What do you do when you find the perfect old home that's never been a home to children at Christmas?  If you're Dr. & Mrs. Michael Snedden, you move in [April 2003] and get the best designers [Eric Redfern of Redfern & Son, and Anjela Eubank, owner of Changing Spaces] to help you decorate for your first Christmas in your new home -- 1204 Washington Avenue downtown --- the first time that this house has been home to children!

Redfern, of Redfern & Son [808 Caroline Street] is known for taking traditional beautiful homes on the Candlelight Tour and adding his distinct touch of decorative whimsy and festive fun to their holiday decors.  Design consultant Eubank does interior makeovers for residential and commercial spaces, specializing in “use what you already have decorating.”

Redfern, who is also a special events coordinator and floral designer, has been decorating homes for the Historic Fredericksburg Foundation's annual Candlelight Tour for the past six years. When the Snedden home came up on this year's tour, Redfern and Eubank teamed up with the homeowners and began working off of Sally Snedden's inspiration.

The new homeowner finds that her house is still “evolving” and developing its own decorative style and personality to fit her family's needs. The Sneddens look forward to building a history of their own in this lovely home.

Eubank found Sally Snedden quite receptive to suggestions on how her home could change from its current look to a Christmas look that is simple, easy to do and reflects her family’s style and personality. "Sally," noted Eubank, "prefers un-fussy, re-usable decorations that she will be able to unpack next year and decorate her home without the help of her volunteer decorators."

Redfern & Eubank hope that anyone coming through this home can walk away and say, “I got some great holiday/decorating ideas and I can go home and do this.” This approachable form of decorating makes their ideas accessible to homeowners who have neither the good fortune of being assigned expert volunteers to help decorate their home, nor the luxury to hire them.

So what have Redfern & Eubank done with this featured home? Call it "a Christmas wonderland" and you won't be exaggerating.  The designing pair, in a rare collaboration, have taken a few of the family’s main rooms and “tweaked” them so they are shown in their full glory.  This “tweaking” is done by re-arranging some furniture, re-hanging some art work and re-arranging bookcases and fireplace mantels… and then adding fun decorations which may become part of the Snedden family’s new traditions.

While many of us dream of a White Christmas, the Snedden family dreams of its First Christmas together in their beautiful Washington Avenue home. That dream is about to come true. If you take the Candlelight Tour, you'll see what it looks like. If you grab a business card of Redfern or Eubank, you'll have a future reference for your own holiday or year-round decorating.

As for the house itself, rumor is the sound of the Snedden children's laughter and the pitter patter of their feet has made this grand old home feel young again.

The 33rd Annual Candlelight Tour is Saturday, Dec. 13 & Sunday, Dec. 14.  Call 371-4504 for details.