Designing the Magic: Little Joys Winter 2025

Deanna Dunham
Oct 26
6 min read

Updated: Oct 31

An Editorial Feature by Deanna Dunham

“Every cushion, every flicker of light, every texture — chosen to feel like a memory you could step into.”

There’s a certain kind of light that only winter brings — soft, silvery, and full of calm. It’s the light that spills through quiet mornings, that rests gently on the pages of a storybook, and that seems to hold time still, if only for a moment.

Each year, I try to capture that feeling — to design not just a set, but an atmosphere. Because Little Joys has never been about props or posing, it’s about creating a space that feels lived in, loved, and deeply human.

This season marks five years of Winter Joy — and perhaps my most heartfelt collection yet: two companion sets that exist in quiet conversation.

Winter Joy Heirloom Experience

CA$350.00

45min

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❄️ Set One — A Storybook Morning

✨ The beginning of something magical. When the backdrop first arrived, I couldn’t wait another moment — I gathered every piece I’d been dreaming up and started building to see if the vision in my head could take shape. — ✨ *The beginning of something magical.* When the backdrop first arrived, I couldn’t wait another moment — I gathered every piece I’d been dreaming up and started building to see if the vision in my head could take shape.

These first frames were all about exploring light, depth, and balance — the quiet start of what would soon become the full Winter Joy experience.

“This winter story began long before I picked up my camera.”

It started with a book I pre-ordered months ago — Our Little Adventure at Christmas. When it finally arrived, it felt like holding a piece of the season itself: quiet, hopeful, and full of wonder.

That book became the heart of A Storybook Morning. From its delicate woodland illustrations to the soft green binding, it guided every creative choice that followed — forest-toned pyjamas, warm wood textures, and gentle neutrals that evoke peace before the holiday rush.

I wanted this set to feel like a page come to life — cozy, tactile, and calm. The kind of space where children curl up with a story while the world outside slows down.

Each year begins with one anchor — an object that holds a feeling. This time, it was a story that reminded me why I fell in love with storytelling itself.

✨ Lighting Update: The Glow That Ties It All Together

After the set came to life, I spent an evening testing the lighting — adjusting warmth, direction, and softness until the space finally felt like the page of a storybook. When the lanterns flickered on and the fairy lights caught the curve of the arch, everything shifted. The room felt alive — calm, nostalgic, and quietly magical.

I decided to keep this glow as part of the final design. It harmonizes with the earthy palette and creates a sense of warmth that feels like home.

Lighting: Warm LED string lights available here

✨ The Finishing Touches — A Living Work of Art

From design notes to quiet reflection — the story of how Winter Joy came to life.

What began as a simple idea in July has slowly taken form — one piece, one texture, one spark of light at a time. Every element in this year’s Winter Joy set was collected, tested, and layered with care, from the tones of the velvet cushions to the sheen of the gold bells and the warmth of the faux fur throw.

And then, just as everything felt nearly complete, Bella Vita Flowers stepped in to weave in the final breath of life — fresh pine and cedar, magnolia leaves, and subtle sprigs of juniper that transformed the space entirely.

Now, when you step into the studio, the air itself feels part of the experience — filled with the scent of pine and a quiet, grounding warmth. The greens are alive, the light dances softly across the textures, and every corner feels like a page from a storybook brought to life.

This is more than a set. It’s a mood, a season, a feeling — the culmination of months of planning, designing, collecting, and imagining. It’s where artistry meets memory, and where families will soon step in to create something of their own.

A Storybook Morning

CA$250.00

15min

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🌟 Set Two — Starlit Whispers

“If A Storybook Morning is the heart of winter, then Starlit Whispers is its breath.”

The inspiration began with a memory — the paper star lanterns that glowed in Bella Vita Flowers’ windows last winter. Their soft, golden light spilled across the glass and into the quiet street beyond, and I remember thinking: that’s the feeling I want to capture — quiet magic shared through glow and reflection.

Those stars became my starting point. In the studio, they drifted above a seamless white space, transforming stillness into something celestial — the gentle hum of winter light brought indoors.

When I discovered the bench for this set, I knew instantly it belonged. Its sculptural, hourglass-shaped legs felt symbolic — a form that, like photography itself, holds time. It became both anchor and metaphor, grounding the stars’ dreamlike presence in warmth and truth.

The foundation remained intentionally simple: luminous whites, a warm wooden bench, lanterns flickering below like tiny suns. Wardrobe was chosen for texture, not trend — soft sage, brushed cotton, and natural fibers that allow the light to move freely and breathe.

Starlit Whispers feels like the older sister to A Storybook Morning — quieter, more ethereal, deeply personal. A reminder that sometimes the simplest spaces hold the most magic.

Starlit Whispers

CA$175.00

15min

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🌟 Featured Recognition

I’m honoured that this year’s A Storybook Morning set — part of the Winter Joy 2025 Collection — was featured by Baby Dream Backdrops as the example image for their Beige Arch Wall 3 Flipped design.

It’s surreal seeing a piece I imagined and built from scratch showcased alongside the very backdrop that inspired it. This backdrop became the foundation for the atmosphere I’d been dreaming of — warm, timeless, and full of quiet joy.

📸 Backdrop: Baby Dream Backdrops — Beige Arch Wall 3 Flipped (MD)(Photographed and styled by Deanna Dunham, Little Joys Studio)

Featured on Baby Dream Backdrop

Shop the details

Here’s a look at the small details that helped bring this season’s vision to life.

Our Little Adventure at Christmas: Featuring Foundational Language Concepts and Lessons on the Joy of Giving

Children’s Pyjamas in Soft Sage

Children's Pyjamas in Green

Children's Pyjamas in Woodland Allover

🕯️ The Art of Designing a Feeling

Every season begins with something small — a spark of inspiration that lingers. A texture, a window display, a book waiting on the doorstep. That’s how I merge my love of interior design with storytelling: creating spaces that are both visual and emotional.

The lights became more than an accent — they became a heartbeat, echoing the warmth I wanted families to feel when they step into the studio.

That connection between art and atmosphere is what drives Little Joys.

It’s what transforms each session into an experience — a moment of calm, light, and belonging.

Working alongside artists like Bella Vita Flowers, whose creativity continually inspires mine, reminds me that beauty often begins in shared light — in a window’s glow, a conversation, or a spark passed between artists.

So this winter, I invite you to step into that light with me.

To slow down. To breathe in the quiet magic of the season.And to hold — if only for a moment — the warmth of time, preciously kept, like a picture.

👗 Wardrobe & Outfit Recommendations

The wardrobe for Winter Joy 2025 was chosen with the same intention as the sets themselves — soft, timeless, and tactile. Each piece was selected to harmonize with the environment, not compete with it, creating a feeling of calm and belonging in every frame.

For “A Storybook Morning”

Think cozy, nostalgic, and organic.

Earthy greens, cocoa browns, and cream tones photograph beautifully against the woodland palette.
Choose textures like ribbed cotton, flannel, or brushed linen.
Avoid bright reds or busy prints — subtlety keeps the images timeless.

For “Starlit Whispers”

This set calls for simplicity and serenity.

Choose whites, creams, or muted sage with minimal patterning.
Focus on movement-friendly pieces — knits, muslin, or jersey — that let light fall naturally on the fabric.
Bare feet or soft socks keep the images airy and connected.

Inspiration pieces: