Make your decorating a celebration of rebirth and hope with an abundance of greenery
Consider these Christmas decorating ideas to create simple yet sophisticated decor
If you’re looking for a Christmas setting of greens and whites, that imbues the simple beauty of nature, this rustic home will inspire.
Light, bright and just waiting to be filled with celebratory toasts and plenty of laughter, this simple Christmas scheme includes vintage furnishings in an eclectic mix of styles, a seductively simple table setting – and lots and lots of fine-leaved greenery. The crisp whites add a note of purity and peace, the furniture is all about warmth and nostalgia, and the plethora of greenery provides a feeling of harmony, freshness and growth.
The key to making this scene feel festive and abundant is to add greenery everywhere. Hang wreaths from the chairs and walls; arrange branches of evergreens on the tabletop and pile into glass vases and vintage tubs. More is more, with romance provided by glowing candles and a touch of whimsical charm courtesy of the vintage silver cutlery.
Dressing the table with chunky wine glasses and simple white crockery makes for an easygoing, laidback feel.
Add a festive glow with Christmas candles and fairy lights
An essential on every Christmas table: candles. There’s nothing like the gleam of candlelight for creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere, even if your festive feast is scheduled to take place at lunchtime.
Position a pack of votives here and there among the greenery on your table – ensuring that the flames won’t catch on any dry twigs – then simply light and enjoy. Complement the candles with a strand of fairy lights, which add an extra dimension of appealing sparkle to a greenery-clad tabletop. Battery-operated options are widely available and work best in this setting.
Tealights feel a little tired at the moment, with classic, plain white votive candles more on-trend.
Set the table with hints of unexpected whimsy
At the table, offset the glimmer and gleam of the glassware and cutlery with handwoven napkins in organic cotton or linen.
Secure each napkin with a twist of hemp twine, then tuck in a few leafy or flowered sprigs to extend the all-natural feel of the styling.
Swap out the floral sprig for one of the herbs used in the meal, such as rosemary, sage or bay leaves.
Amaze your family and friends with your rustic gift-wrapping
Restrained gift wrapping that combines plain sheets of newsprint with pastel green ribbon adds a further dimension of white and green to the overall look.
Keep it rustic and use ribbon generously, fastening with bold, oversized bows – this aesthetic is all about abundance and ease, so there’s no need for excessive neatness.
Don’t forget to tuck a few sprigs of greenery into the ribbon for extra textural appeal.
Try an alternative tree in wire, wood, and some greenery
An abstracted wooden or wire “tree” is an excellent festive decoration solution: an alternative Christmas tree is easy to store away when not in use, and you can easily ring the changes annually to create a fresh look for each new festive season.
For this fresh yet subtle Christmas scheme, entwine strands of greenery around the wooden tree branches and discreetly fasten in place as needed. Layer greenery with strands of plain white fairy lights to create a warm glow that’s also reminiscent of touches of snow when the lights are not turned on.
Add your favourite decorations to your alternative Christmas tree to make it unique to you.
Add long-lasting blooms to your wreaths for a hint of colour
While this Christmas scheme is all about pared-back ease, using subtly coloured blooms, seed sprays and a variety of dried or fresh leaves in your wreaths can work beautifully for this aesthetic too.
Attach sprigs of flowers and leaves to your gifts to extend the floral theme further. Single sprays of dried seed heads (hang them up using natural raffia strands) create a delightfully ethereal atmosphere. Like wreaths, they can be used throughout the house as subtle visual punctuation – or be suspended from the Christmas tree.
Choose subtle colour tones – such as these pale pinks and creamy whites – when selecting flowers, and use multiple leaf shapes to add yet more visual interest.
Don’t forget the sugar cookies
No Christmas is complete without plenty of sweet treats. To create a similar rustic look, simply make up a batch of your family’s favourite cookies and adorn each one with edible flowers and leaves – lavender is great for a scented touch.
Place tempting platefuls of homemade sugar biscuits around your celebration space for any time snacking.
Bring the festive spirit into each bedroom on Christmas morning
For guests and family members alike, get Christmas Day off to just the right start with a tray of tempting treats and a warming spiced infusion.
Hang an evergreen or paper wreath or two in everyone’s bedroom to extend the Christmas decor throughout the house and add to the festive feel. Layer the beds with textured linen and pure cotton blankets for a luxe, natural feel. Serve a spiced infusion or tea in a classic carafe and matching glass set on a simple wooden tray.
Layer the beds with textured linen and pure cotton blankets for a luxe, natural feel.
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