8 Top Tips For A Festive Finish This Christmas

Set the scene for a tranquil Christmas this year with a welcoming rustic theme. Choose a pared back palette full of natural tones and tactile textures then introduce seasonal patterns, metallic highlights and verdant foliage for contrast. Take the time to create an inviting mood all around the home with plenty of cosy touches, tempting treats and twinkling candlelight. Get creative and try a few simple festive projects that will transform your space, making it even more special for the coming season. Here we give you hints and tips to help you do just that…

1. Make sure you’re prepared for the festivities by planning ahead. Organise greetings cards and presents well before time and make sure you keep a stash of wrapping supplies to hand for last minute gifts. Pot up your tree in advance to allow the branches to settle properly and use baskets to gather together your chosen baubles, lights and garlands for easy decorating.

2. Create a personalised advent calendar using numbered miniature jam jars and decorative treasures that you’ve gathered throughout the year – small shells, pine cones, tickets and photographs will all work wonderfully for this and can also be used as tree decorations once opened. 

3. Make festive dinners less formal but just as enticing by opting for a relaxed, natural theme. Here, simple patterned linens, subtle decorations, a mix of candleholders and festive greenery all sit perfectly alongside rustic wooden furniture to create a laid back ambience your guests will love.

4. Add thoughtful finishing touches to your table setting to make it extra special, such as miniature basket of sweets, decadent crackers, a gift wrapped present on each plate or tiny baubles to trim the napkins. Plenty of flickering candlelight will set the mood, while enhancing the festive theme. 

5. This welcoming scene combines timeless Christmas favourites like a roaring log fire, cosy soft furnishings and shimmering details in a subtle palette of warm naturals. A real tree takes centre stage dressed with a stylish mix of baubles and stacks of beautifully wrapped gifts underneath.

6. Look out for unusual decorations to trim your tree. We gathered together beautiful glass spheres filled with glitter and scrolls, folded origami-style paper designs and crackled metallic baubles alongside marbled finishes in dazzling peacock blue and natural frosted pinecones.

7. Revel in all the beautiful festive stationery available at this time of year, choosing quirky, individual greetings cards to send to your friends and family. Get creative with patterned tapes, seasonal stamps, glittery trimmings and ribbons to ensure you wrap the prettiest presents under the tree.

8. Why not try making a few of your own Christmas decorations this year? These garlands add the perfect festive flourish and are so easy to make – fix decorative shapes punched from newsprint to lengths of thread or tie twine with fabric offcuts in natural and icy blue hues. Then just add in a few lengths of twinkly lights for a simple yet magical scheme.

WHERE TO FIND THE BITS AND BOBS YOU NEED FOR A FESTIVE FINISH
Broste Copenhagen (brostecopenhagen.com)
Cox & Cox (0844 8580744, coxandcox.co.uk)
Nkuku (01803 866847, nkuku.com)
Papermash (0797 0945477, papermash.co.uk)
Plum & Ashby (020 8988 5222, plumandashby.co.uk)
Rastall & Daughters (07967 344057, rastallanddaughters.com)
Rockett St George (01444 253391, rockettstgeorge.co.uk)
Rowen & Wren (01932 847538, rowenandwren.co.uk)
Sophie Conran (0843 2271460, sophieconran.com)
Tori Murphy (0115 9608472, torimurphy.com)

For more interior inspiration, click here or pick up a copy of the magazine.