A Winter Wonderland
By Katie Baker
Gatherings of every size are back as 2021 comes to a close, and the homes that host them are decked to the halls like never before. The Langsdon family moved into their home on the south side of Columbia two years ago and each holiday season has been better than the last. Maybe it was the monumental snow Maury County saw in February, or maybe it was fresh paint and décor that inspired Melissa Langsdon and her talented friends to help decorate and create a Winter Woodland theme in the Langsdon home this year.
The Langsdons carry a full schedule between Johnny running the family business and Melissa’s career in chemical engineering. Johnny is the third generation CEO of Columbia Machine Works which opened in Columbia in 1927, while Melissa travels the country as a consulting engineer, but home is their landing spot. Shortly after their son moved out into a home of his own, the Langsdons decided to search for a place that they could really open up to friends and family. “We didn’t want a big house just to have a big house, we wanted to share it with friends. It was especially great this past year when we couldn’t go anywhere.”
In the fall of 2019, they had visited a sprawling custom home on the southern edge of Columbia and Melissa could see Johnny’s wheels turning the minute they walked in the door. They had long toyed with the idea of adding on to their past home but weren’t opposed to moving if the right house came along. After a few showings, Melissa left for a work trip and when Johnny picked her up from the airport on her return he surprised her, “Well, I bought the house.”
The jaw-dropping home starts with the land itself. Their driveway winds through a forested entrance and over a bridge where Melissa says she is sometimes welcomed home by a pair of foxes, a sleepy woodchuck who lives under the bridge or several deer grazing along the stream. Situated on ten acres, the home was built by the Rector family and was always open to large groups and family celebrations. Johnny went to high school with Laray Rector and intends to keep the doors open in the same manner. In the time the Langsdons have owned the home, in between regular dinner guests, they have hosted a baby shower, crawfish boil, family birthday parties, charity events, and most recently a wedding for their son’s friends.
The home features five bedrooms, several entertaining rooms and porches spread over 7,500 square feet. The master bedroom is a spacious retreat with his and hers closets, a sitting area, and private access to the back porch, pool and heated spa. The Langsdons often have movie nights in their in-home theater. Beyond the media room and in-law suite lies the kitchen and family room Melissa updated with new counter tops, kitchen backsplash, and cabinetry paint.
To prepare for the holidays this year, Melissa brought in her go-to decorators to create their festive theme. These ladies are truly family having been the Langsdon’s go-to event planners for the last twenty-four years. Tricia Jett, Delina Brady, Angela Runions, and Melissa decided on “Winter Woodland” using Spode’s Woodland china pattern as their inspiration. They started with the foyer’s two-story sweeping staircase lining it with snowy pinecones and crystal accented foliage cascading into white lanterns prepped with white candles. Deer antlers were mounted to the banisters and topped with white magnolias drawing from the theme and the Langsdons southern hospitality. Beyond the foyer three flocked trees sparkling with ice blue ornaments welcome guests to their home.
The Langsdons can choose between a formal affair or a casual gathering when hosting guests. The front formal living room has a circular table set with the Spode Woodland china and burnt orange accents for a rustic Christmas theme. Beyond the dining room is a kitchen, family room and second dining space overlooking the pool and portico. The sunlit filled casual dining area seats ten and features an elegant silver and glass table setting, all that’s missing is the snow. Tapered candles pepper the table between miniature white deer with gold accented chargers. The table will host several celebrations this season with their son’s annual Friendsgiving dinner and both Melissa and Johnny’s December birthdays.
After putting the finishing touches on the décor, Melissa invited a few friends over for a small fête to toast the holidays to come. The ladies gathered around Melissa’s kitchen to enjoy a champagne spread mixed with sausage rolls and chicken salad croissants, fruit bites, and a charcuterie board prepared by Barbara Garland. As the group celebrated the festive details, Melissa was completely at ease, “Entertaining is something we love to do and good people make a great party. If you have your friends or family around, nothing else matters.”