Tour Kathy Hilton's Christmas Themed Home
Everybody has that special holiday that makes them go over the top with their decorations. For some, it's Easter; for others, it's Halloween. But for Kathy Hilton, it's Christmas. The reality TV star goes all out for the holiday every year, decorating nearly every room in her stunning 14,980-square-foot Bel-Air, California mansion with Yule Time joy. Plus, she begins two months early. "I normally start decorating in October," Hilton told Architectural Digest, "then keep adding until December."
"The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star said she loves to get in the Christmas spirit by adding a tree to nearly every room in her Georgian style home, which she purchased 16 years ago and completely remodeled from top to bottom, she said during her house tour. The regal house with ornate moldings, high ceilings, French windows, and a dramatic winding staircase is perfect for all her favorite looks: From splashy gold and silver Christmas decorations with stuffed Santas to snow white garlands with LED lights. And the star wants it to look just right on Christmas Day, saying she hosts her famous family — which includes her younger sisters Kim and Kyle Richards as well as her children Paris, Nicky, Conrad, and Barron — for a big turkey dinner and a delicious dessert spread. Take a peek into her festive home below.
There are several Christmas trees everywhere
The best way to scream Christmas is with a heavily decorated Christmas tree, and Kathy Hilton has many of them. On her home tour, there appear to be at least six. The trees are taller than the matriarch and dense with branches, too. The trees are not lightly decorated, but very heavily adorned with lights, satin ribbons, and various colorful glass and ceramic ornaments. But her love for Christmas trees does not end there. There are even mini tabletop trees that are spread throughout the house, most notably in the entranceway, where a cute one sits on a wood console. She makes them herself, she explained, as it is one of her hobbies.
But Hilton insisted she had no interest in selling them; she just wants to share her artwork with the world. The star is far from the only celebrity who goes to great lengths to decorate Christmas trees. According to People, Gwen Stefani adds gingerbread men ornaments to her tree, Christie Brinkley uses tons of colorful lights and tinsel everywhere, and Joanna Gaines of "Fixer Upper" fame uses little Santas and gingerbread house ornaments. Good Housekeeping suggests sticking with a color theme to make a big style statement, like red and plaid with pinecones or all white with doves.
Her living room is not used much ... except at Christmas
One of the grandest rooms in the massive Bel-Air home is the stately and very well-appointed living room. It has a white mantle fireplace, large floor-to-ceiling French windows that look out onto the backyard, and two matching blue sofas facing each other for intimate discussions. A cushy ottoman is off to the side, and there are old-fashioned wood armchairs with a powder blue striped fabric. But Hilton said during her tour that the bright white room does not get much "traffic." That is, until December.
It's jam-packed during Christmas as it is where everyone gathers for mingling and lounging. Hilton makes this room look extra special with her largest Christmas tree, which has a white and silver theme with gold accents sprinkled in. The tree also nicely matches the garland and mini tree statues on the fireplace mantle. One way to get Kathy's Christmas look is to stick with a color theme and make sure the accents are generous, like filling the fireplace mantle with fresh garlands that have silver ornaments tucked in, or adding a miniature Christmas tree on the coffee table (via Elle Decor).
She has accents from her mother-in-law
Hilton has a sentimental side. That is why when she was gifted antique upholstered armchairs from her mother-in-law, she restored them lovingly with pale blue, gold, and cream-colored fabric that looks straight out of a Jane Austen novel. The chairs have an important place in the room near the sofas. She explained on her home tour that she discovered the fabric at Old World Weavers, founded by Iris Apfel, and that cloth really "inspired" the entire room. "The chairs are very meaningful," she added.
Bringing an old piece of furniture back to life in all its glory can be satisfying, said HGTV. It's best to find old pieces of furniture made before 1950 because the wood they used was better quality, meaning it is cut from a solid piece of wood and is not made from cheaper particle board. Try not to pick up wood pieces that have been painted over because that often signals the paint was used to hide problems like cracking or burn marks that are difficult to fix. Pieces of furniture with dovetail joints mean it is very old and made extremely well because it takes skill to build the joints, meaning you've found a quality piece.
The salon is charming and her favorite
The house is so big several rooms can be used as a living room. The salon/sunroom is one of them. The large room has big windows that allow plenty of sunlight to stream in. The furniture also has a soothing light blue theme: The armchairs are powder blue with green palm trees and white waterfalls. The pattern can also be seen in the curtains and throw pillows. "This is my favorite, favorite room," said Hilton during the tour. "When I was designing it, people thought I was crazy, but now it is their favorite room too."
Fittingly, the white snow-tipped Christmas tree in this room also has a light blue theme with a long blue satin sash and Tiffany blue ornaments. She has Christmas wreaths all around the room she made herself, giving the space a homey touch. Hilton smartly used mirrors on the walls, which Better Homes and Gardens says is a great way to make a small room look even bigger. You should also add smaller furniture, so the room does not look too cluttered. Kathy achieved this by placing a petite side table between two small wood armchairs. And if storage space is needed in the room, you can always use a steamer trunk for a coffee table.
