Also this month
PHOTOGRAPHS MATTHEW MONFREDI; DAVID LOFTUS
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’m sure I’m not alone when, as December appears on the horizon every year, I ask the question: ‘Just where did the last 12 months go?’ And while I do usually then think back to the previous Christmas, this year it seems even more important to reflect. Because for many of us, last year’s festivities were rather less than festive. We may not yet be back to life as we once knew it, but there is a feeling that this holiday season will be more recognisable. Which is why I’ve decided to double up on effort this year to make up for the quietness of Christmas 2020. We’ve made plans for friends to arrive the week before the festivities and I’m determined that this will be the year I get ahead with my tree and decorations. Inspired by our gorgeous feature Celebrate With Us (p31), I’m going to be adding a big splash of colour to our otherwise neutral home. Overseen by Sarah Keady, our amazing, unflappable Style and Interiors Director, this fabulous shoot is a masterclass in how to pack a punch with reds, oranges and greens. Take a look and be inspired! The big question is whether to go for a real tree or a fake one. I’ve always opted for real (thanks to Bob, our local farmer who grows trees commercially for many of the big hotels and retail spots). But would a faux tree be a more ecofriendly option? We’ve looked into the pros and cons of each so you don’t have to – and you can read our findings on p54. Mine is a family of confirmed foodies and we always have much discussion about what to eat on the big day. We’ve not yet come to a group consensus for this year (if I get my way, we’ll go traditional with turkey and all the trimmings), but Giovanna Ryan’s fabulous Italian-inspired feast is top of our list of options. You can find her mouthwatering recipes from p138 – she’s created lots of delicious dishes to see you through the entire party season. So however you’ll be spending it, from us all on the House Beautiful team, we wish you and yours a very peaceful and relaxing Christmas.
D R E S S YO U R TA B LE TH E M O D E R N WAY… A big decision to tackle every year is how to dress the table for Christmas lunch. It has to be festive and abundant, of course, but it also has to fit in with your existing interiors scheme. So we enlisted the help of super stylist Liz Cocozza to come up with four very distinct trends. From Welcoming Scandi (above) to Dramatic Metallics (below), there really is something for everyone. You can find all four looks in our feature on p46.
LOUISE PEARCE Editor-in-chief
PS
Make sure you take a look at our supplement, free with this issue, which is filled with 175 gift ideas for home lovers. And turn to p2 of the supplement for an exclusive 25% discount at Cox & Cox. (I’m going to use mine for a little gift from me to me!) House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 3
Stylish Inspiration For Modern Living
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CONTENTS THE DECEMBER EDIT 13
20 22 23 24 25 27 28 54
ON THE COVER A creative collab between the high
street and brilliant women artists, best boucle buys, a handy bed in a bag and a galaxy of starry decorations ON THE COVER LITTLE BEAUTIES Tree baubles ON THE COVER UNDER WRAPS Recyclable papers ON THE COVER THE BIG BANG Fabulous crackers ON THE COVER FINAL FLOURISH Lovely ribbons ON THE COVER A WARM WELCOME Elegant wreaths ON THE COVER HANG IN THERE Stylish stockings ON THE COVER SHOP WITH STYLE Festive finds ON THE COVER THE BIG CHRISTMAS TREE DEBATE Real or fake? The best of both options
STYLE INSPIRATION 31
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ON THE COVER CELEBRATE WITH US Great ways to create a magical space bursting with Christmas spirit
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58 69
DECEMBER/JANUARY 2021/22 ON THE COVER THE MODERN WAY TO DRESS
YOUR TABLE We’ve rounded up our favourite tablescape trends to suit every home, whatever your style ON THE COVER FESTIVE FLOURISHES Contemporary seasonal styling for every space in your house ON THE COVER QUICK IDEAS TO MAKE IT SPECIAL Add a personal and unique touch with these easy crafts
