Category Archives: Christmas

One of the most important elements of Christmas interiors is the dining table. Whether yours is set in its own room or within the hustle and bustle of the kitchen, here are some ideas for the tabletop and surrounding area:

1. Light

Candles are the staple of your Christmas table setting. Mix different sizes – pillar candles and tealights in holders spotted down the table.

Add fairy lights down the centre of the table – they will look magical as they surround the candles.

Enhance the atmosphere by dimming the main lights and use an assortment of hurricane lanterns scattered around the room to bring the look together perfectly.

2. Festive flourishes

Scatter small baubles down the table and mix with fresh greenery for an elegant look.

It’s all about balance – mix things up but not so much that it becomes messy!

3. Soft furnishings

The use of texture softens the table – a simple linen table cloth is the perfect backdrop teamed with co-ordinating napkins.

Add chunky wool throws and velvet cushions to sofas and chairs to make the entire room cosy, soft and snug.

And importantly… don’t forget the food will form part of the display – make sure there is room for the dinner you’ve been slaving over all day!

From everyone at Concept Designs – Interior Solutions we wish you a beautiful, memorable and relaxing Christmas.

Gillian x

We all want our homes to look magical at Christmas, from our front door and hallway all the way to our heavy-laden Christmas table. Bring your home to life this Christmas by adding a green touch to your festive display.

1. Flowers bring rooms to life all year long – not only though their visual beauty but also through their scent. Decorate your home with the traditional Christmas flowers – poinsettia.
Place in old urns from antique markets or bunch 3 together in a large pot and position on the floor in your hallway for an instant Christmas hit every time you walk through the door.

2. Pick fresh greenery from woodlands and hedgerows – it is a great festive activity that children will enjoy and will add an authentic touch to your home.
You can use some of the foliage to create unique decorations. Add the foliage to a cluster of baubles and hang on the back of chairs or door knobs.

3. A mantle draped with a long trail of ivy is quite breathtaking. Intertwining around a staircase’s spindles also creates a dramatic effect. Add more volume and texture by blending real and faux ivy together.

Finish by weaving strands of fairy lights through the ivy so that their twinkling bulbs are visible between the leaves. If you have time, velvet bows add an interesting twist.

And remember… decorations are there to make us smile – so play with them and think outside the box. Do something that your parents would never have dreamed of!

Gillian x

With only 5 weeks left to go until Christmas, there’s no need to get your tinsel in a tangle over the festive decorations for your Christmas tree this year. Instead take a look at our advice and inspiration from our home interior experts.

Top 3 Tips

1. Always put the lights on first – it is best to turn them on as this helps with positioning. Choose a soft white light so they do not distract from the decorations.

2. Wrap presents in paper and bows to compliment your tree. These small touches add real finesse and will separate your tree from the crowd.

3. Sit back with a glass of mulled wine and admire your work!

Decorating your Christmas Tree

The first step is to choose a theme for your tree and stick to it. Make sure that your look is in keeping with the character of your home – especially the room that it is going to go in. Once you have a theme in mind, you can start the preparation!

Santa Clause Style

Use St Nicholas’s traditional style of red, white and gold to provide a rich and full look of interesting ornaments. Top with a beautiful star, angel or for fun a Santa hat!

White Christmas

Decorate with paper doves, frosted pine cones and white snowflake ornaments. Add to this frosted, glass and silver baubles with a silver star on top to suggest a recent snowfall.

We Three Kings

For a regal theme mix purple with gold and sapphire. Baubles decorated with gems and jewels complete the look. Top with a golden star.

Woodland Tree

This is especially suitable for families with young children. Use owl, deer and bear decorations teamed with pine cones and bronze ornaments, raffia and natural ribbon. Set in a tree trunk and add a fairy on top to look over the animals!

Multi Colour Tree in Stripes

Choose 4 colours and hang in colour blocks. Divide into quarters and only use one colour per quarter. For example, silver for the top quarter followed by pink and aqua and finish with gold on the bottom. Top with a large bow of silver, pink, aqua and gold ribbon.

The Black and White Tree

For a strong contemporary look use only black and white decorations – in my opinion, more white than black is most effective. Add snowflakes, white bobbles of different textured finishes and black and white bows. Finish by wrapping the presents under the tree in black and white paper. Bows to compliment.

A Real or Fake Christmas Tree… It’s your choice.

Your tree is your canvas, so take time to select a good one. Gorgeous ornaments can only do so much for a scraggy tree! Try and pick a well shaped tree that’s as symmetrical as possible. Position in a low traffic spot(!) away from heat sources.

Need help with decorating your Christmas tree? We are always here to help