Decorating your home for Christmas

I follow an interior design and wanted to share with you some of her great ideas and simple ways to update the home for Christmas.

It can be a good chance to spring clean the house, put the pillows and duvets on the line for a day, wash your decorative cushions, wipe skirting and picture frames with a small amount of warm water and eucalyptus oil drops; this leaves a beautiful fresh, festive scent. I love this idea!

It can also be a good time to look at plantings and flowers and replant and pot plants to scatter around the house. Herbs are especially good mixed in and rosemary is a wonderful fly detterent. I didn't realise this.

A space can change so much with a pop of colour and different textures. It can be great to change cushion covers and replace woollen throws with lighter cotton and linen ones.

3 key styling trends for the season ahead.

1. The use of rich strong green and jewel colour tones. This works beautifully with amber, yellows and lighter woods. Either in larger furniture pieces or just highlight pieces throughout the home. 
2. Still very strong, is the use of plants. Terracotta pots with dark green leaves. Bring the outside in. Feng Shui prescribes dead leaves should be removed and dead plants replaced to generate good and healthy energy in the home. If you're a believer of Feng Shui or not apparently, subconsciously we notice these things and may not understand exactly why but understand when everything is fresh and blooming.
3. Texture! Whether it be woven baskets filled with fruit, plants or towels in the bathrooms or different textured cushions on sofas or beds. It makes the home palette more tactile and layered. The rawness of the texture against more modern pieces can work wonderfully. Its a trend that is less organic and homespun.

I also loved this idea for Christmas lunch/nibbles. Laying the food straight onto the table without plates or boards but just some baking paper underneath. You can pile all the vegetables and crackers in piles down the table. Dips in small bowls and it feels unfussy and the perfect summer Christmas entertaining. 

Have fun, be safe and enjoy. Merry Christmas from all of us at Neeki Designs