25 Beautiful Homes December 2017

What colour is your Christmas scheme going to be this year? Red, gold, silver, white or multicoloured? Looking back on my childhood, I realise that ours was usually red with gold. My mother also used fresh foliage throughout the house, but the ribbons and candles that were added as embellishments were in those traditional hues. Now, my festive theme swings back and forth between white, silver and glass, and red, with the tree setting the look along with seasonal flowers. I must admit, I don’t decorate the entire house but I do hang wreaths where there is space, making a new one every year to ring the changes. I also use baubles to bring sparkle to hidden corners and scented candles to create a welcoming feel for friends and family.…

1 LIGHT FANTASTIC Elegant gold chain chandelier, £895, Rockett St George 2 DINE IN STYLE Twelve-piece gold spot dinner set, £24.99, Studio 3 PRESENT AND CORRECT Faux-fur stocking, £50, Helen Moore 4 GOLDEN GLOW Parlband candelabra, £12, Ikea 5 TAKE IT AS RED Velvet cushion sham, £49, Lexington 6 TOP TABLES Content by Terence Conran Accents round side tables, £309 for set of three, John Lewis 7 FEATHERED FRIEND Icarus mirror, £225, Oka 8 GO FOR GOLD Talitha cabinet, £2,500, Jonathan Adler 9 TOP-NOTCH POT Pineapple storage pot, £36, Oliver Bonas…

1 HIT KNIT Poppy standard lamp, £950, Melanie Porter 2 ON REFLECTION Pom-pom mirrors, £105 for set of three, Raj Tent Club 3 SQUARE UP Alanya kelim-pattern floor cushion, £240, Oka 4 SITTING COLOURFULLY Midhurst sofa in Anthropology Watermelon, £1,930, Sofas & Stuff 5 BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL Folklore round embroidered cushion, £25, John Lewis 6 CRACKING IDEA Dinner cracker kraft with trees, £7 for pack of six, Sainsbury’s 7 FUN AND FUNKY Dishes, £24.95 for two, Wild & Wolf 8 BAGS OF STYLE Pom-pom basket, £35, Olli Ella 9 SCANDI VIBE Folkloric throw, £65, Indigo & Rose…

Looking back on the five years that Collette Vernon and her husband Cliff have lived in the wing of a manor house in Surrey, they can’t quite believe how much it’s changed. ‘Our first Christmas here was a rather chilly affair,’ recalls Collette. ‘It took a while to get used to the large fireplaces and cranky heating, but now it’s welcoming, warm and filled with decorative antiques and festive touches.’ The couple, who live here with their three children, Sonny, 11, and twins Seb and Beau, eight, fell for this property as soon as they turned into its gravelled drive and saw the imposing house surrounded by beautiful gardens. ‘I had a huge smile on my face,’ says Collette, and its history attracted them even more. The property has Georgian roots,…

When daylight wanes on Christmas Eve, a magical, festive air descends upon Nicky and David Keen’s cosy Derbyshire cottage, as the thoughtful couple go the extra mile to make special memories with their three young sons. ‘I had such lovely Christmases as a child that I try hard to replicate what my parents did to ensure our boys have a fabulous time every year, too,’ says Nicky. After attending the carol service at their local church, the Keens head home. It’s then time for George, 11, Ollie, eight, and Ellis, four, to put on their new festive pyjamas, and snuggle up in front of the fire with a mug of hot chocolate and marshmallows, while Nicky reads The Night Before Christmas. Back in 2003, the couple put a vast amount of work…

1 LIGHT FANTASTIC Elegant gold chain chandelier, £895, Rockett St George 2 DINE IN STYLE Twelve-piece gold spot dinner set, £24.99, Studio 3 PRESENT AND CORRECT Faux-fur stocking, £50, Helen Moore 4 GOLDEN GLOW Parlband candelabra, £12, Ikea 5 TAKE IT AS RED Velvet cushion sham, £49, Lexington 6 TOP TABLES Content by Terence Conran Accents round side tables, £309 for set of three, John Lewis 7 FEATHERED FRIEND Icarus mirror, £225, Oka 8 GO FOR GOLD Talitha cabinet, £2,500, Jonathan Adler 9 TOP-NOTCH POT Pineapple storage pot, £36, Oliver Bonas…