Although Christmas 2020 was spent apart from families for many, the nation is hopeful of spending some quality time with friends and loved ones this year; whether entertaining guests to a sumptuous Christmas feast or sipping a tipple or two in our very own winter wonderlands...
Did you know... decorating our homes during wintertime dates back to a Pagan tradition - a symbol of life, amid the dark, cold nights?
That symbolism has been even more pertinent this year, so that’s why we’ve rounded up our top Christmas showhome styling tips, looking at how you can impress your friends and family - keeping your home cosy and trendy throughout December.
1. TABLESCAPE YOUR SPREAD FOR A SHOW-STOPPING FESTIVE FEAST
We’ve worked with a range of interior styling influencers on our developments across the UK to get our showhomes feeling festive in time for December.
We invited Laura (@houseproject_36) to our Wintringham development in St Neots - where she curated an impressive table-scape. Laura shopped for festive props and décor before visiting our Stonely showhome on the development, where she used a metal table-clamp frame and some foliage to create this amazing focal point.
Sticking to a natural theme, Laura complimented the foliage with eucalyptus on the table, which juxtaposes nicely with the sophisticated gold cutlery and dinner set. You should pick a colour theme and work your way from there; adding table runners, a fancy garland or even a wreath with a candle placed inside, before adding finishing touches, to achieve a similar effect.
Watch Laura's Instagram Reel to see how how she achieved the look.
2. CAREFULLY CONSIDER YOUR COLOUR SCHEME
From the colour scheme of your table setting, why not make this flow through to your wider decorations throughout your house.
Christmas 2021 is set to be a celebratory affair, especially after the past few years. Expect that to be replicated in the trend for colour schemes this year. When shopping around for baubles, a growing trend is more burnished colours, with shades of green, reds and berry tones becoming increasingly popular. It’s a safe bet for the less adventurous among us too, as it doesn’t detract too much from more traditional Christmas colours.
3. A SPRIG OF SPRUCE THROUGHOUT THE HOME
The trend for houseplants is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon, and there’s no reason why it should be any different at Christmas - especially for those who love a bit of greenery in our homes.
Looking back to why we decorate our homes in the first place, we’re seeing a growing trend of natural colours when it comes to decking the halls - away from silvery and golden tones of recent years - as people are becoming more appreciative of nature and their surroundings.
Incorporating boughs of holly on your mantelpiece, up staircases or along sideboards is a cost effective way to create impact, combined with offcuts of pine or fir branches, which will also imbue a festive scent in the home.
And no Christmas display would be complete without a beautiful wreath! Hung on the door or used as a centre piece at the table with a candle in the middle, it's a great way to cosy up any space.
4. LOOK CLOSER TO HOME FOR SOME RUSTIC AND HOMEMADE DECS
Whether you’ve got little ones at home or not, creating your own DIY decorations in the lead up to the big day can be great fun. Because reducing, reusing and recycling should be for life and not just for Christmas, you can also take a more sustainable approach when it comes to your Christmas decs.
With some twine or florist wire, you can combine gathered branches and pine cones to create your own minimalist wreath. And if you’re a bit more creative and comfortable with DIY, you can layer up birch branches or logs to create a Scandi-vibe wooden tree.
Interior designers, Felicity at Haus Interiors and Eileen Kessen at Envision, shared their own no-no’s when it comes to Christmas décor...
Felicity: “I think that it is important to be expressive when it comes to Christmas decor. Holding yourself back on the decorations is certainly not in the spirit of this Christmas. One way you can ensure that you keep your decorations looking classy and sophisticated is by carefully balancing your polished metallics and not overdoing them.
“Sticking to an even mix of matte, brushed and polished accessories is an effective and easy way of ensuring you end up with something that looks balanced and elegant. Trends change and adapt each year, and it is important to not only go with the flow, but also look forward and bring new ideas to the table each year.”
Eileen: “Trees should be heavy with decorations. To avoid overkill, focus on certain areas of the home to decorate, and leave others in their natural state, accentuating key focal points like your tree, fireplace, stairs and table centrepiece. The rooms where you’ll celebrate Christmas are where you’ll get maximum visibility, so it’s more effective to focus on these pockets when it comes to styling.”
No home at Christmas would be complete without being a cosy and comfortable haven... you don’t want to be celebrating the big day in an igloo! Check out our recent blog on keeping your home warm over Christmas without compromising on sustainability - where our Group Sustainability Analyst, Ryan Menezies, shares his advice and insights on greener living this winter.
Hopefully this blog has given you some inspiration for creating your very own winter wonderland at home this year. Tag us @calahomes on Instagram as we’d love to see your creations...