HOUSES & GARDENS 76
90 104 116
ON THE COVER CONTINENTAL CHRISTMAS Geometric
architecture with a hint of Bauhaus style in a 1970s bungalow ON THE COVER WOODLAND SPIRIT Homemade wreaths and fresh foliage bring natural joy to a London semi ON THE COVER HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS A traditional farmhouse nestled in the snowy Norwegian mountains ON THE COVER A TOUCH OF GRANDEUR Cook and food writer Skye McAlpine shares her Christmas traditions
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ON THE COVER FESTIVE FAIRYTALE Warm wood and
natural decorations take centre stage in a Danish beach house MIDWINTER MAGIC Beautiful planting and decorations bring seasonal charm to an impressive two-acre garden
FOOD & LIVING 138
150 154 178
ON THE COVER BUON NATALE An Italian-inspired feast
from our food columnist Giovanna Ryan ON THE COVER HANDMADE WITH LOVE Great recipes for tasty Christmas presents, straight from your kitchen GIVE YOURSELF THE GIFT OF CALM Wonderful ways to unwind from the festivities to relax mind, body and soul LIVE THE SEASON Time to celebrate
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL OFFERS, EXCLUSIVES & MORE
SUBSCRIBE Get fantastic savings and free delivery 4 10 CONNECT WITH US Be a part of the conversation 163 MODERN LIVING COLLECTIONS Our latest designs with
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our partners: DFS, Dreams, Homebase and Carpetright HOLIDAY OFFERS Culinary escapes in France and Norfolk
COVER
Photography Polly Wreford Styling Marianne Cotterill Direction Sarah Keady Styling assistants Isabella Sweaney and Jess Griffin Model Lily Hanslo at Bruce & Brown With thanks to Jessica Taverner and Paddy the dog Hair and make-up Lindsey Poole Fashion provided by Lucy Trievnor Presents wrapped in Red Gingham wrapping paper, £9.95/five sheets; Gingham ribbon, £5.50/5m; North Pole wrapping paper, £9.95/five sheets; all Nancy & Betty Studio. Small Red and Pink Dotty Spot Santa Sack, £75, Tori Murphy. For all other credits see Celebrate with Us on p31
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 7
Celebrate togetherness!
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LOUISE PEARCE
Executive Editor Terry Barbrook HOMES & FEATURES Style & Interiors Director Sarah Keady Homes & Gardens Director Carolyn Bailey Style & Interiors Editor James Cunningham Lifestyle & Homes Writer Alicia Ford Homes & Style Assistant Daisy Bendall Special Projects Editor Elaine Griffiths Digital Editor Olivia Heath Digital Writer Lisa Joyner GROUP EDITORIAL PRODUCTION Group Managing Editor Ingrid Eames Group Chief Sub-Editor Michele Jameson Chief Sub-Editor Helen Bonthrone Deputy Chief Sub-Editor Julie Pannell-Rae ART & PICTURES Creative Director Barbora Hajek Acting Creative Director Dina Koulla Group Art Editor Roger Browning Art Editor Linsey Cannon Designer Laura Sheppard Junior Designer Leo Terry Picture Director Patricia Taylor Picture Researcher Charlie Hedges GROUP EDITORIAL DIRECTOR GABY HUDDART CHIEF BRAND OFFICER, LIFESTYLE & HOMES SHARON DOUGLAS Head of Licensing, Lifestyle Lou McArthur Licensing Executive, Lifestyle Alexandra Bovey CLIENT DIVISION Managing Director, Fashion & Luxury Jacqueline Euwe Director of Endorsements & Licensing Laura Cohen Licensing Coordinator Chelsea Ellis Director of Travel Denise Degroot Director of Motors Jim Chaudry Client Director, Personal Finance Pete Cammidge Head of Clients Ollie Lloyd Client Director, Fashion & Beauty Emma Barnes ADVERTISING DIVISION Chief Agency Officer Jane Wolfson Executive Assistant Tanya Stewart tanya.stewart@hearst.co.uk Lifestyle Group Agency Director Matt Downs Lifestyle Group Regional Director Lisa Bhatti Acting Head of Media Planning Wendy Meekings wendy.meekings@hearst.co.uk Client Director Homes & Lifestyle Natasha Bailey Media Planning Manager Simi Chenia simi.chenia@hearst.co.uk Senior Client Executive Keaton Baynes keaton.baynes@hearst.co.uk Head of Classified Lee Rimmer lee.rimmer@hearst.co.uk Head of Partnerships Mark McCafferty mark.mccafferty@hearst.co.uk Head of Digital Ryan Buckley ryan.buckley@hearst.co.uk SHOWS & EVENTS Events Director Madolyn Grove madolyn.grove@hearst.co.uk Shows Manager Jonny Watts 0771 483 0302 Sales Manager Louise Duckett 0743 575 1517 CONSUMER SALES & MARKETING Marketing & Circulation Director Reid Holland Head of Consumer Sales & Marketing James Hill Head of Promotions Marketing Aoibheann Foley Head of Subscriptions Marketing Justine Boucher Digital Marketing Director Seema Kumari COMMUNICATIONS PR Manager Clare Fenny Journalist enquiries pressenquiries@hearst.co.uk PRODUCTION Production Manager Greta Croaker Senior Advertisement Production Controller Paul Lockett paul.lockett@hearst.co.uk HEARST UK AND HEARST EUROPE ACTING CEO, HEARST UK/PRESIDENT, HEARST EUROPE SIMON HORNE Chief Operating Officer, Hearst Europe Giacomo Moletto Chief People Officer, Hearst Europe Surinder Simmons Digital Development Director, Hearst Europe Matt Hill Director of Operations, Hearst UK Sophie Wilkinson Finance Director, Hearst UK Julien Litzelmann Business Strategy Director, Hearst UK Romain Metras HEARST INTERNATIONAL Senior Vice President/Editorial & Brand Director Kim St Clair Bodden
Published by Hearst Magazines UK, a trading name of The National Magazine Company Limited (Registered in England number 112955) whose registered offices are at House of Hearst, 30 Panton Street, London SW1Y 4AJ
DEC/JAN 2021 ISSUE PUBLISHED 5 NOVEMBER 2021
wallpaperdirect.com designerpaint.com Make your home your own Graham & Brown / Morris / Arthouse Paint: Albany Tuft / Little Greene
SUBSCRIPTIONS Already a subscriber? Visit hearstmagazines.co.uk/ managemyaccount to update your contact details, renew your subscription and find out when your next issue is due to be delivered. Contact us at hearstmagazines. co.uk/contact-us. Call us on 01858 438440*. Lines open weekdays, 8am-9.30pm; Saturdays, 8am-4pm. You can also contact us regarding back issues and special editions. Write to House Beautiful, Hearst Magazines UK, Tower House, Sovereign Park, Lathkill Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 9EF. Please quote your subscription number in all correspondence. For new and renewal orders, call 01858 438440* or visit hearstmagazines.co.uk. Phonelines are open weekdays, 8am-9.30pm; Saturdays, 8am-4pm. DATA POLICY Sources, uses and disclosures of personal data held by Hearst Magazines UK are described in the official Data Protection Register. Hearst Magazines UK observes the Mailing Preference Service ISSN 0955 3533, Hearst Magazines UK, Reg No 112955 England.
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CONNECT WITH US We’re here to help and inspire – and we’d love you to get involved
A
s December is upon us, our focus for this issue is everything Christmas, and we have much to inspire you, from the best tree decs (p20) and most stylish stockings (p27), to the latest trends for dressing your table for the big day (p46). Every issue of House Beautiful is packed with ideas for home lovers, whether you have a specific project in mind or simply want to relax and enjoy taking a peek inside the stunning real-life homes featured each month. And don’t forget, we also have lots of other ways to entertain you online – on Instagram and Facebook at @housebeautifuluk and, of course, on our website housebeautiful.com/uk.
Join the conversation
GIVE YOURSELF A TREAT
Christmas lunch the I talian way Delight family and friends this year with an Italian-inspired festive feast created specially for us by our food columnist Giovanna Ryan – find the mouthwatering recipes on p138.
Our collect ion with DFS includes the gorgeous Freya sofa
Also check out our online platforms, where Digital Editor Olivia Heath (left) features the latest ideas for getting your home and garden ready for the festivities. Do share your own beautiful homes and gardens with us on Instagram. Tag @housebeautifuluk to appear on our feed and use #designmyspace.
ENJOY NEWS AND OFFERS We’re so proud of our partnerships with some of the UK’s best-loved brands, including DFS, Dreams, Homebase and Carpetright. Find out more about our Modern Living Collections on p163. And see p2 of this month’s free gift guide supplement for an exclusive 25% discount at Cox & Cox.
