Eddie Seal/Special to the Caller-Times

The living room is a collection of family antiques passed down to the Johnson couple. Twila surprised her daughters over the Thanksgiving holiday by decorating the Christmas tree with ornaments they bought last year on a trip to New York.

By Diane S. Morales, Caller-Times

December 03, 2006

Eddie Seal/Special to the Caller-Times

In the dining room, a mirror above an antique folding table — which also serves as an accent table — captures the decorated bar from the kitchen and the Christmas tree in the living room.

PHOTO GALLERY

Twila and Kenny Johnson built 25 years of memories living in Kingsville — 11 years living in their current home. After raising three children, their home has been a revolving door of sorts. They’ve hosted too many gatherings to count and let friends borrow their place to host parties.

Home tour Who: Women’s Club of Kingsville Junior Department What: La Posada de Kingsville Christmas Tour of Homes When: 2 to 5 p.m. today. Refreshments served at the last home of the tour Cost: $5; tickets available at the first home of the tour Info: 522-2741 Addresses: Tom and Ricki Cunningham, 1210 Cypher St. Allan and Ann DeKoch, 3724 Andron Lane Joyce Turcotte, 632 Pippin Lane Kenneth & Twila Johnson, 1501 Michael Drive

“My son used to bring the whole football team home,” Twila said. “He’d be out back barbecuing or making something for them all the time.”

Josh died of Crohn’s disease in 1999. He was 17.

The Johnson’s welcoming spirit continues as Twila combined her children’s memorabilia with a winter wonderland theme for La Posada de Kingsville’s Christmas Tour of Homes. Proceeds from the tour will go to charitable organizations in Kingsville.

Welcoming guests

The cozy white brick home opens to a festive foyer with red velvet beaded stockings hanging from a shelf, a poinsettia arrangement and a half-moon wood accent table ready with a sign-in book for guests.

Eddie Seal/Special to the Caller-Times

In the hall bathroom, lights entwined in garland frame the vanity mirror, while an angel theme Christmas tree twinkles with multicolored lights. “Some of the ornaments were made by the kids like clothes pin angels,” Twila said.

Twila, a government teacher at H.M. King High School, managed to decorate about 20 Christmas trees of all sizes throughout the four-bedroom, three-bath home. She squeezed in the decorating time between going to college, working as a wedding decorator and working at a boutique.

“I love to decorate and friends asked us to do the tour since we remodeled,” Twila said.

Her sister-in-law Billie Johnson “phroofed” the finishing touches, as Twila said.

Around the wall of crosses in the foyer, the remodeled space combines the kitchen, living and dining rooms into one open area.

Kenny and family friend Sandy Alexander pulled up the floor, removed walls and built a kitchen bar — a replica Twila saw in a magazine. They remodeled the space about two years ago.

Wood post and a beam overhang at the bar create a focal point to the space. Twila wrapped garland, white lights and gold wire ribbon around the posts.

The floral print sofa offers a comfy snoozing spot and a prime view of a silver theme Christmas tree.

Dangling crystal icicles, beaded faux twigs, white tulle, ribbon and silver crosses adorn the tree in the living room. The crystal icicles were mementos from Twila and her daughters’ trip to New York City.

“They wanted to go so bad when I took some students,” she said. “So that was their Christmas gift last year.”

Eddie Seal/Special to the Caller-Times

Kenny Johnson and friend Sandy Alexander removed a wall from the kitchen to build the bar framed with beams. They also took down a wall in the living room to open up the entire space. Tan and peach colored speckled granite counters cover white cabinets.

Memento mix

Twila also displays holiday family photos, rotating them as holidays change. She kept the winter white theme similar to last year, adding bits of ribbon or rearranging here and there. Most of her decorations are recyclable pieces such as hurricane lamps, white satin runners and tulle she’ll reuse for wedding decorations.

The open space is dotted with family antiques. In the center, a sitting area with a glass-top bamboo café table for two cups the chairs under the table.

“It belonged to my grandparents. Everyone who sees it always wants it,” Twila said.

Contrasting the winter white theme, the family’s dining area glows in fall colors with silk mum arrangements, a cornucopia centerpiece on the table and a Christmas tree peppered with faux mums and maple leaves and flowing raffia.

Children’s touches

The bedrooms and bathrooms each have a mini-Christmas tree to continue the festive flow. Twila’s daughter’s old bedroom — the memory room — is decked with family nostalgia. The Christmas tree is decorated with ornaments the Johnson siblings made when they were kids. Under the tree, Cabbage Patch dolls wear the kids’ holiday baby clothes from 20 years ago.

In the master suite, holly and ornament patterned red bedding and garland draped on Twila’s grandmother’s kneehole vanity add a splash of holiday cheer.

Contact Diane S. Morales at 886-3758 or moralesd@caller.