The advent calendars are officially counting down and it’s time to get your home looking ready for the festive season. Whether you're a lover of maximalist decorations (if we can’t go big this year then when can we?) or your tastes tend more towards cosy, natural styling, we have ideas that will spark your inspiration. So put away those tired old baubles and tinsel and start planning a Christmas to remember…
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1Go large for impact
Broste Copenhagen
Create a focal point at a drinks party with an oversized yet understated twig and fir cone wreath. Layer your table in soft, earthy tones with linen, candles, bowls and coloured glasses –perfect for a pared-back celebration.
Add a personal touch with an advent calendar made of photographs and handwritten notes that are significant to your nearest and dearest. Display the 24 cards on a canvas frame. Number each photo on the reverse and arrange in a random order, decorating with string or ribbon and secured with a pin or peg.
3Candle display
Rowan and Wren
For a simple but striking centrepiece, use tapered candles. Arrange along the length of the table, with candle holders nestled among fragrant fir branches.
British beeswax candles, from £8 for a set of 4; ‘Bingley’ brass candlesticks, from £16 each, both Rowen & Wren
4Improvise if short of space
H&M Home
No room for a tree? Create a festive vignette by decorating a branch stood in a coloured vase. For an extra layer of magic, scatter baubles beneath it and add your favourite scented candles.
Baubles, from £1.99 each; candles, from £3.99 each, all H&M Home (hm.com/home)
5Use what you have
Lou Archell
You don’t need to buy new Christmas decorations every year. Dress the table with existing mismatched candlesticks, low vases, heirloom decorations and simple white table linen. For a cosy yet sophisticated yuletide touch, introduce candlesticks in different colours and display hand-picked dried flowers from your garden.
6Deck the mantlepiece
Oleander and Palm
Introduce long-lasting scent and colour by hanging fresh, fragrant eucalyptus (or a realistic faux option) across the mantelpiece. Add a beaded wooden garland for extra texture – Marquis Weaves at Etsy has options.
Get in the festive spirit by making your own wreath. For this loose and natural arrangement, use branches of fir and sprigs of ivy. You’ll need a willow frame, floral shears and twine. Begin from the top and work clockwise, adding foliage with twine, focusing on one area at a time.
If you’re going to have a Christmas tree, then make sure it’s the star attraction. Drip from head to toe with vintage lametta tinsel. You won’t need much else as the reflective foil will pretty much light up the space.
The atmospheric advent wreath originates from 19th-century Germany, when Pastor Johann Hinrich Wichern built one for children using an old cart wheel and candles, which he lit each day until Christmas.
Handmade paper-cut snowflakes, single fir branches, dove decorations and glass baubles make for a whimsical display hung above a dining table. Tie at varying levels with string or ribbon for full effect and remember the lowest ones need to be above head height so that guests don’t bang into them.
11The more the merrier
Rich Kenworthy
Create maximum impact by going all out with paper honeycomb decorations. Fill from floor to ceiling in unused alcoves, within a window frame or suspend from each corner of a fireplace – the possibilities are endless!
‘All White Paper Decorations’, from £1.25 each; ‘Paper Fans’, from £2.50 each, all RE
12Create a warm welcome
Annie Sloan
A large, dramatic wreath on your front door will give your home a suitably grand entrance. Choose from our edit of the best luxury Christmas wreaths that are guaranteed to make guests smile. Just remember to spray with water every now and again to ensure the wreath stays fresh.
13Pay attention to the small details
Rambling Renovators
An effective yet easy way to inject a festive touch in a hallway is to wrap green foliage around a bannister with highlights of copper leaves. Complete with a simple, loose silk bow.
14Invest in future heirlooms
Rowan and Wren
Often simplicity is the best way forward when it comes to Christmas decorating, so go for clear glass baubles such as these icicles, handcrafted in Liverpool. Hang on a tree for a touch of frost-like elegance that can be enjoyed for years to come.
‘Eliah’ recycled glass icicles, £12 for three, Rowen & Wren
15Remember loved ones
Hector Sanchez
Create a tree of memories using treasured photographs of family and friends. Especially poignant for remembering lost loved ones, or those who can’t be with you this year.
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