Deck the halls
Give your traditional Christmas décor a fresh twist, as Interiors gives advice on how best to use Christmas greenery
Potted red orchid £30/£47, rose arrangement £35/£54 both Grey Rose by Jane Packer for Debenhams, www.debenhams.com
Many of the evergreens and plants used to decorate Christmas homes are old favourites – ivy, mistletoe and spruce have bedecked halls, fireplaces and doorways for centuries. These days we supplement old favourites with colourful berries and bouquets. Choosing Christmas flowers and plants is an oasis of pleasure amongst the seasonal bustle and stress: This week, Interiors presents a festive guide to cracking Christmas blooms.
Beautiful bouquets and arrangements
Think bold for floral decorations this year. Although Christmas colours remain fairly constant (red or white, glossy green foliage), this year you have license to play with more exotic shades: Black, purple or shades of chocolate sit well alongside the traditional tones. Christmas plants in modern colours make a great centrepiece – a glass tank-vase with five huge white amaryllis, or a ceramic pot of dusky plum-coloured poinsettia.
Christmas topiary, £35, www.marksandpsencer.com
Monotone bouquets and single-flower arrangements (all-white lilies, chrysanthemums and mistletoe, or a huge hand-tied bunch of scarlet roses) make a striking centrepiece. For a more contemporary look, choose striking black, white and red orchids, or well-manicured miniature evergreens.
Table decorations
Traditional table displays should be given a modern twist. Beeswax candles arranged in oriental oblong ceramic trays, adorned with hops, ivy or winter jasmine, set off a contemporary table very well. If space is tight (as it usually is for Christmas dinner!), think small and simple: single white and green chrysanthemum blooms floating in small glass bowls, or individual shot glasses each with a sprig of winter berries, are neat solutions.
Cranberry wreath, £9.50 www.marksandpsencer.com
Wreaths and decorations
Christmas wreaths are increasingly popular. As with flowers, the trend this year is for bold statement, and a hint of luxury. Simple designs are often the most striking: red Christmas roses or berries, glossy green ivy or fluffy moss are very effective. Peacock feathers and glass baubles are also creeping into the shops this year. Check out local suppliers and florists for hand-made natural wreaths, which always look beautiful.
Snowberry glass arrangement, £15, Jane Packer for Debenhams www.debenhams.com
Finally, what Christmas would be complete without mistletoe? This parasitic evergreen, which used to adorn England’s apple trees, is a traditional fertility symbol. With the gradual demise of Britain’s orchards, UK mistletoe is now an endangered species (don’t pick it wild!) and most of what we use each year hails from Brittany and Normandy. Check the source of any mistletoe you buy (or grow your own for next year: www.mistletoe.org.uk ). Hang it in one large bunch, anywhere that your intended is likely to stand still. Good luck!
