Now is the time to plan your Christmas interior refresh.
Whether you are a cool Yule minimalist or a winter wonderland maximalist, you can make your home look more welcoming for the festive season — and, maybe the year beyond — by following our guide.
Fast festive
John Lewis says that there will be four key Christmas styles this year: Winter Fairy Tale, a traditional red and gold aesthetic; Polar Planet, a more restrained Scandi look; Rainbow Time Capsule which evokes childhood memories of Santa Claus and stockings hung by the chimney, and Beyond, a celebration of Christmas in the technological age.
But whichever of these categories matches your preferences, the easiest and cheapest way to bring cheer is to put glass baubles into glass bowls on shelves and mantelpieces, placing candles in between for extra impact.
Problem solver: The 8ft Ultimate Lights pre-lit tree from Cox & Cox boasts 5,400 bulbs for £895 (coxandcox.co.uk)
LED candles which flicker realistically are the safety-first option. Prices at Light4fun start from about £11 to £125 (lights4fun.co.uk).
Sue Jones, creative director of OKA, the furniture and furnishings retailer, says that its faux garlands and wreaths are hugely popular.
She says: ‘They provide the look of the real deal, without mess or maintenance — and they can be brought out every year looking just as fresh.’
Jones adds: ‘My simple Christmas tip is to adorn cupboard tops, staircases and garlands with plain white fairy lights. It gives each room a little sparkle.’
The rise of the pre-lit Christmas tree will raise eyebrows, but detangling strings of lights can spark tensions.
Also these trees are now so natural-looking that even purists may not suspect. B&Q’s Cabrera pre-lit tree costs from £75 for the 4ft version to £350 for the 7.5ft size (diy.com).
If you wish to splash out, the 8ft Ultimate Lights pre-lit tree from Cox & Cox boasts 5,400 bulbs for £895 (coxandcox.co.uk).
Whichever you choose, the £30 fir tree scent diffuser from The White Company will provide the authentic Norwegian spruce smell (thewhitecompany.com).
The softening of opinion towards the faux means that more people are opting for snow-covered pre-lit trees.
The Marks & Spencer version is equipped with ‘memory branch technology’ meaning that the branches automatically arrange themselves in natural fashion when unpacked. Prices range from £69-£199 (marksandspencer.com).
Go natural
If faux is not your thing, embrace nature. Butter Wakefield, the award-winning garden designer, whose flower and foliage decorations can be seen on her Instagram account, says: ‘I am a fan of bringing greenery into the home.
But this does not mean solitary sprigs of holly placed on pictures and mirrors. It is all about filling bowls, jugs and vases with, say, viburnum from your garden, ivy with berries that you have foraged, or eucalyptus from the florist.’
Wakefield also believes that you should spread the joy of the season as widely as possible: ‘I’m a fan of fairy lights outside your home to lift spirits of people passing by on dark evenings. I will switch on mine on December 1.’
Not just for Christmas
The return of the larger family gathering after the Covid era is driving a mini-makeover boom, with households making longer-term changes.
‘People want lots of style, but also functionality, so they’re buying occasional chairs and side tables’, says Andrew Tanner, head of design at Habitat.
Tanner forecasts that the hip private members’ club look, a combination of rich colour and luxurious ease, with a hint of the 1970s, is set to be one of the key trends of 2024.
The £210 Habitat Evie armchair in navy and the £120 Jericho side table embody this mix (habitat.co.uk).
Even storage is becoming fancier. Georgia Metcalfe, of French Bedroom, says that customers who want to stash the clutter before the arrival of guests are opting for the company’s £1,999 Gustavian armoire, a homage to late 18th century neoclassicism (frenchbedroom.co.uk).
If relations are coming to stay, a more substantial makeover may be necessary.
There should still be time to order sofas and sofa beds. Barker & Stonehouse says that many of its pieces are available in time for Christmas, including its Ullswater button-back four-seater Chesterfield sofa (£1,439, barker andstonehouse.co.uk).
This more formal type of sofa is back in fashion, at Habitat, a three-seater Chesterfield sofa is £675.
If your table is cramped, consider an upgrade. The £1,299 Dunelm Denali table seats eight and comes with the matching Carter bent wood chairs at £329 for two (dunelm.com).
It is an investment this year and in the Christmases Yet To Come.
