Festive decorating trend: STEP INTO CHRISTMAS
From marbling to exotic birds, we’re throwing everything we’ve got at this year’s festivities..
Set the scene for a dazzling event with a customised feathered wreath.
Fraser fir wreath with candlelight LEDs, £89, Balsam Hill. Feathers, from £2.50 per pack; and glitter, from £1.50 for 20g, Hobbycraft.
Create a riot of pattern and texture in the hall with cascading iridescent decs and a fabulous peacock feather print.
Wall panels covered in Leopardo Cubana W6805/01 wallpaper, £82 per roll, Matthew Williamson at Osborne & Little. Hanging from the ceiling: iridescent honeycomb decorations and iridescent star decorations, both £10 for three, Talking Tables. Osby star lights, metal birds, ‘Joy’ knitted word, gold foam stars, balloons, 3-D star decorations, foil garland, tinsel and paper decoration, all as before. Star lamp, £19.99, very.co.uk. Paper star decorations, hanging on the knitted word, stylist’s own. Sequined wicker baskets, from £21 each, Rockett St George. Sparkly plimsolls, £25, Wild & Gorgeous. Fade rug in Navy Blue/Ink Blue, £1,265, Stepevi. Stairs, as before.
Don’t forget the pooch..
Dog tent, £250; and dog cushion, £60, Raj Tent Club. Gold foam star, on the tent, £1 for six; and star card, on Santa’s gift, £1.50 for five, Hobbycraft. Osby star lights, on the door, from £12.99 each, lights4fun.co.uk. Metal bird, £8, Rockett St George. ‘Joy’ knitted word, from £20, seventyseven84.co.uk. Marbleised balloons, £2.69 each, Pretty Little Party Shop. Paper decoration, £3, RE. Impressions rug, from £600, Plantation Rug Company.
Dress your tree with unusual shapes and eye-popping colour.
Crystal H ornament, £25, Tinker Tailor, exclusively at Harrods.
Sprinkle some star dust.
Star-filled ball, £2.99, Wyevale.
Dipping feathers in glitter is a sure-fire way to add more glitz.
9ft Fraser fir tree with candlelight LEDs, £879, Balsam Hill. Peacock topper, £49.95, Liberty. Baubles include, Blue star, £2.99; iridescent glass drop, £5.99; star-filled balls, as before; blue iridescent snowflakes, £2.99 each; glittered finials, £4.99 each; hummingbirds, £2.99 each; and glitter stars, £1.99 each, all Wyevale; Martini glass decoration, £19.95, Tinker Tailor, exclusively at Harrods; and Le Palle Presepe baubles (gold, with Nativity scene faces), from £15 each, Alessi. Games Room gift wrap, as before. Dots wrapping paper, £2 per roll, Hobbycraft. Floral and paisley wrapping paper, from £2.95; and satin ribbons, £1.95, Liberty. Giant cracker, £19.95, Rockett St George. Giant present wrapped in, and cracker made of, Delahaye PDG715/01 wallpaper, £59 per roll, Designers Guild. Paper decorations, from £3 each, RE. Glass fairy-light orbs, £22.99 for three, lights4fun.co.uk. Palms rug, £6,142.50, Florence Broadhurst for Knots Rugs. Balloons, feathers, festooning and gift tags, all as before. Walls painted in Plaster III pure flat emulsion, £42.50 for 2.5l, Paint & Paper Library.
To create a Christmas-in-the-tropics vibe, layer-up palm prints, leaf motifs and swathes of fluttering butterflies.
Let the butterflies flutter across the walls for a fun flash of colour.
Magnetic butterflies, £7.50 for 12, Pompom & Twiddle. Olive-tree branch (sprayed with gold paint), £6, Hobbycraft. Bird decorations, £10 each; and elephant decorations, £8 each; and leopard decorations, £12.50 each, in the branch, Raj Tent Club. Gold palm branch, £12, Rockett St George. Hand-painted baubles, approx £18 each, EatPrayPedal at Etsy. Bored Now tapestry, £700, Iain R Webb. Fontaine Butterfly day bed, £3,539; and cushions, from £79 each, Duresta for Matthew Williamson at Harrods. Partridge, £29.95, Liberty. Tree, tree decs, feathers, paper decs, wrapping papers, crackers, balloons, ribbons, rug and wall paint, all as before. Teddy bears, from £120 each, Steiff.
