Deck the Halls: Christmas decorating takes on a more lasting look at Interiosity

It seems no sooner have the witches and warlocks of Halloween put away their spells for another year, than Santa’s little helpers are encouraging us to deck our halls, our sitting rooms and just about anywhere that will host a swag of tinsel and a musical dancing reindeer.

But with Christmas decorating now starting in early November, creating a look with lasting appeal in the lead up to December 25, and which will survive until the twelve days of Christmas have expired, means taking a considered approach.

This involves thinking about your lifestyle and how this is reflected in the way you style your home in general, then looking at how Christmas decorations can fit into this, rather than sitting on top.

This year, there are three particularly standout and rather lovely looks: Scandi Ski; peacock colours; and a dining table treatment that can work at any time of year, when celebrating.

Caroline Breen, co-owner of the delectable home interiors shop, Interiosity, in Cork’s St Patrick’s Woollen Mills, has brought these looks together in decorating ideas to work throughout the home in general and for some of the specifics — like tree decorating and dining table settings.

Scandi Ski probably gets top billing this year as an approach that takes the popular natural look a step further and links it in with the new trend for hygge — the Danish way of cosy winter living.

Caroline explains: “The key component in Scandi Ski is snowy trees with pine cones. It’s all about bringing in winter and anticipating Christmas with a look that can stretch through the winter season. Think of it as a softening up, warming up look for the home.”

To help provide inspiration, Caroline and her team have constructed vignettes around the shop to illustrate the look, with twig trees painted white, candles encased in tree bark, and glass baubles containing figurines of skiers and skaters which hark back to 1950s comic book characters, and which offer the option of suspending them from tree branches or placed in a cluster on a hall console or on a tray, perched on the coffee table.

But it’s also a look that cites soft, cosy comfort, if not luxury. “Game of Thrones has been a big influence with their snow scenes,” Caroline adds, “and they’re big into furs.

At Interiosity, it is, of course, faux fur in their throws and blankets that give them an ultra luxury feel, and where they’re also fashioned into tree skirts which give soft texture to the twig tree look.

The notion of bringing tree branches in from the outdoors and painting them white was a new trend last year, but such is the increase in its popularity, that branches are getting their own decorating treatment this year.

“There are no leaves or pine cones with this look,” says Caroline. “It’s more contemporary for a house with cleaner and not so earthy lines. Decorations are sparse, but adding in peacock blue works really well and gives it a sophisticated look.”

So, too, do metallic baubles with a slightly tarnished finish, and mirrored decorations which have a foxed look (where the mirror surface develops brown mottling) and hanging, silky birds, feathered in blue. It’s definitely a case of less is more, with each decoration a different size, shape and texture, finished with tiny white lights edging the tree branches.

But one of the most important aspects of Christmas decorating is the dinner table. Even though it will last just a matter of hours — if there is one time of year when you go all out — this is it.

The traditional table look is typically comprised of wares and linens that can only be used at Christmas. Red and green are the main colours, but for something a little lighter, Caroline’s approach uses red table mats on an unclothed table, topped with white crockery and introducing some festive gold in candlesticks. It still maintains the traditional approach but with a lightness of touch.

For a celebratory table that adapts to work all year round, Caroline advocates a neutral base. “Let the table top be seen and use neutral table mats,” she says. “Crockery should be neutral too, but the centrepiece should be strong on colour,” she concludes.