She loves crystals and mixes them with her Christmas decorations
The home has a traditional and ornate feel to it with old-world touches like armchairs, pin cushion ottomans, and oil paintings in gilded frames. But mixed in here and there is a New Age feel. During the home tour, clear white quartz crystal obelisks are spied, which look like icicles that fit nicely with a winter wonderland theme. It also suggests that Hilton has a more bohemian side to her. On one of her tables, she has two grand obelisks sitting next to each other — one higher than the other — by a clear Lalique vase and wicker urn, lending a mix-n-match vibe.
Placing crystals around a home can bring about healing benefits, according to Vogue. Rose quartz is used for attracting love, amethyst helps bring about stability and strength, and Amazonite strengthens intuition. As far as Hilton's clear white quartz, it is a healing stone that helps clarify thoughts. And MyDomain adds that where you put the crystals is important. For example, rose quartz, which attracts love, should be placed in the bedroom, whereas citrine linked to financial gain should be left in the office space. But listen to your feelings when it comes to crystal placement — if a certain spot is calling its name, trust your instincts.
The dining room has a Christmas village on the table
Hilton seems to have a fascination with homes, both big and small. Not only did she put a lot of energy into redesigning and decorating her own Bel-Air mansion, she also collected mini homes that she used as decorations. You can find the cute little dwellings on the glass table of her pink-themed dining room during December. She also has little home ornaments on her Christmas trees.
Pioneer Woman has some excellent suggestions for those who want to decorate for Christmas with mini homes. You can use all sorts of mini houses, such as a darling mini Peanuts home, a Christmas village with old buildings that have a LED light river, a small replica of the yellow home from "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," and an old Victorian era house that contains Ebenezer Scrooge's accounting firm "Scrooge & Marley." And those who want an edible Christmas home and have no problem splashing out hundreds of dollars can head to Solvang Bakery in California for a fancy gingerbread home, which Kris Jenner buys for her kids every year.
The entryway has a massive tree with plenty of garland
As soon as you enter the Hilton home, you are hit with the Christmas spirit. At the end of the black-and-white tiled foyer is a huge Christmas tree. It sits at the bottom of the winding staircase, so it's impossible to miss. The tree is all lit up and is super fancy with gold, silver, and red ornaments that lend an upscale feel. House Beautiful has clever tips on making your Christmas tree look like a professional decorated it. One of the first tips is if you buy an artificial tree, make sure it is good quality and pre-lit. Then once it arrives, carefully fluff the branches to ensure they are not stuck together. (In her home tour, Hilton admitted she is obsessed with fluffing her trees).
The tree will have a more unified look if you stick to one theme — like snowy white — especially if you keep the theme throughout the house. For example, if you have a country cabin theme, don't add in a pink ribbon here and there; it just doesn't gel. Rather, ensure all the ornaments have a consistent country theme: think wicker balls and plaid ornaments with a few pinecones. And don't forget to add a topper that will match the tree skirt, like an oversized velvet bow.
She collects Christmas toys
Hilton has a knack for bringing charm into her home. So it's no surprise that she has a chest full of stuffed animals that look like she spent years collecting. She has snowmen, Santas, mice, bears, reindeer, and cats. Some were gifts, some she purchased herself, and some belonged to her four kids when they were young. They are in an old brown wood toy chest, gifted to her by her longtime pal, the late pop singer Michael Jackson. They go way back: The stars met when she was 13, and he was 14 while attending Montclair College Preparatory School in Los Angeles, as per CNN.
The two stayed friends after they left school, and she often attended his concerts, and together they made prank phone calls. They even agreed to both name their daughters Paris — that is why she has Paris Hilton, and he has Paris Jackson. They stayed friends until his death. Trunks can make intriguing design statements while also providing storage space. Town and Country Living shared that steamer trunks can be very useful as furniture in a home, serving as a coffee table, a nightstand, an end-of-bed accent, or even an end table.
Her Christmas ornaments are a hoot
The house looks very serious, but there are quirky accents all over the place, even on her Christmas trees. Hilton has an ornament that is the face of Vogue editor Anna Wintour, as well as sea shells, elves, bears, mini homes, and stars. She collected them through the decades and seemed to have hundreds of them, which is handy since she puts up so many trees yearly.
According to ChristmasHQ, some of the first ornaments used in the 1600s were paper flowers, nuts, candles, and fruits. Humorous ornaments did not become a thing until the 1970s, thanks to Hallmark, but the trend quickly snowballed and is now completely embraced. In the past few years, celebrity-theme decorations — like a Kim Kardashian crying face medallion — have become a fad. Forbes says some of the best quirky ornaments that will bring a smile to Christmas lovers include an image of Britney Spears from her "Oops! I Did It Again" music video, a blue carton of healthy almond milk, a cheesy Egg McMuffin that looks so real it can make someone want to take a bite, a yellow New York City taxi cab with a Christmas tree fastened on the back, and a 1950s convertible car with two dogs inside that wear sunglasses.
