Dec 15 The 12 Ways of Christmas

HOW TO ENHANCE YOUR DECOR WITH SEASONAL INSPIRATION THAT DOESN’T GO OVERBOARD

Stop! Don’t look upon Christmas as an excuse to have a tacky tinsel tornado chez vous, only to strip it bare come January. Hey, it’s far better to allow your choice of festive decor to ENHANCE your existing decor and provide a real feeling of seasonal adjustment, adding colour and drama where it’s needed most.
But just how do you add the required level of glamour without going overboard? Hmm. Well you follow our lead, that’s how! Yup, our festive guide is all you need to stop your home being turned into a total turkey!

COLIN AND JUSTIN’S FESTIVE TOP TIPS

Our best advice is to use colours that complement existing schemes; so your tree enhances your space rather than competes with it. It’s good to try and stick to two colours (like red and gold, blue and silver or white and green) because Christmas should be cohesive, tailored and tasteful. When decorating your tree, position baubles into the depth of the branches and not just on the outer edges—this will create a fatter and more complete look. And remember this vital order—lights on first, followed by garlands and then finally ornaments. This layering effect works best from a design point of view and makes dressing the tree a breeze. And don’t just think visuals—remember that olfactory titillation is important too! Think about scents as well as the aforementioned sights and use natural pomanders (try L’Occitaine or Jo Malone) or clove-studded oranges to bring a festive bouquet to your tree. Prepare mulled wine for your guests, roast chestnuts and burn aromatic pine logs in the fireplace. Christmas is all about building atmosphere so go to town with all these details. We always present our guests with personalized goody bags as they prepare to depart. You might even like to pop in a festive CD or perhaps some testers of your guests favourite scents. Add candy canes and foil-wrapped chocolate coins—and maybe even a lottery scratch card or two—and you’re done.

DRESS TO IMPRESS WITH YOUR TABLE

Using charger plates will add colour to your table and transform your food presentation to the max. And remember to work the colour scheme of your charger plates out across the rest of your table. Black chargers will add extra punch to a gold
dressed table (and vice versa) while cranberry red chargers will enliven a plain white scheme. Use inexpensive gift tags as place names for each of your guests. And why not attach a token gift as an additional surprise! Or try using massive glossy castor oil leaves as place cards and write guest names on each leaf using a gold pen. Candles are a must, which is great news because the shops are crammed with stunning candelabras at the moment. But don’t just plonk a candelabra down and hope for the best—build the drama! A tall candelabra looks fab but even better with lots of tiny tea lights clustered below. Or try storm lamps for a change of mood. Use metallic finishes on runners, napery or other things, as these will pick up on the glow created by a candle centrepiece to provide magical sparkle across the table. Centrepieces are a great way to add drama— try a jewel-toned glass bowl with floating candles and flower petals to bring a romantic touch or try placing several dwarf Poinsettias down the centre of the table—they look particularly good in shiny gold pots. But remember to keep sight lines in mind—make sure that your centrepiece is short enough to allow guests to see each other and chat comfortably. And finally, our mantra: “A day without Champagne is like a day without sunshine.” So position a chilled and labelled miniature bottle of Moet & Chandon as a celebratory welcome card for each adult guest. Instead of just one bottle popping at the table, you get one for each guest and that really is something to celebrate!

1. If your space is a bit cold and bland, add rich reds, natural elements and gold touches to seriously warm things up. If your starting point is a little on the dark and heavy side, lighten the space with sparkly finishes, cool silver and cream or white accessories. It’s all in the balance.
2. Transform a scented candle into a large style statement by placing it in a glass storm lamp to increase both table presence and light, but don’t just use any old candle—use the festive candle range from Pottery Barn for some extra ruggedness.
3. Don’t go overboard with too many garlands everywhere—remember it’s Christmas NOT camouflage time. As is often the case, less is more, so spend time and money on a well-dressed tree or some tasteful accessories that will enhance your existing decor rather than compete with it.
4. In addition to the tree, the fireplace is one of the main focal points; so make sure yours looks stunning with decorative garlands and candles. You could also decorate the mantelpiece with holly, white berries and rich red poinsettias or why not add some sexy sparkle with a polished nickel Reindeer stocking hook from Crate & Barrel.
5. If you don’t have a fireplace or mantelpiece to decorate, all is not lost. Simply create an alternative festive focal point. Try transforming a dresser, table or sideboard into a real festive eye-catcher. Swag with real or artificial greenery
   and bows, pile on baskets of fruit and nuts and decorate with sweets and candles and your favourite (but not ALL!) Chrissy cards.
6. For a quirky eye-catching display, simply peg cards onto a bunch of sturdy twigs placed in a large vase. Or decorate an artificial potted tree with jewel-coloured candy. Wrap a little wire round each sweetie twist and suspend from the
   branches. OK, so the candy won’t last long, but the tree can be reused from year to year.
7. Avoid splashing out on too many expressly Christmas items that can only be used once a year. Instead, fix foil snowflake stickers to your existing champagne flutes and side plates to add temporary sparkle without the expense.
8. Start outside—hang a festive wreath on your front door to give family and friends a warm welcome and, if your florist is making your wreath or garland, ask for all the off cuts and use them on the mantelpiece to tie your “in and out” looks together. Come on guys—we’re having a credit crunch so don’t waste a penny!
9. Gather cones and pile into baskets interspersed with a few that you’ve sprayed gold or silver. Or add a few pretty baubles to the mix. A great—and inexpensive—way to create a natural look with just a little added shimmer.
10. Scatter wrapped chocolate coins across your Christmas lunch table for delicious added sparkle. A great way to persuade the kids to behave on the promise of a coin after the meal.
11. Be style aware—add colours, shapes and mediums that tie in with your existing room. If Eames-style mid-century modern is your home choice then add decorations that share a similar feel.
12. Make sure your home is as safe as it is fun—too many electrical items plugged in can be a potential safety hazard so be careful. And remember: never leave unattended candles burning, and always switch off everything before you go to bed.