We've been keeping up with the Kardashian family for 12 seasons, but there's one moment we've never seen until now: how Kris Jenner turns her home into a Christmas wonderland. AD went behind the scenes to find out what goes into the star's elaborate decorations. Los Angeles floral designer Jeff Leatham and his team of pros climbed ladders and worked in pairs to dress up three evergreens in the entryway with white lights (there are nearly 10,000 on the main tree alone) and massive red-and-white lollipops and peppermint candies. A special guest arrived later in the day: a more than six-foot-tall faceted red bear from Paris. Elsewhere, animated white reindeer nodded their heads in approval as the mantel was embellished with a 12-foot monochromatic ornament garland and luxurious furry stockings. The dining room got the cozy treatment-with a glamorous twist. Red roses were hung upside down from the chandelier above a table set with a quartet of matching flower arrangements, a pair of golden eggs, plaid linens, and snowman plates. And let's not forget Jenner's iconic kitchen. The space is officially ready for holiday parties with a lush garland draped over the cabinetry and intricate gingerbread houses on the island. Watch now to see the whole transformation by the numbers.
If you expected anything but an over-the-top Christmas display from the woman behind one of the most successful business empires of the century, think again. While Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner dresses up her Calabasas, California, home with magazine-worthy holiday decorations each year, she outdid herself this December, turning her house into a winter wonderland with help from her friend and longtime collaborator, the celebrated Los Angeles floral designer Jeff Leatham. In the grand foyer, five towering evergreens are illuminated by twinkling lights that took nearly 24 hours to install and are framed by garlands of cedar, noble fir, and Douglas fir along the stairway bannisters. But that's not all. "One of the fun things is just deciding on what the theme of the tree is going to be because that sets the tone for the entire house," says Jenner, who chose, in Leatham's words, a "Kandyland-chic" motif, complete with oversize peppermint swirls, that's beyond sweet. "The whole aspect of this beautiful black-and-white floor with the red and white of the tree-it's about shape, it's about color," he says. The pièce de résistance or, as Jenner puts it, "the thing I'm most excited about": a custom-made red metal-and-glass polar bear that was delivered from Paris and is the only one of its kind in the U.S.
The contrasting palette continues in Jenner's formal dining room, where the table is set with plaid chargers, snowman-themed dishes, and luxe gold flatware by Christofle. "Plaid is very traditional, and it reminds me of being in the mountains," she says, noting her penchant for a little glam. Leatham enhanced the depth of the crimson tableware with monochromatic bouquets of red roses emboldened with hints of black calla lilies, "just to add that naughty or nice" element, he says. The bold hues give way to a more subdued take on holiday decor in the living room, where a sculptural garland over the mantel lends the feel of an elevated art installation. Animatronic reindeer stand guard over a collection of fuzzy white stockings hung by the chimney. "For us it was about whimsical-it's about fun, it's about family," says Leatham. No doubt it's a display that will inspire Christmas memories for years to come.
Want even more AD? Subscribe to the magazine and get a free tote ►► bit.ly/2H7oOSG
Still haven’t subscribed to Architectural Digest on UKposts? ►► bit.ly/2zl7s34
ABOUT ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST
The leading international design authority, Architectural Digest features articles and videos of the best in architecture, style, culture, travel, and shopping.