Ideal Home Complete Guide To Christmas 2020

After the rollercoaster 2020 has turned out to be, if there’s one thing I’ve learned this year, it’s to try to slow down and enjoy the small things, and that’s going to be my mantra this holiday season. I can’t wait to find comfort in our favourite traditions, and turn our home into a sanctuary for us to hide away in over the festive period. We may not be able to celebrate with friends and family in the same way we’ve done in previous years, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make loved ones feel extra special, near or far. We’ve gathered the best homemade gifts, decorating ideas and delicious recipes to help you add that all-important personal touch. Who knows what Covid-19 holds for us on December 25 2020,…

Shortly after Kate Hollingsworth had decided it was time to move to a home with a bigger garden, she was pleased to see a familiar property come onto the market. Five years earlier, after making an offer on a late-Victorian house in Hereford, she had lost out to another buyer. But here it was again, and this time it became hers to share with her sons, Billy and Jake. ‘I am pretty intrepid and tend to move every three to four years, but this is the biggest, boldest move I’ve made,’ she says. Old houses have a habit of throwing up surprises once work gets underway, and this was no exception. ‘When you buy a house, you have an idea of what you’re going to spend your money on, but things…

STYLE TIP Rotate your tablecloth, so rather than covering the whole surface, it acts as a wide runner across the centre Gjyri Helén Werp and her husband Sigmund Vegheim live with their three children in a house that was, in the 1800s, the home of a baker. Nowadays, though, it is affectionately known as ‘The gingerbread house’. In October 2000, when the property on Ormøya island in Oslo opened for viewings, dreadful weather ensured many potential buyers stayed home. But a mere rainstorm wasn’t enough to prevent Gjyri Helén and Sigmund from checking it out, and falling in love with it in the process. ‘When you know where you want to live, and you’re lucky enough to find your dream house, you have to be brave,’ says Gjyri Helén. ‘To buy this place,…

STYLE TIP With a neutral scheme, use different textures to create interest – mix finishes like glass, feather, ceramic and wood STYLE TIP Complement this luxe look by piling on lavish greenery. Build up a garland with flowers (real or faux) in rich tones STYLE TIP Bring warmth and elegance to the room with soft and antique golds, using shiny brass accents to add glam highlights STYLE TIP Create your own Insta-worthy tree with oversized statement baubles. Pop among plain decs so the fun shapes shine STYLE TIP Hang groupings of large decorations from varied lengths of string or ribbon to create a staggered display…

Hang an oversized wreath full of berries and dried fruit above the fireplace to add instant wow STYLE TIP Give a classic look a modern twist by swapping traditional red accents for orange STYLE TIP Christmas lunch deserves a fabulously dressed table, so go big with plenty of lush foliage and flickering candlelight Include dried festive fruit among your decorations to add colour and a delicious aromaAdding delicate fairy lights to a display will bring it to life and also give it an extrafestive touch STYLE TIP Change up a shelf display to reflect the holiday season with festive prints and paper decs FEATURE NICKY PHILIPS STYLING SARITA SHARMA PHOTOGRAPHS DOMINIC BLACKMORE; TI-MEDIACONTENT.COM…

When chosen well, houseplants can have a real festive edge. A windowsill might seem like the logical place for them but the temperature fluctuations there, especially with a radiator underneath, can make life hard for houseplants. Display them somewhere bright, with a steady temperature. A cool spot will also help to prolong flowering. Many houseplants originate in humid places, and the atmosphere in our homes can be too dry for them. Regular misting will help. It’s also possible to add moisture to the air by standing the pot on a tray of pebbles or clay granules, filled with tap water. POINSETTIA POISE Choose plants grown as locally as possible so they are kept in full light and don’t have to travel in dark lorries. Buy early – you’ll have a much better chance…