How to decorate your home for Christmas

Between prepping the pudding and navigating the party circuit, the list of yuletide do’s can suddenly feel, well, undoable. From trimming the tree to setting the dining table, ensuring your home is merry, bright and chic can feel almost overwhelming.

We asked industry insiders for their ideas for decking your halls in style.

The home

“I love to play with scale and height,” says colour and paint expert Annie Sloan. “It keeps the eye moving throughout a room and makes the most of vertical and horizontal spaces.”

A vast and glorious Christmas tree ticks this box, but other festive elements and how they are placed are key to creating visual impact.

“Place presents and candles around the room at different levels, not just on the floor or tables,” says Sloan. “Maybe a bar stool with a gilded wreath, or baubles hanging from the ceiling. There are so many possibilities.”

A clever use of colour also has the power to transform a room, draw the eye, and excite the senses.

“With your Christmas colour scheme, make sure the brightest colours are spread out,” says Sloan.

Designer Kelly Searl from Pony Rider, takes a simple approach to her Christmas styling, and agrees that uniformity throughout is essential.

“I prefer a pared-back but consistent approach,” she says. “I like to cluster various-sized white candles together, and tie in my wrapping, which might be left-over textiles and jute or vintage comic book pages with herringbone ribbon. Anything is the go, so long as the theming is strong.”

For Brian Sweeney from Perrotts Florist, nothing says Christmas like flowers.

“As always, they make a house feel like home, and at Christmas they inject warmth and a true feeling of festivity,” he says.

The table

“I love going to town on the table,” says interior designer Lisa Burdus. “I use beautiful plates, glassware and silver, as well as lots of candles and fairy lights down the middle of the table amid lush foliage.”

Interior stylist Jason Grant agrees, and says the Australian summer and nature are always his inspiration.

“It’s about creating a setting that reflects your style,” he says. “For me it’s the ocean, bush and beach, so I like a muted palette of natural tones with greens and blue. I never worry about everything on the table matching – I take a more organic approach. It’s about using all those special pieces.”

Designer Nina Maya agrees, and says her approach blends a strong colour theme and traditional decor, for a warm, yet sumptuous, vibe.

“My floral installation is always complemented by candles, statement crockery, beautiful napkins, place cards, bonbons and little treats.”

The tree

For Maya, the Christmas tree is a serious affair.

“Coming from a European background, my father puts a lot of effort in,” she says. “He hand sculpts a new tree each year out of several trees to ensure each layer has perfectly symmetrical branches to support 24 wax candles and hundreds of crystal glass and porcelain decorations. Some have been in the family for over 100 years.”

Searl also loves the nostalgia that comes with Christmas, and says it should start with the tree.

“The Christmas tree is a family ritual,” she says. “It brings with it a sense of occasion as ornaments are rediscovered along with all those precious memories. It’s such a special time.”

When it comes to choosing a tree, Searl likes to keep it real.

“It’s important to keep it close to nature,” she says. “I like a tree in a pot that is still growing. Its shape, whether it is small, tall, big or bushy, should be determined by the space it will take up. Too large a tree in a small room looks strange, so I always think in thirds and leave the last third between the ceiling and the very tip of the tree.”

Ensure the tree’s backdrop is clean and there is ample space for the family to gather beneath it.

“Your tree should also have access to natural light and be easy to water,” she says.

When trimming the tree, keep it personal and devise your own theme.

“Decorate with objects that mean something to you,” Searl says. “It could even be feathers or bunting you have made.”

Sloan suggests gathering the family together and customising your decorations.

“It’s a therapeutic exercise and one you can do with all ages,” she says. “I love DIY this time of year because you can re-use old decorations or secondhand ones, and minimise waste and environmental impact.”