FOLLOW US on Facebook at facebook.com/ HouseBeautifulUK
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TWEET US and catch news on our Twitter @HB
FOLLOW our boards on pinterest.com/ house_beautiful
LIKE AND SHARE our photos and videos on Instagram @housebeautifulUK
PHOTOGRAPH DAVID LOFTUS
If you’re not already part of the House Beautiful family, there’s never been a better time to subscribe. See p4 for our special offer, visit hearstmagazines.co.uk/ hb-magazine, or call 01858 438440 and quote 1HB12155. You can also order the latest issue from magsdirect.co.uk/ housebeautiful for free next-day delivery.
the DECEMBER edit NEWS
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SHOPPING
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I N S P I R AT I O N
THIS MONTH WE’RE LOVING
PAPER DECORATIONS From honeycomb forms to pinwheel fans, these sustainable designs are perfect for adding a touch of natural charm to your Christmas scheme. Use them to dress your tree, hang in clusters to create a statement or scatter along the table as a centrepiece. Once finished, fold flat and put away until next year.
Faux fir wreath, £60; brass bells, £30/two; faux slim Christmas trees, from £42 each; white paper trees, from £26 each; antique paper decorations, £20/three; all Layered Lounge
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 13
Psst... MEET THE MAKER
ADD CREATIVE FLAIR TO YOUR HOME
REGGIE SMITH OF SMITH & GOAT
To celebrate and support arts and crafts, H&M Home has teamed up with three female artists to create an eyecatching collection of unique pieces for your home. The collaboration, For the Love of Art, includes embroidered cushions, decorative ceramics and expressive portrait posters – ideal gifts for lovers of artisan pieces. From £17.99 for a Rattan-lid scented candle in a pot.
TRENDING NOW
STATEMENT STARS December seems like the right time to give your scheme a celestial spin. Good news: star designs are everywhere right now, from festive decorations to elegant glassware. And with smart starburst motifs also appearing on furniture, it’s a trend that’s set to last. Hanging paper starburst, £28/three, Cox & Cox. Glass star decoration, £26.50, Oliver Bonas. Engraved champagne glass, £79/six, Not on the High Street. Starburst cabinet, £279.95, The House Office 14 housebeautiful.com/uk
Having switched from landscape gardening and fashion buying to making homewares, couple Reggie Smith and Amy Gill founded Smith & Goat in 2017. With a love for concrete, their small team work from an east London studio, employing ambitious techniques in the blending and casting of this natural material, and pigments to create one-off products. The range varies from small objects (above, from £24 at Katie Leamon) to large-scale kitchens, tables and sinks (right), as well as a bespoke design service. The couple’s love of finding new designers and brands on Instagram has
led to the creation of The Edit, a curation of handmade products, including soaps and art prints, that complement Smith & Goat’s style. ‘We design new products ourselves in our homewares range, as well as collaborating with other designers and architects to make people’s concrete dreams become a reality,’ says Reggie. ‘There’s always something exciting on the go and that interaction with people and evolution of products is what inspires us.’ For more information, visit smithandgoat.co.uk
the DECEMBER edit NEW DISCOVERY
WHERE TO FIND AN ALL-IN-ONE TABLE-SETTING KIT If your ideal theme for Christmas is more modern than traditional, then this table-setting kit, with colourful finishing touches in sage green, pink and terracotta, is ideal for brightening a feast with minimal effort. The kit has all the accessories you need to wow guests with your tablescaping masterpiece and includes a pair of candles with ceramic holders, four glass posy vases and three paper hanging decorations. Festive tablescaping kit, £28, Bloom & Wild. For more tablescaping inspiration, turn to page 46
HOT ON THE HIGH STREET
BEST BOUCLE B U YS Add textured detail with curly, looped yarn
Boucle panel cushion, £9, Primark
Faux shearling chair, £199, Zara Home
Wool-mix throw, £45, John Lewis & Partners
MAKE SURE YOU’RE ALWAYS GUEST READY Hosting overnight visitors just got easier. Designed with small spaces in mind, this compact Bed in a Bag can be rolled out in seconds to make room for one more guest. In the morning, roll it back up and hide it out of sight in the easy-to-store canvas sack. Bed in a Bag, £70, futoncompany.co.uk
Marshmallow double bed, £400, Habitat House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 15
