What better way to dress your home for the festive season than with a series of earthly treasures, tactile textures and golden light?
Decorating with dried flowers, leaves and pods is a trend that’s become all the more relevant in a world so conscious about consumerism. And the festive season is the perfect time to explore the notion of making pretty with dried discoveries from nature, while creating a sense of warmth and visual wonder with their striking, sculptural forms.
NATURE’S BOUNTY
The beauty of creating tablescapes and vignettes with dried grasses, flowers or ferns is that the sepia-like tones set the scene for a soothing and somewhat dreamy palette. Ferns that were once green and lush, take on new visual life – their fronds bringing a sculptural element to any arrangement.
• Take a tip from the Japanese masters of Ikebana by carefully choosing a few sculptural elements as a focal point on a mantelpiece of tabletop. Play with height and scale to create drama and visual interest.
• Faded pewter and the palest metallic elements can elevate any dried botanicals display into a festive scene, while a dose of happy homeliness arrives in with a simple and utterly charming candle.
BOTANICAL JOY
The lightest dusting of copper paint on the dried ferns and a simple bauble or two brings this pared down arrangement into the Christmas context. It’s a subtle nod to one of the most wonderful times of the year.
• Dried pods are central to this look that straddles the concept of minimalism while creating maximum visual impact.
Christmas is often a time of reflection and celebration of what brings us joy.
EVERLASTING LOVE
Traditionalists may say that your Christmas decorations must be down by early January, but with a wreath wound from dried leaves and flowers, the tidings of joy can extend way past the festivities – keeping that feeling of goodwill going well into the new year.
• Wind boughs of fresh eucalyptus into a wreath and enjoy the gorgeous scent that fills your home as the leaves dry and curl. Dried proteas included in this simplest of wreaths adds another beautiful visual dimension.
• Bling things up for your New Year drinks party by winding some copper string fairy lights around your wreath.
BACK TO NATURE
The natural tones of worn timber are the perfect canvas for a table fit for a feast where nature and its bounties take the lead. Layers of delightfully imperfect tableware along with the simplest untrimmed linens add to the unfettered-by-tradition festive feel while the warmth of the simplest pillar candles and tealights enhances the table’s sense of serenity.
• Christmas is a time of reflection and celebration of what brings us joy – and the prolific use of candles elevates the tabletop décor into the perfect setting for a get together to remember.
• Vintage elements like the cutlery and timeworn chairs bring a sense of gravitas and simple grandeur to this table set for a feast.
• Textures reign supreme in this beautiful botanical – from the tactile linens to the dried grasses, pods and flowers with their varied leaves and shapes – offset by the utilitarian group of simple glass bottles used as candle holders.
DECORATIVE DETAILS
While the centrepiece of this organic display plays host to many elements (from wonky tableware to glass bottle ‘candlesticks’ and a plethora of preserved and dried natural elements), the ambience is absolutely soothing and easy-on-the-eye.
• The use of so many raw elements helps paint a cohesive picture that is innately calming and utterly inviting.
• The beauty of this look is that the closer you look, the more is revealed. Layers of patterns (from speckles on the plates to details on the vintage silverware and natural timber elements), textures (unhemmed linen napkins, string and dried pods and plants) and of course a series of natural, washed-out tones fit together in a painterly palette of peacefulness.
HEARTH AND HOME
For most, Christmas and the festive season is a time of ritual and reflection. Candles lit en masse can turn the simplest scenarios into meaningful moments and montages, inviting friends and family to gather around and enjoy the warmth and inviting atmosphere.
• White pillar candles in a series of sizes are the simplest addition to this fireplace surround yet they bring such a sense of ceremony to the space.
• Fill trays with candles and display them in areas of your home that could do with some festive love – a windowsill, small table, or of course a mantelpiece will all benefit from the glow a group of lit candles can bring.
For most, Christmas and the festive season is a time of ritual and reflection.
EARTHLY TREASURES
Gift giving is such an integral and fun part of the festive season, just because this look is all about paring things down, there’s no reason for presents to not be given the same on-trend treatment.
• Simple white tissue paper brings home the down-to-earth mood, while lovely touches like twine, twigs and dried sprigs are delightfully unpretentious (yet no less stylish).
• A little bit of glam never goes amiss – in this case, seed pods given a once over with a quick coat of gold spray paint.
FESTIVE FLAIR
What would Christmas be without some baubles on the tree? An easy DIY where unassuming white baubles are dipped in a washed-out paint mixture helps ensure the merry mood is clear to see.
MAKE A NEST
This tabletop wreath is so simple yet so charming – embracing the dried botanical trend in an unpretentious and perfectly appealing (and achievable) way.
• Transform any shallow wooden bowl into your moveable Christmas décor feast – line with a series of candles in varying shapes and sizes and finish off with a mix of dried plants and pods in varying shapes and sizes.
COMFORT AND JOY
One of the joys of this festive time of the year is the opportunity to kick back, relax and really connect with your nearest and dearest – which is why it’s so valuable to create an inviting and comfortable spot for guests.
• Layers of tactile textures are crucial to crafting that delightful feeling of hygge in any home – here, a warm and inviting faux fur throw is exactly right for post-Christmas lounging.
One of the joys of this festive time of the year is the opportunity to kick back, relax and really connect with your nearest and dearest.
