SIMPLY CHRISTMAS

TEXT MANDY ALLEN/BUREAUX STYLING SHELLEY STREET/ BUREAUX PHOTOGRAPHS WARREN HEATH/BUREAUX

A large, twiggy branch found on a forest walk has been appropriated as an eco-friendly, sculptural Christmas tree. Strung with twinkling rice lights and hand-carved bird figurines used as ornaments, the tree has an enigmatic fairy-tale quality to it. • Place a similar branch into a wooden basket and secure it in place using kindling or firewood to emphasise the natural woodland theme. • Arrange carved figurines in keeping with a theme – in this instance birds – on the various branches using simple butcher’s twine. • An abundance of battery-operated rice or fairy lights is always a good idea to emphasise the spirit of Christmas cheer and serve as whimsical ambient lighting at night. • Other decorative elements include simple pillar candles in a variety of widths and sizes, tea light candles in clear glass votives and gifts wrapped simply using white butcher’s paper, string and velvet ribbon in shades of vanilla and cocoa. • A tray is a classic way to display a moody decorative vignette, here containing a selection of gifts found in nature: various bird nests, twigs, a collection of beautiful egg shells and, for atmosphere, tea light candles.

“I find that big holidays and events make me a little anxious. So I like to break them up a bit over a couple of days and leave space for serendipity…” This is Cape Town-based Stephanie Wolhuter Inggs’ serene and sensible philosophy to surviving the silly season. No pressure, no expectations, no disappointment. “For instance, take Christmas. It can be a Christmas Eve dinner with a few friends and family, a large Christmas day brunch with family or just a simple Boxing day lunch with one or two friends… There’s no pressure for one day or one meal to be extra special. If the cake flops, I can always serve it the next day for breakfast with lots of yoghurt!” It’s an approach that is part temperament (friends and former colleagues will all attest to Stephanie’s composed nature) and part of the legacy of her professional past – one that required a balance of creativity and pragmatism during a career that spanned being clothing designer, fashion editor and stylist, as well as head fashion buyer and marketing manager for a leading local retailer.

The interiors in Stephanie’s beautiful heritage home is reflective of her fashion choices, which she describes as “plain and understated but with unexpected cuts or proportions”. It is filled to bursting with stylish ideas, personalised elements and reams of character. “My daughter, Alice, describes my house perfectly as being full of lots of nice stuff that’s being rearranged all the time,” she says with a laugh. There’s also the presence of Stephanie’s menagerie of “very important animals”. Animals, more specifically birds, are playing a leading role in Stephanie’s next creative phase; one that also involves writer/editor daughter Alice. Bird-Dog-Bokkie is her self-described “side hustle”: a creative project that’s “mainly just for fun”, encompassing her many passions, including styling, sourcing, antiques hunting, baking and sewing. “Alice embroiders these lovely, intricately detailed birds on linen that I bought from The Cloth Shop in London.”

As it turns out, Stephanie has a special affinity for our finefeathered friends and has made birds the central theme of her Christmas decor in the form of embroidered napkins and decorative cushions, hand-carved wooden figurines and ornaments, as well as printed place and gift cards. These have been set alongside simply wrapped gifts, found bird nests, a vintage tablecloth and beautiful vintage glassware filled with gold-tinged Sauternes, a sweet French wine that is the perfect accompaniment to Stephanie’s signature spiced pear-and-apricot cake. The colour palette has been kept warm and neutral – inspired by old-school tradition, winter woodlands and a rustic farmhouse aesthetic. As is her way, Stephanie has effortlessly woven together a fusion of homespun and sophisticated, timeless yet fresh. You might just say it’s a Christmas celebration that’s practically (im) perfect in every way.

stephanie@birddogbokkie.com •

Cosy and atmospheric, this inviting area of the living room illustrates that a largely monochromatic interior can be warm, engaging and characterful thanks to the inclusion of vintage, organic and rustic elements.• Floating shelves are a styling dream – here a nod is given to Christmas with the subtle inclusion of a white-painted twig wreath among the framed images. • One of Stephanie and Alice’s embroidered cushions takes pride of place on an armchair. Next to the chair on the rustic side table is an embroidery work in progress.

Stephanie Wolhuter Inggs preparing her Christmas table.

• Take a note from Stephanie and approach decorating your table with an editor’s eye: think about layering, texture and your colour palette. • The vintage tablecloth, though pretty, is in keeping with the timeless aesthetic and wholesome, muted colours. • Layering crockery is a tried-andtested stylist’s trick and results in a visually interesting table setting. • There is an appealing aesthetic tension between the matt finish of the handmade crockery and the polishedsilver flatware. • Christmas, even when it’s pared-down, demands a touch of sparkle. Tea light candles, votives, fairy lights and the glint coming off of vintage drinking glasses take over from traditional baubles and tinsel. • Treat each guest to a small take-home gift. Mark them with each person’s name to serve as place holders. • The table is anchored by a loosely composed centrepiece consisting of wild bird eggshells, nests and a tangle of foraged twigs and branches. • Hand-embroidered linen napkins with bird motifs convey the folksy aesthetic.

For some a wreath it is purely decorative, for others it is infused with rich meaning and symbolism. Either way, the wreath is synonymous with Christmas and is an essential element in seasonal decorating.• This wreath was made by hand using found twigs and fynbos (wild heath). • Craft your own rustic wreath from bendy twigs such as willow or weeping/ silver birch using secateurs to cut lengths, scissors for trimming and natural twine for binding into shape. • The figurines are in keeping with the decorative theme that references birds and nature. If you are introducing a theme to your Christmas decorating, create the element of surprise by placing objects and items that reference your chosen motif throughout your home, on the dinner table and even in unexpected places like the bathroom, porch or garden.