She has a special room just for Christmas supplies
It takes a lot of room to sift through the dozens of boxes that contain the star's Christmas decorations. That is why she turned her downstairs sitting room into a permanent Christmas storage room. Rather than closing off her decorations in a closet, she can space them across the room, allowing her to plan what she needs months before the holiday season. It is also filled with tables where she can do her crafting. "The magic" starts here, she said during her home tour. She has glue guns, wires, boxes of vintage flowers, ornaments, and trees to get the right look. This is where she creates her whimsical mini trees that she said she often gifts to her friends.
Crafting rooms have become more popular in recent years. Martha Stewart suggests keeping the room very organized so as not to get confused or flustered. No one wants to spend hours looking for just the right ribbon or beads. Using shelves and storage containers is a must, and it's helpful to incorporate long and wide tables for spreading out supplies, just like Hilton.
She has a media room where she watches Christmas movies
It is one of the few rooms in the house that does not get decorated for Christmas, but it still brings a lot of Christmas cheer. The star said she is not really "a movie person," but she does enjoy having a full-sized home theater downstairs of the main house. She loves to watch Christmas movies here each year, indulging in old favorites like "Miracle on 34th Street," which is her favorite. The room is decorated with a dark sapphire color and accented with cherry wood panels. The seats are velvet-covered armchairs with studs on the piping.
David Meneely, co-founder of Pro-AV, a home theater company, shared with Bob Vila what kinds of TVs to look for when creating an entertainment room. "If you're looking for a screen under 42 inches, an LCD, or liquid crystal display, is the way to go. On the other hand, plasma screens are the most affordable choice when looking for a set over 42 inches," he said.
There are a wealth of Christmas movies to enjoy in December. Rotten Tomatoes has ranked the 1946 movie "It's A Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed as its number one pick. Also on the list are 1942's "Holiday Inn" with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, and 1940's "The Shop Around the Corner" with Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan.
The kitchen is also decorated for Yule time
Though the kitchen has a blue and white theme year round, Hilton brings in red and gold accents during December for a holiday feel. She explained during her home tour that she loves to put mini trees and garlands on the mantle above her ovens. One of the best ways to make a kitchen look Christmas ready in your own home is to add strings of lights above the cabinets and windows. "Decorating your kitchen at Christmas can be as simple or elaborate as you like,' Lucy St George told Livingetc. "Fairy lights are a great place to start as this twinkling glow of light will instantly bring a hint of festive cheer to darker afternoons and evenings spent cooking or entertaining in the kitchen."
Per Elle Decor, it's fun to hang ornaments on those lights. Kitchen islands are also a great place to display gingerbread houses, which the kids can snack on all month, and Christmas-themed sugar cookies with red and green sprinkles. Switching out the old white hand towels for fancy red ones is another way to spruce up the room, and if you're really ambitious, you can pull out your Christmas-themed china.
Even the front door gets decorated!
There aren't too many surfaces that do not get covered with some Christmas joy. Hilton even has a Yule time arrangement on her wrought iron and glass front door. Hers is elegant in its simplicity with Christmas tree branches serving as the background with small green apples and California holly with mini round red berries. There is no glitter or metallic accents as the star went with a more country rustic approach.
Adding a Christmas accent to your door is one of the easiest ways to make your house look ready for Santa. House Beautiful thinks a crisp green wreath with decorations attached, a pre-lit and potted Christmas tree, a lit-up garland, and battery-powered lanterns make for a very inviting front door in December. And for those who want to go the extra mile, painting your door red definitely adds Christmas appeal. Another inspired idea is buying a front door mat that has Santa on it. But you really don't have to spend a lot of money to get the look. Per DIY & Crafts, you can just glue ornaments to a large bow and be done with it, or add pinecones and bows to some extra garland.
Her backyard was spared the Christmas makeover
Hilton did not seem to decorate her backyard with Christmas fun for her home tour because she had a busy year with her daughter Paris Hilton's wedding preparations. It looked manicured and pretty with outdoor furniture for lounging, a swimming pool with an attached hot tub, and a tennis court. But there were no tinsel or wreaths.
Hilton redid the backyard in 2021 with the help of Amazon Home and her designer Mike Moser of the Eye Agency, she told People. "It was pretty, but it was not functional, and it was not comfortable," the star said about her yard before the makeover. "It looked good. But I found that we weren't spending enough time out there." She added she needed it to "look nice" for her daughter Paris' bridal shower in 2021: "Of course, a lot of it was going to be outside with the whole pandemic and all of that, and it's just so pretty to be outdoors."
During her home tour, she shared that she enjoyed the outdoor area by the fireplace during the pandemic as they would dine outside. You don't have to have a big outdoor space to make it look grand. Yard Envy shared that adding a string of lights here and there can do wonders for Christmas charm. Another suggestion was hanging hollow wire spheres lit up with LED lights from a tree. It adds a magical touch, making you feel like you have stepped into a winter wonderland.