Memories of

Merriment
This century-old cottage was
renovated with love and decorated
for the season with sentimental
recollections of Christmases past.

W With their four children grown and out of the house,

photographer Mary Lukas Pierce and her husband,
Brian, were ready to downsize from their large family
home in the woods, and they knew just the place
to do so. Nearby White Bear Lake, Minnesota, had
all the charms they were craving in their stage of
life. “The vibrant town is renowned for its idyllic
lakefront setting and historic downtown area,” Mary
says. “Outdoor enthusiasts love it for the abundant
outdoor activities in the summer and winter. We wanted
to shift our lifestyle to be able to walk or bike to the
grocery store and the great restaurants downtown.”
But they weren’t the only ones attracted to this
way of life, and they had to search for almost four
years to find a home in this popular area where
houses are often handed down generationally. It was
worth the wait, and when they discovered the abode

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that would become theirs, they knew it was the perfect

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spot to enjoy everything White Bear Lake has to

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offer—largely thanks to a quaint front porch where

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they now take it all in no matter the season.

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 “The cottage was built in 1912 when this
area was a thriving resort town,” Mary says of
the home located just two blocks from the lake
and downtown. “It is a really cute house—with
the porches in the front and back, it’s super
charming. It’s a very friendly community, and I
love how the front porch easily connects you to
neighbors walking by. We sit on the porch all the
time—even in the winter.”
And come Christmastime, Mary transforms
the front porch into a classic winter wonderland,
as natural beribboned trees, wreaths, and greenery
come to life all the more under the glow of
sparkling string lights, rustic hanging stars, and
candlelit lanterns. Plush pillows and plaid throws
make the porch swing comfortable even amid a
light dusting of snow.
And while the interiors continue that same
effortless spirit of coziness now, it took some work
to get there. “When we purchased the home, it

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needed major mechanical updating and freshening

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up,” Mary says. “There were times during the

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remodeling project that we questioned if it was

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going to be a go.”

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 Mary says her favorite space in the home during the season is the
living room—or really any area with sight lines to the tree. “My
favorite spot in the house at Christmastime is anywhere I can take in
the 2,500 lights on the tree,” she says. “All the white lights inside and
out help keep spirits bright during the long Minnesota winters.”

“I think the Christmas décor complements the country cottage vibe well because it’s all natural,” Mary says. “Everything I
used was purchased fresh from a [local] tree farm.” From the tree itself to the mix of greens Mary intertwined for the garland
along the staircase and the full, verdant swags that grace the mantel, this natural aesthetic breathes lush life into the classic
holiday scheme.

The ultimate goals were to open up and lighten
up the cottage, which was very dark with quirks like
a lime green dining room and purple pantry. “The
decorating theme was to soften the space with a muted
color palette—keep things fairly simple,” Mary says.
“We tried to create a very casual, chill vibe in the
house with a slight nod to the lake with blues and
neutral tones.”
At the foundational level, the couple wanted a more
free-flowing floor plan without disrupting too much of
“I love that because I can have a tall tree,” she says.
“Finding the perfectly shaped tree takes me much
longer than it should—much to my family’s chagrin.
I keep them outside in the cold at the tree farm way
too long. I also make sure to purchase plenty of fresh
white pines, spruce, eucalyptus, and cedar to decorate
the entire house.”
Beyond sticking to all-natural trimmings, Mary
keeps the rest of her holiday embellishments sentimentally
traditional with treasured pieces handcrafted by her

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the original architecture. “We took a few walls down to late mother. “The major inspiration for the Christmas

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open it up a bit but tried to keep the 1912 interior doors, décor was to honor my mom, who recently passed

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baseboards, and trim,” Mary says. They also removed old away and had passed on some of her decorations to me

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drop ceilings to achieve a nearly 10-foot ceiling height. before she died,” Mary says.

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 Mary created a small but
special tree display on a
buffet just off the kitchen
and dining room where
she showcases a favorite
handcrafted collection
from her late mother
while remembering
her and other relatives.
“She had over 200 angels
in a Dayton’s [iconic
Minneapolis store that
is now Macy’s] box,
perfectly packed and
lined up with tissue. She
made them all—hand-
painted the little faces,
glued the hair on, made
the halos,” Mary says. “I
put them on a smaller
tree in our open pantry. I
The main tree in the living room features also made angel photo
her mother’s handmade red velvet bows and linen ornaments of her and
others who have passed
skirt as well as red and gold vintage ornaments. in our family and featured
In the dining room just beyond, fresh garland them on the angel tree.”
woven with twinkling lights frames the window, and
the table is set with Mary’s mother’s Christmas
dishes and silverware from 1954. In a serving A wood-paneled four-season porch sits at the back of the
area off the dining space, Mary set up a smaller house, overlooking Mary’s scenic garden. The painted
tree to highlight her mother’s handmade angel wooden blocks above the cupboard that spell out “Merry
Christmas” were hand-carved by Mary’s father.
ornaments, accented with old-fashioned Christmas
cards attached to lights strung above.
These sweet memories on display all around
bring utmost meaning to the present as Mary
and her growing family make new memories in
their new yet storied home. “Christmas meant
a lot to my mom—she worked hard to make it
feel special and put so much care into the season,”
Mary recalls. “She had such an impact on how I
see this holiday, and sometimes, you aren’t fully
aware of where your strong influences come
from until they are gone. I smile when I think of
her at age 90 kind of being bossy and telling me
how to decorate properly,” she says with a laugh.
“I so cherish those memories with her through
the years, and I’m beyond grateful that, despite
downsizing, I kept her special holiday treasures
and will continue to carry her memory forward
through the spirit of Christmas.”

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TEXT BY ELIZABETH CZAPSKI

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PHOTOGRAPHY AND STYLING BY MARY LUKAS PIERCE

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