PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS Ensure every need is

Add sparkle to a rustic setting with mercury tealight holders, polished glassware and silver beaded place mats. Mercury small ribbed tealight holder, £6; Moreton glassware, from £26 for four tumblers, and all other items, The White Company

Preparing FOR CHRISTMAS

Anticipate everything needed to make Christmas the perfect occasion, with thoughtful additions to create lasting comfort and joy for each room

The festive season is a time when we can take great pleasure in enjoying our homes to the full, so this is the ideal moment to consider larger purchases that will not only make Christmas extra special, but also be life enhancing for the year ahead. Wellconsidered smaller touches can be just as valuable to refresh interiors and, along with traditional and new festive flourishes, they can enhance the customs of the season and everyday moments. Within each room, we consider the essential elements that will work wonders to help make this Christmas one that best celebrates the delights of home.

Dining Room

The dining room has a big part to play in the Christmas festivities and comfort is key. Comfortable dining chairs are essential – consider fabric-covered chairs or armchair-style designs or, to improve the comfort of wooden chairs, add sheepskin rugs for a contemporary look as well as softness.

To set a warm, inviting atmosphere, well-chosen lighting will have a desirable effect. The dining room is the perfect backdrop to evoke a sense of excitement with use of a showstopping lighting centrepiece such as an ornate chandelier, striking central pendant or simply plenty of candles dotted around.

To enhance the celebrations further, a fully stocked home bar heightens the party mood. Consider different options to create a suitable drinks storage and display area. A cabinet has a classic mood, whereas a drinks trolley or cocktail bar imparts a more contemporary aesthetic. It is also worth considering extras accessories, such as cocktail shakers and serving dishes for nibbles, to complete a stylish evening. From aperitifs to after-dinner drinks, make sure there are suitable glasses for all types of tipples so the toasts keep flowing.

ABOVE Ensure drinks and nibbles are served in stylish glassware for a sense of luxurious aplomb. Theatre champagne saucers, £80 for two; Theatre champagne flutes, £80 for two, and all other items, LSA International LEFT Enliven a dining room scheme with chairs in sumptuous, colourful velvets. Hampton low back armchair, £645 plus fabric and studding; Hampton low back chair, £525 plus fabric and studding; Brittany dining table, from £2,995, all I & JL Brown BELOW Match stylish Christmas crackers with eye-catching tonal place settings. Christian Tortu Riviera glossy gold leaf plate, £28 Rockett St George

Gather details to beautifully offset each special repast, including:

• A floral arrangement. Create a sublime, long-lasting table centrepiece for Christmas lunches and dinners, adding candles in varying tones to ring the changes for table settings at different times of day. • Foliage, fairy lights and tea lights, to dress the length of the table. Little gifts or Christmas confectionery provide a little extra magic hidden amongst the display. • Fully dressed place settings with details such as place cards, placemats in festive colours and co-ordinating linen and tableware. • Crackers. A traditional essential, these look particularly fetching when matched to the colours of the table decor. • Garlands and hanging decorations. To decorate the rest of the dining room, arrange garlands on a mantelpiece or sideboard and hang ribbons and miniature decorations from chandeliers and pendant lights.

Sitting Room

It is in the sitting room that we truly embrace the relaxation of Christmas time, gathering together to revel in the comfort of our warm and cosy retreat. Investing in a new sofa or armchair can transform this restful haven for the holidays and far beyond. It is also timely to consider if extra occasional seating and side tables are needed, and, as furniture is often moved around to accommodate the tree, it is worth taking time to experiment with arrangements. The process of reorganising furniture will also make it clear where extra lighting may be required.

Little can compare to a roaring fire on a frosty night, to draw everyone closer together and create welcoming scene. As a fireplace or wood-burning stove are likely to be used throughout winter and into spring, it may just the moment to replace a chimneypiece or fire grate, or install an efficient woodburner to keep the home fires burning. Remember, too, to have the chimney swept.

Whilst considering larger changes, a coat of paint can make the room feel completely different – whether simply refreshing the current colour or changing the mood completely with a striking new shade.

Small changes such as adding layers in luxuriously tactile textures to seating in the form of cushions and throws are a quick and easy way to enhance a sitting room. Simple decorative embellishments on soft furnishings can also enrich the overall scheme. Seek out patterned trims that can be easily added to curtains and cushions for a more tailored look and smart attention to detail.

RIGHT, ABOVE Occasional chairs can be fitted into little-used spaces and made comfortable with the addition of a side table for setting down a drink. Spencer Wing Chair, £4,140 plus 8m of fabric, Beaumont & Fletcher RIGHT Ensure lighting is perfect for a cosy spot by the fire, with a floor or table lamp, adding some atmospheric twinkle in the form of candlelight. Drax Desk Lamp, £137; Percy Pendant, £153, both Pooky

The main room for all the essential Christmas decor, a checklist includes:

• The Christmas tree and all its trimmings, which is the focal point of the room. It is lovely to buy a special new ornament together as a family to create new memories, alongside unwrapping decorations that evoke the nostalgia of Christmases past. • Mantelpiece garlands.

