At his floral atelier and historic Easton home, Richard Savington celebrates Christmas with six generations of artistry, treasured heirlooms and a flair for the spectacular.
Written by Kristen Hampshire | Photography by Jill Jasuta
Christmas has always been something of a production in Richard Savington’s family.
For generations, the family floral business has transformed its garden centers into elaborate Christmas shops, where holiday shopping is as much about the atmosphere as the merchandise.
“We hit all the senses—sights, sounds, smells—so it’s an experience,” he says.
Today, Richard carries on that tradition at Savington & Hill Floral Co. in Easton, where Christmas arrives in a flourish of velvet, tartan ribbons, glittering ornaments and lush greenery.
“It’s a maximalist approach,” Richard says. “The mystique we create here at Savington & Hill is an English country aesthetic that’s generational and timeless.”
At Windsor House, the historic Easton home he shares with partner David Walker, the spectacle takes a more personal turn. Blown-glass ornaments passed down through generations shimmer on the branches of Christmas trees. Family portraits, heirloom silver and treasured collections mingle with festive greenery and flowers.
Richard grew up in one of the country’s largest family-owned floral businesses, known for carriage-trade floristry and spectacular holiday shops. Now, alongside his son Nicholas, he maintains that six-generation legacy on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
At Savington & Hill, Christmas takes shape shortly after Halloween. Displays gradually move from the back of the showroom toward the entrance, with sections concealed until the seasonal unveiling following Easton’s annual Waterfowl Festival.
And when the curtain comes up, subtlety is not on the guest list.
One vignette evokes a Ralph Lauren country house, dressed in burgundy, leather and tartan. Another scene pairs blue-and-white chinoiserie with gilded ornaments and porcelain vessels. Pheasant feathers, earthy greens and copper lend a sporting-country sensibility, while softer orange and colonial blue introduce a fresh palette this season.
Ornaments nestle deep within trees. Ribbons cascade through branches. Floral arrangements mingle with antiques and decorative objects, inviting a closer look.
But the experience extends beyond flowers and ornaments. Savington & Hill Mercantile, an old-fashioned general store within the showroom, features baskets suspended overhead and shelves stocked with specialty foods and locally sourced gifts.
Chocolates, popcorn, honey and other Delmarva Peninsula treats share space with curated gift crates that can be shipped.
“It’s an old-fashioned shopping experience that encourages customers to linger,” Richard says.
Richard and David purchased Windsor House in 2022, becoming only the third family to own the home since 1886. The historic property retains distinctive details, including custom fireplace tiles installed by the Windsor family, who operated a ceramics business in Salisbury.
Antiques, inherited silver, oil paintings and family collections fill the rooms. Richard jokingly attributes his tastes to another era. “I was raised out of a playbook written in the Victorian era,” he quips.
In the formal sitting room, a towering Christmas tree glows with blown-glass ornaments, some passed down through generations. Others were collected during Richard’s years in the floral business.
He hangs ornaments at varying depths rather than exclusively along the outer branches, allowing light to travel through the tree.
“When you walk past a tree with lights, it’s supposed to shimmer as if you are looking through ice,” he explains.
Near the breakfast room, a slender hunt-themed tree celebrates English country traditions with foxes and riding-inspired decorations. Tartan accents and a Santa wearing a Scottish kilt add whimsy.
The dining room is a holiday showpiece of its own. A red damask tablecloth anchors Christmas tree china, silver candelabras and a lush arrangement of flowers and evergreens. Clove-studded oranges add fragrance, while greenery and long red ribbons cascade from the chandelier. Blue Willow china and treasured serving pieces complete the table setting.
Even Sugar, the couple’s Pembroke Welsh corgi, is part of the holiday scene.
For all the grandeur, one of Richard’s most meaningful Christmas trees is also his most sentimental.
In the family room, colored lights illuminate ornaments gathered during travels, others made by the children in the family, and some collected over decades. It’s like a scrapbook of family memories.
The tradition began with Richard’s mother, who transformed the family home each Christmas. He continued it with his own children, eventually accumulating enough decorations to fill an entire section of the attic.
An appreciation for the past also shapes the decorating services offered through Savington & Hill. Rather than starting from scratch, Richard encourages clients to use cherished ornaments, favorite vases and treasured collections as the foundation for fresh arrangements.
“It lends a richness,” he says.
At Windsor House, Christmas is a celebration of generations, from the heirloom ornaments on the formal tree to the handmade keepsakes in the family room. And at Savington & Hill, those traditions continue through the floral business Richard now shares with his son.
“Christmas to me is supposed to be magical,” he says.
