Better Homes and Gardens (Australia)
WINTER WONDERLAND
Editor Dora Papas shares her chic ideas for a cosy, warm and inviting Christmas
TIME TO REJOICE
Let the joy of Christmas spill into your home by creating a winter wonderland with the Bouclair Winter Memories collection from Spotlight.
TAP INTO GORGEOUS COLOURS
To start, pick a colour scheme and/or theme – here a medley of white, cream and ivory you can pair with warm metallics, like a golden Glitter Wire Deer (pictured). Arrange fresh or faux greenery everywhere from the mantelpiece to your napery, or feature it as swag for your staircase, using a casual loose drape for a modern edge. Pretty fairy lights and candle votives add to a mood that’s equally magical and memorable.
CREATE FABULOUS FESTIVE SCENES
Use every nook and cranny to create gorgeous yuletide moments. Think Aran-style knits, throws, cushions such as the Karter Off-white with its joyful plea to ‘Let it snow’ (pictured) and even stockings. Across side tables, sideboards and shelves, group decorations in chic vignettes, noting odd numbers of objects work best, as does a common shape or colour, or a theme such as Christmas trees. Leave space around the scenes to give them breathing room.
TRIM YOUR TREE WITH STYLE
Under your tree, disguise the base with a woven wicker skirt – far more stylish than an exposed stand. Then use pretty baskets to corral your gifts, festooned in wraps, ribbons, trims and tags to match your theme. Sit them near the tree, or inside the entry to warmly welcome your guests.
ELEVATE YOUR TABLE SETTING
For the table, less can be more – a plain white plate and a sprig of rosemary on a folded napkin with gold cutlery (pictured) make for a place setting as alluring as it is aromatic. Use gold accents for glam and add greenery for natural texture; it’s as easy as looping a garland around candles placed in glass votives or slipping single branches of foliage into jars. It’s a scene that sets the mood for the very merriest of Christmases. Enjoy!