Styling Your Home For Christmas

 

For most households, decorating the house for Christmas is a fiercely protected practice enshrined in certain traditions. Some families religiously wait until December 1st, some insist on a real pine tree decorated in classic red and gold, while others insist on decorating against the backdrop of ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ while clutching mugs of marshmallow-topped-hot-chocolate. 

We love these kinds of traditions and long may they serve you and your family! We’re popping in here simply to offer a few styling tips if you fancy a re-jig of your Christmas decor. Let’s get to it!

1. Embrace Nature

A tree is a must-have - whether you go real or artificial is up to you! Beyond the tree, we love bringing in elements of the outdoors throughout the home. Dress sideboards, mantelpieces, stairway bannisters and dining tables with seasonal foliage; mix robust greenery such as pine branches, eucalyptus, ferns, ivy, and holly, and dot in beautiful winter florals such as Poinsettia, Azalea, Clematis, and the suitably named Christmas Rose.

To take it to the next level, layer through dried orange slices, bundles of cinnamon sticks, seasonal berries, pinecones, chestnuts, ruby red pomegranates, fragrant rosemary and finish with a flourish of fairy lights and a scattering of festive baubles.

We also love using greenery and large sculptural branches in vases, planters, baskets and jars around the home. Layer up as many natural elements and lights as you wish or go for a more minimal approach, letting the simple beauty of the greenery do the talking.

2. Repetition

It’s a key element in interior design and it’s key in beautiful styling too! Basically, try to repeat elements of your festive styling throughout your home for a cohesive look. Stick with a consistent colour palette - whether that’s classic red, green and gold or more contemporary frosty whites, silvers and blues - and feature it in slightly different ways in different rooms and spaces. 

A few other tips include: use lights liberally - fairy lights or LED lights are a must - but consider candles, lanterns, and festive candle holders too. Lighting creates so much warmth and cosiness and is integral in creating that magical Christmas feel. Similarly, use lots of one thing - whether that’s bunches of pine or eucalyptus, or a plethora of baubles, more is more! A few puny eucalyptus stems in one vase, or a handful of baubles in a glass jar isn’t going to cut it. For maximum impact, layer up your foliage and fill jars and dishes with a multitude of baubles!

Finally, consider groupings of objects throughout your rooms - this is especially effective with odd numbers. So group three vases together, hang five large bows down your staircase, string up three large paper stars in your window. The repetition and the grouping of odd numbers creates a very striking and considered vignette.

3. Soft Furnishings

Whether your aesthetic is ‘restrained-scandi-style’ or you’re more ‘decadent-opulence’, the key to both looks is mixing textures! Start with your Christmas tree - hang a mixture of matte, shiny, and glittered ornaments with delicate glass and beautifully patinated baubles.

On your sofa, have a mix of cosy woollen and embroidered linen cushions sitting against a sumptuous fur throw. Fill a large glass jar with pinecones and shiny gold metallic baubles. Dress your rustic wooden sideboard with swathes of verdant greenery interspersed with glowing lights, shiny red holly berries and delicate rose posies. 

Texture creates depth and intrigue and will make your space layered and interesting!

4. Consider Textures

Christmas is all about warmth and cosiness, so including soft furnishings in your festive decor is a must!

Swapping out your usual cushions and throws for fabulously festive ones will add instant cheer, colour, and charm to your home. Again, choose a consistent colour scheme for your home and carry it through onto your sofas and chairs - mix up reds, greens, creams and whites, or opt for a cooler look with Scandi-inspired whites, greys, blues, and silvers. For those bitter nights, have a basketful of throws for family and friends to snuggle under while watching a Christmas movie! Again, layer up cushions and throws - one or two scant cushions will miss the mark here.

5. Make Your Own

While you might shy away from DIY in the home most of the year, Christmas is the perfect time to try your hand at a few home-spun decorative elements. Adorn your tree with homemade gingerbread decorations or try a simple frosted Christmas cookie recipe! Slice up large oranges, dry them out and dot them throughout your mantle piece garland. Alternatively, stud a selection of small and large oranges with fragrant cloves, dry them out and place in a ribbon-tied bowl next to the sofa for a fragrant hit for visiting guests.

For an unusual touch, consider swapping out your normal Christmas wrapping paper with some beautiful wallpaper for that extra touch of luxury and finally, try your hand at wreath making! A wreath on the front door is such a wonderful festive welcome to guests over the Christmas season.

6. Entice The Senses

Perhaps the simplest thing to do when considering your Christmas decor is to remember the five senses and how you can dress and utilise your home to appeal to those five senses! Here are some ideas:

SIGHT - Make use of the magic of fairy lights, use a cohesive colour scheme, layer up textures and create beautiful vignettes on sideboards, console tables, shelves and windows to create a feast for the eyes!

HEARING - Christmas music drifting throughout the house is a must! Get your family’s favourite Christmas movies playing, listen to the crackle of a log-burning fire, sit and enjoy the soft flicker of glowing candles, and dip your hand back into the tin and hear that satisfying rustle of chocolate wrappers!

SMELL - Fill your rooms with scented candles or diffuse some suitably festive oils. Use fresh greenery and a real Christmas tree for that citrusy pine aroma. Adorn garlands and wreaths with fresh spices and herbs such as cinnamon and rosemary alongside fragrant clove studded oranges. Finally, get some spiced mince pies warming in the oven for guests!

TOUCH - It’s all about the texture! As we’ve noted above, ensure you have a mix of textures throughout your home - matte, glossy, glass, metallic, patinated, mirrored, wool, linen, fur, cotton, wood, greenery, florals, and so on. Texture is tactile and invites people to touch and really enjoy the decor that you’ve put a lot of time and effort into!

TASTE - Christmas is the season for merriment and indulgence. Treat your family and friends to the tastes of the season - mulled drinks, mince pies and brandy cream, darkly rich Christmas cake, decadent chocolates, and of course the big event….the Christmas dinner!

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We trust you find these tips helpful and we hope that you enjoy the wonderful tradition of getting your home ready for Christmas.

We have launched our Christmas shop! It’s a curated collection of thoughtful Christmas decorations to add beauty, charm and luxe festivity to your home. Check it out via the Shop tab.