With a tree made entirely out of paper, up the luxe factor with marbled walls, exotic animals and lashings of gleaming gold.
Tree made of tasselled honeycomb decorations, £12.50 for three, Talking Tables; paper and honeycomb decorations, £3-£14 each; and fan decorations, £2 each, all RE. Butterflies, as before. Walls papered in Emerald Delahaye wallpaper, as before. Papier-mâché swan and papier-mâché crane, £68 each, Pompom & Twiddle. Glitterati party hat, on the swan, £7 for six, Talking Tables. Caracas dining table, £3,700; and Maxime dining chairs, £1,400 each, all Jonathan Adler. Palmeral dinner plates, teacups and saucers, Lirio canapé plates and cutlery, all as before. Dreambirds cake stand, £78; Dreambirds pitcher, £98; plumed-crest napkins, £28 for four; and monogram glasses, £14 each, all Anthropologie. Sculpture cake, price on request, Kia Utzon-Frank for KUFstudios. Stork candleholder, £25; and Stork tea-light holder, £29.50, M&S. Tea light, as before. Glass fairy-light orbs, £22.99 for three, lights4fun.co.uk. Lotus rug, from £305, Maria Starling. Flicker garlands, used as a blind on the window, £11 each, Talking Tables.
Let the party commence.
Wall papered in Delahaye PDG715/01 wallpaper, £59 per roll, Designers Guild. Leopard wall vase, £29.95, MiaFleur. Feathers, as before. Chin Chin banner, £10.50, Rockett St George. The Rockstar cocktail bar, £3,700, Buster + Punch. Butterflies, as before. Glass on Brass wine glass, martini glass and champagne coupe, £125 each, Lee Broom. Rose Gold and Gold Prosecco, from £26.99 each, Bottega at very.com. Gold glasses, £9 each, Debenhams. Ostrich serving bowl, £148, Jonathan Adler. Gold party straws, £4.50 for 24; Star trays, £37 each; and champagne bucket, £48, all Rockett St George. Wine bottles, stylist’s own.
Creature comforts add colour and shine.
Palmeral dinner plate, £40; and teacup and saucer, £55, House of Hackney. Lirio canapé plate, £8, Anthropologie. Brushed-gold cutlery, £16 for a set of four; and palm branch, as before, all Rockett St George. Feathers and butterflies, as before. Gold ant, £28.95 for two, MiaFleur. Christmas cracker, £50 for 12, Designers Guild. Tea lights, £16 for 40, RE. Round tea-light holder, £39.50, M&S.
Clash vibrant hues for a carnival of colour.
Honeycomb decorations, from £3 each, RE; Butterfly, £3.50 for six, Hobbycraft.
Take your cue from Santa’s travels and show off festive favourites from across the globe in a series of spectacular displays.
Palm tree floor light, £595, Rockett St George. Decorative birdcages, from £85 each, Orchid. Faux tropical birds, £11 for six, Talking Tables. Envelopes, from £1 for five; and glitter, as before, Hobbycraft. LED fairy lights, £16.99, lights4fun.co.uk. Bell Jar lamp, £49, Rockett St George. Butterfiles and tea lights, as before. Wall painted in Stiffkey Blue estate emulsion, £39.50 for 2.5l, Farrow & Ball.
Make it an avian-themed advent countdown.
Tropical bird, envelope, glitter, fairy lights, Palm tree floor light and birdcage, all as before.
Create a festive vignette with bell jars and baubles.
Seventies console table, £700, Circus Antiques. Bell Jar lamps, butterflies and tea lights, all as before. Krakow Christmas churches, from £70 each, Raj Tent Club. Baubles include, Sela Graham beads bauble, £7.95; sequin cluster bauble, £12.95; Tinsel Town bauble, £7.95; Gisela Graham jewel bauble, £9.95; and hot-air balloon decoration, £12.95, all Harrods. Peacock decoration, £125, Liberty. Party kids gem ring, £1 for 12; and feather, as before, Hobbycraft
Photography ⁄ Simon Bevan
Styling ⁄ Marianne Cotterill