the DECEMBER edit »
EASY UPDATE
A garland draped along a mantelpiece or intertwined through banisters is a classic. But you can also try wrapping one around a mirror, picture frame or even your headboard to get every room looking its best over the festive period. For an added twist, embellish with glitzy baubles and clip-on decorations, or weave through fairy lights. Pick out key shades that tie in with your decor to add splashes of colour. Pine and Mistletoe garland, £35; Stave console table, £299; Stave coffee table, £399; Snow Mountain mini table-top tree, £5; all John Lewis & Partners
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 17
the DECEMBER edit »
THE GREEN HOME
We love this candle that glows then grows. UK-based eco-conscious brand Selfmade Candle hand-pours deliciously scented soy wax into glass jars and then finishes with seeded and plantable labels. Huh? It means once your candle has finished burning, you can remove the label – which has seeds embedded within – and plant it in the empty glass jar, growing your own greenery. Oh, and the packaging is fully recyclable. From £18, selfmadecandle.com
IN & OUT
WHAT TO DO, BUY AND MAKE THIS MONTH…
SHOP SMALL
For those who love to add a handmade element to their tree, these handpainted baubles, £18 each, can be decorated in a colour combination to complement your home. Artist Lucy Johnson specialises in multimedia textiles, such as woven garlands, pompom wreaths and fibre wall art as well as bespoke crafted gifts. Find out more and view products at neverperfectstudio.com
Nestled in the garden of The Weeping Willow pub in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk is the Garden Tipi, dressed in fairy lights. Snuggle up with faux-fur throws around the firepit or join in the wreath-making workshop, £75pp. Visit theweepingwillow.co.uk 18 housebeautiful.com/uk
ARTS & CRAFTS If you’ve been anywhere near the internet recently, you’ll be familiar with ‘punch needle embroidery’, a simple and calming technique using a needle to puncture loops into your fabric. Create your own tree topper with this DIY kit, £65, notonthehighstreet.com
COMPILED BY JESSICA TAVERNER
HANDS ON
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LITTLE BEAUTIES
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Turn your tree into a magical scene with these delightful decorations
Create a festive buzz
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1 Blue and gold pheasant, £8.99, Dobbies 2 Leaf bauble, £3, Matalan 3 Hanging wooden star, £15.50/three, Cox & Cox 4 Bumblebee, £4.99, Gisela Graham 5 Recycled glass bauble, £6, Yonder Living 6 Balloon sausage dog, £6, Paperchase 7 Gin goblet, £7.50, Oliver Bonas 8 Winter Retreat glass bauble, £12/nine, House Beautiful Collection at Homebase 9 Beaded dove, £4, Next 10 White and copper bauble, £5/four, Habitat 20 housebeautiful.com/uk
F E S T I V E I N S P I R AT I O N
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COMPILED BY JESSICA TAVERNER
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Elevate your tree with this glittering hot-air balloon bauble
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11 Rocket ship, £12, Ella James 12 Hand-painted floral bauble, £39/four, Not on the High Street 13 Star anise bauble, £36.50/three, Petersham Nurseries 14 Pink and blue ribbon bauble, £15, The Conran Shop 15 Glitter glass balloon, £8, Heal’s 16 Percy dachshund, £10, Daylesford 17 Nevasa Dark Smoke & Antique Copper bauble, £16.95, Nkuku 18 Runner duck felt decoration, £9, Sophie Allport 19 Glittered bauble, £35/12, Cox & Cox 20 Skelter ride, £3, George Home House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 21
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UNDER WRAPS
Up your gifting game with gorgeous recyclable papers
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Metallic ribbon would set this off but it’s pretty on its own too
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1 Holiday Lights, £8.95/three sheets, Liberty 2 Foliage, £2.50/sheet, Daylesford 3 Candy Stripe, £1.50/4m, George Home 4 Lokta star print, £3.60/sheet, Happywrap 5 Handmade Folk, £3/sheet, Rowen & Wren 6 Winter Berries, £3.50/3m, National Trust 7 Peace Dove, £6/three sheets, Heavenly Homes & Gardens 8 Stars, £4.50/two sheets, Type & Story 9 Golden Deco Stars reversible wrap, £13.50/10m, Cox & Cox 10 Mistletoe, £8.95/three sheets, Liberty 22 housebeautiful.com/uk
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COMPILED BY JESSICA TAVERNER AND SARAH KEADY PHOTOGRAPHY LUCKY IF SHARP
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THE BIG BANG
