed, or gifts to be wrapped, this is where that Christmas magic happens.

This room is just made for messes. The laminate flooring we installed is durable and resists spills and stains. The red metal chairs can be wiped down easily and if the old harvest table gets a few dents and dings, that just adds to its character.

Every surface, from the stain and heat resistant Corian countertop (great for when you're working with a glue gun!) to the brushed gold handles which hide fingerprints, was picked to withstand all the creative messes we would make here.

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The craft room is packed with organized storage so its a joy to work in this room. You're never searching for items - everything from the sewing machine to Sharpies has a home so the room stays neat and tidy. I also love sitting at the harvest table. The long bench cushion is very comfortable and the horizontal shiplap provides a comfortable surface to lean against.

While most of this room is fairly new and modern, its more interesting when you bring vintage and unique items into the design. I'm in love with this antique brass twine holder I bought this summer. Doesn't it have great character? Of course I've paired it with gold scissors.

On the wall, a boat painting that belonged to Sean's parents hangs in a vintage gold and linen frame and adds warmth to the room. You'll see I've hung Chloe's Advent calendar in front. Each cotton bag contains an activity for the day and some days have a small gift too (yesterday's was a bag of cocoa that we used for baking crinkle cookies). This is a tradition we've had since Chloe was a toddler and I do love how it gets us to spend time together and enjoy the season.

I've decorated the other side of the room with a small truck to hold the Advent gifts and other whimsical Christmas decorations on the floating shelves. Candles, figurines, and a few boughs of greenery are enough to bring a festive touch.

The half-glass craft room door was repainted to match the laundry room door this summer. I've dressed it up with an old reed wreath from Ikea - but you can still peek through and see all the fun activity happening the craft room!

Here's a view of the craft room door from the other side. I've done a little decorating in the rest of the basement too. We spend lots of time down here during the holidays with family game nights or crafternoons with friends so it's nice to have it feel festive.

With the Christmas tree set up in the living room, we've moved the blue desk down here temporarily. It tucks nicely into this spot and provides an additional surface area for setting up food for gatherings.

The games table and sideboard are decorated with simple holiday touches like garlands and feather trees. I've placed a few extra branches in a vase to create a small arrangement. It's super easy to do and a way to use up all of your greenery. 

I've placed a poinsettia into the vintage brass planter to add a pop of colour. I'm not a huge fan of red except at Christmastime. Nothing else feels as festive as red.

This tiny tree is decorated with all of our personal and handmade ornaments. There's mementos like the Eiffel Tower ornament we picked up the year we went to Paris and ornaments Chloe made when she was younger. My favourite ornament on this tree has to be the small hoop ornament I had made for Chloe's first Christmas. It depicts a red polka dot dress that I dressed her in all the time. Someday, that ornament will be on Chloe's own Christmas tree I hope.

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It's so great to have a kitchenette here in the basement, especially for the holidays. Guests are free to grab drinks in the fridge and wash up and we have lots of room for serving food or making popcorn.

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I've dressed the floating shelves with a berry garland and more of my lighthearted accessories. The red diecast car is one Sean had when he was a boy. It sits in front of these lovely brown and white floral dishes I found at the thrift store. I love the mix of these vintage items amongst the more contemporary finishes and decor.