These can be refreshed with the addition of feathers, ribbons, twinkling miniature ornaments, cinnamon sticks, clove-studded oranges and dried apple slices. • An indoor wreath hung above a fireplace, perhaps pre-lit for added ambience, or used as a centrepiece on a coffee or dining table, with candles placed in the middle. • Stockings to hang from the mantelpiece. These may be cherished old favourites, a new family set or ones made on a special weekend set aside before Christmas. • Ornaments and candles grouped together on tables and sideboards to bring the

Christmas spirit to all areas of the room. Odd numbers and varying heights and widths of candles always look pleasing to the eye.

LEFT When moving furniture around to accommodate the tree, consider how to ensure each person can see everyone else and enjoy the festive scene. Accessories and interior design Katharine Pooley

Bedroom

Christmas is the time of year to recuperate, so there is no better moment to consider if beds and mattresses need replacing. The gift of a good night’s sleep would certainly be welcome at Christmas to start the year refreshed. Remember, too, to test the comfort of guest beds.

Sumptuous bedding also helps ensure a peaceful night’s slumber, along with ensuring that the bed is a cosy place to spend a relaxed Christmas morning opening presents together or retreat to at the end of a day of indulging in delicious food and party games. Consider a few choice additions in premium natural textures to create an enticing bedscape.

Lazy weekends are a time to linger a while longer in bed, and little luxuries remind us to make time to for ourselves throughout the year. A cosy hot-water bottle, items for breakfast in bed and an elegant dressing table area are inspiring prompts to unwind more often.

In children’s bedrooms, making a little effort goes a long way towards creating a mesmerising Christmas build up and memories for years to come. Temporary wall or window stickers are an easy way to add festive cheer to their rooms without going to too much trouble. To really keep the magic going beyond Christmas, make a fairytale hideaway with a bed canopy or indoor wigwam. Set the mood by reading magical Christmas bedtime stories with them in their special den.

ABOVE LEFT It is a timely month to buy a new bed ready for a restful Christmas break and improved sleep all year long. Bonaparte deepbuttoned bed in Claret Red, £6,897 for king size, And So To Bed LEFT Heighten the nostalgic excitement of Christmas with bedding and a stocking that match. Bedding set, from £45 (single); decorative cushion, £30; stocking, £15.50, all Home For Christmas collection, Sophie Allport OPPOSITE PAGE TOP LEFT Natural textures of cashmere and cotton create a blissful bed to climb into on chilly nights. Cashmere blanket, £415; Cashmere double duvet, £395; wool-filled pillows, from £75, all Ava Innes OPPOSITE PAGE TOP RIGHT Whatever the weather, make it a white Christmas that little ones will remember. Large Snowflakes window and/or wall stickers, £18 for a set of five, Nutmeg Studio

Add a few key elements to the bedroom to start Christmas Day the right way, including:

• Christmas bedding, which might seem frivolous, but – much like the joy of revisiting sentimental tree decorations – it will become a joyful sign of the festive period beginning for many years to come. • Personalised stockings for children will make waking up on Christmas morning extra special and might just provide others with an extra 40 winks. • Christmas-scented candles or diffusers are a low-key way to imbue bedrooms with a festive mood. • A mini tree or a simple branch with a few choice decorations hung on them, to instantly add a cheery atmosphere to bedside tables or bare corners. • Foliage with miniature fairy lights threaded through. For a decadent Christmas mood, hang on bedframes or drape along the top of a wardrobe or chest of drawers. 

ABOVE Breakfast in bed need not be kept just to Christmas time and this amusing tray with bespoke lettering will hopefully encourage better room service on weekends. Breakfast in bed tray, from £435, The Oak & Rope Company ABOVE RIGHT Reach the perfect temperature to easily fall into a deep slumber the night before Christmas. Cashmere hot water bottle cover, £135, Brora RIGHT A dressing table in a quiet corner with everything necessary close to hand at the beginning or end of the day is invaluable. Lantau Faux Shagreen and Gold dressing table, in Taupe, £1,850; Trois mirror, £450; Rander ceramic stool, £175; Grisewood lamp and shade, £195, all Oka

Lift the mood with festive touches to make one and all smile, including:

• Seasonally themed oven gloves, aprons and tea towels, to make food preparation a cheery affair. • Foraging for ivy, sprigs of holly, pine cones and nuts to dress beams, sideboards and oven mantels. • A cake stand piled high with mince pies or a glorious

Christmas cake. • Special cups and saucers to make tea time feel extra special. • A ribbon in a rich hue or rustic string garland adorned with miniature decorations.

