If you’ve chosen to host this Christmas, whether it’s Christmas dinner, Boxing Day lunch or overnight guests for the duration of the holiday, this week's Style Note offers top tips for creating a home from home festive welcome for friends and family, that won't compromise your style.
Deck the halls
Give the gift of a generous warm-hearted welcome with a decorated doorstep that draws visitors in. From a hanging wreath in the porch to atmospheric outdoor lighting, create a look that’s magical and inviting. Elevate your wreath with a flamboyant bow of luxurious ribbon in a colour that introduces your interior scheme and keep the hallway low lit and cocooning for that essential warm hug when it’s cold outside. Also take time to declutter the coat pegs so there’s room for new additions and, if muddy walks are on the cards, add spare wellies to the bootrack for city cousins.
Comfort and joy
Do a quick head count and accept that if you are catering for a crowd, the emergency seating will be deployed at some point during the Christmas feasting. Bench seating is perfect around a long dining table and you can easily supplement kitchen stools or that desk chair from the study with some additional support. Sheepskin cushions and rugs are perfect for this as they lend luxurious texture and a sociable apres ski vibe, while their natural tones sit sympathetically with any colour scheme. Getting the room temperature just right for everyone in winter can be a challenge, so provide additional extra layers of throws and cushions and seal doors with an elegant draught excluder.
O Christmas tree
When considering the best living room layout ideas for Christmas entertaining, start with where to put the Christmas tree. As the main festive focus, choose a commanding spot (bay windows are perfect, if you are lucky enough to have them) and work around it to arrange the room. If you are hosting a crowd, try to preserve as much seating as possible or consider introducing alternatives like floor cushions and beanbags. Children and teens are often content sprawling on a super deep pile rug. It's also a nice idea to set aside a cosy reading nook somewhere else in the house – a comfortable armchair, and small table with a lamp should suffice to provide a place to escape when social batteries are running low. A low coffee table or ottoman set with a tricky jigsaw can be an activity that unites all ages too.
The night before Christmas
Don’t limit Christmas decorating to downstairs. Signal the way to the guest bedroom by adding a mini wreath to the door or above the headboard and embellish door handles with a simple bauble or a luxurious ribbon bow. Bring the best bedlinen out if you want to impress and if the spare room doubles as an office, use a screen to conceal the desk and add atmosphere with Christmas lights. Make sure there is hanging space for party dresses with a hook rack and stack the bed with oversized throws for extra cosiness. Extra Christmas lights are great on dark landings through the night to help guide guests around an unfamiliar home.
Eat, drink and be merry
A sociable kitchen will encourage everyone to get involved with meal prep on the big day. Comfy stools around the kitchen island will promote lingering and those extra hands will soon make light work of peeling sprouts or folding the napkins for Christmas lunch. Offer your friends the independence of an easy to access drinks area – while a drinks trolley certainly has panache, it could be just the corner of the worktop set up with trays and glassware next to the wine rack or bring in a console table to act as a makeshift bar. This will cut down on the amount of waiting on you need to do and make everyone feel like part of the family!