Christmas in London - Matilda Goad's tree will make you feel very festive

You'd be forgiven for thinking Christmas in London might be a muted affair this year.  But product designer and Livingetc favourite Matilda Goad (opens in new tab) is aiming to prove you wrong, with her first ever outdoor installation outside Television Centre, the former home of the BBC.

Not only is the tree twelve metres tall, its decorations are inspired by the most festive thing in the world - Quality Street wrappers. 

Brightly coloured metallics pair with joyful oversized letters that spell out words chosen by children from a local school. It's the ultimate in Christmas decoration inspiration.

Commissioned by Stanhope, Mitsui Fudosan and AIMCo, ‘The JOY Tree,’ is Matilda Goad’s first major outdoor Christmas installation.  “This was a really exciting and fun project for me," Matilda says. "With it having been such a strange and challenging year for many, my design vision was to create a Christmas tree with purpose which would offer a beacon of hope for 2021. It was especially important that the words within the tree came from the future voices of the generations.”

What we're taking from it - apart from a feeling of pure festivity - is that bows are in this year. It makes sense -  2020 has been characterised by a layered approach to decorating, with extra patterns, flounces and frills seen throughout a maximalist take on modern interior design.

Also that traditional colours can be swerved in favour of brights, bolds and brilliant shades - think pink, purple, blue and a sense of joyful abandon.

Matilda's tree is lit now, and can be seen outside the Television Centre in White City, West London. Proof that Christmas in London is definitely happening.