LEFT When planning a new kitchen, it is worth considering if the design allows family and friends to congregate, whether for a lazy Sunday lunch or Christmas Eve cocktails. Somerton Kitchen in Baltic Green, from £15,000, Kitchen Makers by Burbidge; Henry pendant in Glass, from £70, Pooky BELOW LEFT Enliven the kitchen with colourful textiles. Christmas Robin double oven gloves, £21.95, Cherith Harrison BELOW Combining hand-poured wax with technology, these LED candles mimic the look of a real flickering flame. TruGlow candles, from £21.99 for four, Lights4Fun

Kitchen

A room at the heart of all the feasting preparations, the kitchen is never more industrious than at Christmastime. From children baking spiced gingerbread houses to multiple side dishes being created for the main event, everything needs to function beautifully, so this is an ideal time to consider how a dream kitchen design would work for all requirements.

Over the festive period, when the kitchen is at its busiest, everything is needed to hand, and suitable workspace and organisation is vital for preparing a large variety of meals with minimum fuss. As an alternative to redesigning the kitchen, invest in freestanding larders with clever multipurpose storage and islands on wheels which can provide an extra preparation surface or be moved out of the way if necessary.

In terms of presenting food at the table, decorative serveware that can be taken from oven to table will reduce the need to decant food into serving dishes and, therefore, the amount of clearing up to do.

Aside from preparations for main meals, it is worth considering the aspects that elevate seasonal pleasures, such as indulgent Christmas breakfasts and gathering the family together for mulled wine and carols on Christmas Eve. Little touches, including a themed tablecloth and special glasses to toast the occasion, will enrich each family tradition.

ABOVE LEFT A punch bowl of mulled wine sets a generous mood and fills the kitchen with a delicious aroma. Rum punch bowl and six glasses set, £150, LSA International, Amara FAR LEFT Paramount at Christmas are fully functioning and smart cooking appliances. Victoria Cream built-in pyrolytic oven from £879; hob from £349; chimney hood, £729, all Smeg LEFT A designated pantry area is not just helpful for food preparation but also for carrying out essential tasks and keeping main kitchen surfaces and functional areas clear. Old Rectory cabinet pantry kitchen, from £35,000, Guild Anderson

Hallway

The warmth of Christmas can instantly be felt in a cosy hallway. It sets anticipation alight for the rest of the house and evokes a familiar comfort. An inviting and relaxed mood begins with considering how to partner functionality with welcoming touches.

To prepare a hallway for the hustle and bustle of Christmas, new flooring makes a dramatic difference. If selecting stone or wood, the colour of the material can help ensure the room does not feel cold – opt for lighter wood tones or mottled stone to invest the room with a brighter surface underfoot. Layer with a large hard-wearing rug or juxtapose with a patterned wallpaper to add panache. Alternatively, a patterned carpet can be the ideal foil for walls in a dark or neutral hue.

Hallway storage comes into its own during winter, with heavy boots and wellies regularly being pulled on and off for long walks and foraging adventures. To save on space, practical bench storage can be used to house footwear, as well as providing a welcome seat and a place for other essentials, such as extra layers and warm blankets.

Smaller changes also help make the hallway ready for Christmas. Replacing worn-out doormats, reviving a tired-looking door with a fresh coat of paint or replacing a light fitting will give it a new lease of life. Make the most of a console table in the run-up to Christmas with a welcoming festive display.

TOP LEFT Add softness underfoot and to acoustics for a warm welcome. Tabasco striped carpet, £36.99 a square metre, Carpetright TOP RIGHT Decorative candles and lights amplify a hallway mirror. TruGlow LED candles, from £7.99, Lights4Fun ABOVE Frame the doorway into Christmas. Symons pre-lit garland, £95; glass hurricane jar, £85, The White Company BELOW Create an uplifting hallway scene. Pepperberry gift wrap, from £5; seasonal faux foliage, from £12, and all other items, Neptune

Create a seasonal welcome with a few well-chosen details, such as:

• Hanging wreaths indoors as well as out, to brighten hallway walls and to enjoy throughout the festive period. • A vessel filled with fresh or dried flowers. If dried, spray with metallic paint to create a more glamorous scene. • To really amplify the festive spirit, a small – or even full-size – tree dressed tree adorned with twinkling lights cannot fail to imbue the Christmas mood.

Add a few beautifully wrapped presents underneath for added anticipation. • A garland threaded up the stairs brings classic charm.

Adorn with small decorations or Christmas cards for added interest and character. • A display of foraged branches from the garden or treasured ornaments in front of a window is a lovely way to project the

Christmas mood outside.

LED candles or lights in contemporary Christmas shapes are ideal to add a soft glow into the evening. n