Fig & Dove founder Colleen Waguespack’s family home reflects the hope and peace of the season
The Christmas season is a whirl of elegant hustle for designer Colleen Waguespack, whose Fig & Dove brand truly shines during the months leading up to the holidays. After all, creating elevated (and effortless) seasonal décor was the genesis behind the company’s launch a decade ago. Fast forward 10 years, and this wife and mom of three grown boys is still as busy as ever. From overseeing the creation of bespoke stockings and hand-crafted décor to consulting with clients on refined, quietly luxurious holiday interiors, Waguespack’s days blur into a merry symphony of creativity and coordination. Meanwhile, her store’s flurry of festivity sounds more like “Jingle Bell Rock,” and her to-do list might rival the jolly man’s own. This is why Waguespack enjoys returning home at the end of a busy day to a personal space that reflects the warmth of family and welcomes the familiarity of friends.
“Like everyone else these days, I don’t have a lot of extra time,” says Waguespack, on decorating her own home for the holidays. “I’m not the girl who is dying orange slices and stringing them up. I just want to have a scene that is beautiful and personal and speaks to our family and the reason we celebrate Christmas to begin with.”
Rather than relying on the traditional explosion of color and texture, Waguespack imagines Christmas through a lens of serenity. This means soft greenery garland, hand-tied silk ribbon, glimmering crystal and elegant gold accents. And, of course, doves.
“I have doves everywhere. They are on my tree, on my tables, and on the garland framing the entry to my rooms,” says Waguespack. “The dove is a symbol of hope and peace, which is why I originally chose it for the brand.”
In fact, the acrylic dove is so prevalent in her décor that it marks the first artistic collaboration Waguespack ever incorporated into her company’s offerings. Local fine artist Brad Bourgoyne helped design the doves 10 years ago, and he remains a steady collaborator on other projects to this day. Since then, Fig & Dove has collaborated with numerous local and regional artists to create heirloom pieces that will instill traditions and support creatives.
“We were one of the first companies to truly start collaborating with artists,” Waguespack says. “The collaborations help create collections that can be passed down for generations. Each piece is unique and special. Each collection tells a story.”
The story behind the beautifully sculpted acrylic doves is that Waguespack wanted a departure from the breakable, hand-blown ornaments that are typically infused with saturated hues. Instead, the doves align with the soft palette of Waguespack’s holiday décor and complement the natural aesthetic of her home. She believes that because the holidays are already busy, one’s home should calm the energy, not compete with it. This philosophy unfurls in every room, beginning with the entryway, where layered holiday charm welcomes guests while still letting classic furniture and thoughtful design set the tone. Fresh greenery cuttings offer a subtle scent of the season—but take a closer look and notice that the garland draping the door frames is not scented at all.
“I’m actually a big believer in faux garland these days,” says Waguespack, who notes that synthetic garland has become too realistic looking to pass up. “I want it to be beautiful, but I also want to be practical. And faux garland allows you to enjoy the season as long as possible.”
The faux greenery extends to the Christmas tree in the living room, where natural light spills across a palette of soft neutrals, allowing her art, antiques and collected décor to remain the stars. Nearby, plush stockings—a collaboration with Coleman Taylor—hang in clean, tailored lines. And presents papered in Fig & Dove wrapping hint at gifts to come.
“What I like, I put on display. It’s from years of collecting, and it is not just Fig and Dove,” says Waguespack. “However, I never put up Christmas the same way twice. I mix it up.”
For example, an angel that tops the Christmas tree one year may take center stage on a tabletop the next year. Mini-Fortuny ornament stockings that draped a doorway last season will be clustered in a contemporary chandelier next season. Collections will be added to, enhanced, and shuffled around to create a new sense of wonder with expectations of more to come.
“I’m a traditionalist at heart. I don’t put up Christmas until after Thanksgiving,” says Waguespack. “I take my Christmas cards of my family very seriously. I frame them all and put them on display throughout the season. I also have a bowl in the living room of all the cards we receive, so guests can look through them and enjoy.”
These traditional values, coupled with a modern undertone, flow through the rest of Waguespack’s dining areas. Rather than a heavily layered tablescape, she sets the scene with a curated arrangement of porcelain, crystal and understated natural elements. Gold-rimmed stemware, simple linen napkins, and acrylic ornaments used as napkin holders (a collaboration with local artist Lauren Barksdale) complete the tableau. The public spaces of her home feel elegant enough for celebration yet relaxed enough that guests can breathe.
“I’m a believer in making easy-to-execute solutions to the chaos of the holiday season. The easier the better,” says Waguespack. “I consider effortless ways to make something look special. Reducing the stress makes room for the hope and peace that we need as Christmas draws near.”
