Homes&Interiors Festive flair at home
feature in hallway, or on a kitchen island. They’re not delicate, they’re almost like picking up a piece of marble. We’ve sent them all over the world to the top designers.” For a more permanent festive look, Holly suggests hanging Fornasetti wallpaper to create a stunning feature wall, which will be enjoyed not only at Christmas but every day of the year. Choose a design with deep red and green tones, and perhaps accents of gold. One of Holly’s favourites is the Chiavi
Interior designer Holly Johnson, from the Holly Johnson Antiques Showroom in Knutsford, offers some of her tried-and-tested tips for how to have a very vintage Christmas
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here are lots of creative ways to incorporate vintage Christmas decorations into your home with simple touches, like fresh greenery, sparkly ornaments, and special decorations and accessories. One simple way Holly Johnson accomplishes an effortless, old-world Christmas look is with some festive candles, Holly’s Knutsford showroom cushions and throw blankets, giving your home a warm feel. She also suggests using greens, golds and reds throughout the home. If you love Christmas candles, some of Holly’s favourites are from the Rory Dobner collection. This includes beautifully scented, lidded candles in ceramic containers which are hand-decorated with Rory’s intricate ink illustrations. The individually illustrated candle lids are decorated with 22-carat gold on the top of the lid and the rim of the candle container. Once you have used the candle, the container can be reused to hold sugar, trinkets, tea or coffee or as an ornament. This Alice In Wonderland candle (pictured) would add a lovely vintage touch to any Christmas table.
A touch of glass
A beautiful glass vase is the perfect accessory to make your Christmas decor feel special. Holly suggests placing a Murano vase in your home for an extra festive feeling. Holly says: “Murano vases are great for decoration and they change in the light – in the morning they will appear differently than at night. Sometimes they can become the main
Fornasetti’s Chiavi Segrete
Segrete (pictured), which combines two influential Fornasetti motifs: mystical, dense leaves concealing golden, antique keys. This design has a magical quality, drawing the eye through and around the leaves to discover the secret keys within. Muted shades give way to natural tones of spring undergrowth, with seasonal
“The stunning wallpaper uses a unique carouselstyle structure found at Kensington Palace” Chamber Angels
twists of autumnal leaves and wintry greys. Another stunning wallpaper is Chamber Angels (pictured), using the unique carouselstyle structure found on the ceiling of the Presence Chamber in the King’s State Apartments at Kensington Palace.
Rory Dobner’s Alice candle
For more information about some of these vintage items, please visit www.hollyjohnsonantiques.com or visit Holly’s showroom at St Anns House, 1 Old Market Place (off King Street), Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6PD
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