Have a cracking celebration with these explosive beauties
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COMPILED BY JESSICA TAVERNER *EACH CRACKER CONTAINS A PRE-MIXED COCKTAIL WITH A DOUBLE MEASURE OF THE SPIRIT OF YOUR CHOICE (18+ ONLY)
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Upcycle the ribbons as tree decorations
1 Betsy Liberty fabric reusable, £34.85 each, Not on the High Street 2 London, £36/six, Nancy & Betty 3 Twelve Days of Christmas, £20/12, John Lewis & Partners 4 Confetti, £42/six, Katie Leamon 5 St Mawes personalised cocktail*, £100/six, Drinks by Post at thebuffalo.co.uk 6 Luxury Alpine Snowflakes, £50/six, Cox & Cox 7 Gold Star, £8/six, Wilko 8 Festive Field Pheasant Luxury, £30/six, John Lewis & Partners 9 Festive Foliage, £22/six, Meri Meri 10 Festive Forest, £20/six, Sophie Allport House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 23
FINAL FLOURISH
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1 Studio Carta metallic, £15/10m, Selfridges 2 Perla XS 12mm blue, £2.25/m, John Lewis & Partners 3 Gemstone Forest box of eight, £10/2m, John Lewis & Partners 4 Grosgrain violet, £2/3m, Paperchase 5 Emerald ric rac, £3/4m, Hobbycraft 6 Marigold picot edge satin 50mm, £3.95/m, VV Rouleaux 7 Bobble, £8/4.5m, Anthropologie 8 Red and Slate stripe, £5/10m, Jane Means 9 Christmas grosgrain five pack, £2/2m, Hobbycraft 10 Metallic stripe black cotton, £5/2m, Katie Leamon 24 housebeautiful.com/uk
COMPILED BY SARAH KEADY AND JESSICA TAVERNER PHOTOGRAPHY LUCKY IF SHARP
Your gifts will be all tied up nicely in these lovely ribbons
F E S T I V E I N S P I R AT I O N 3
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Ring in the season with an elegant wreath
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Natural elements get a luxe makeover with this matt gold finish
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1 Mistletoe, £15, George Home 2 Dressed Nordic Star, £38, The White Company 3 Lightup half wreath, £16, Matalan 4 Faux berries & leaves, £60, Rockett St George 5 Copper leaf, £35, John Lewis & Partners 6 Starry birch, £20, Cox & Cox 7 Red bow, £35.99, Lights4Fun 8 Gold leaf and baubles, £25, House Beautiful Collection at Homebase 9 Dried flowers, £79, Not on the High Street 10 Iron, £19.95, Graham & Green House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 25
F E S T I V E I N S P I R AT I O N
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Ensure Christmas morning is extra magical with a stylish stocking
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Gold stars and fringing make for a special delivery
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1 Koala, £25, 20 Seventh Letter 2 Personalised Heirloom, £45, Magic & Monroe 3 Home for Christmas, £17.50, Sophie Allport 4 Alphabet, £10, Next 5 Gold Star, £22.50, Oliver Bonas 6 Green Stripe, £32, Sophie Conran 7 Sequins, £15, John Lewis & Partners 8 Antares Star, £48, Tori Murphy 9 Rainbow, £5, George Home 10 Faux Fur, £13.99, Very.co.uk House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 27
SHOP with STYLE
Yes, it really is time to start the Christmas countdown and our pick of fab festive finds is a good place to start Townhouse Advent calendar, £39.99, Lights4fun
COMPILED BY DAISY BENDALL
Polish nativity scene, from £40, Raj Tent Club
Candy Cane reusable Christmas cracker and crown, £30, Not on the High Street
Lacquered Swirl candles, £39/six, Rebecca Udall
Handpainted Christmas macarons, £30/six, Emma Dodi
Bossanova paper star, £6, Rose & Grey
Holly matches bottle, £14.50, Archivist
Christmas berries and leaves card, £18.50/ten or £3.50 each, Papier
Embroidered napkin bow, £25, Hand & Lock x Fiona Leahy
Christmas Trees candle, £55, Jo Loves
LOVES
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F E S T I V E I N S P I R AT I O N
Rialto Tulip glasses, £60/two, Liberty London
Iron mistletoe, £19.95, Graham & Green
Gold tinsel chandelier, £25, Meri Meri
Multi-coloured star tree topper, £30, Rockett St George
Buto candlestick, £35, Issy Granger
Ombre glass tree set, £85/three, WA Green
Pointed top honeycomb bauble decoration, £35, Oka
Striped Trellis planter, from £65, Matilda Goad
Bring it to the table in style
Lene metal light-up star, £46, Heal’s
Lacquered Scallop serving tray, £175, Addison Ross
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CELEBRATE WITH US Bring a bit of magic – and grown-up glamour – into your home this Christmas with our brilliant decorating ideas
This abundant wreath is so easy to make. Form hops into a wreath shape and secure. That’s it! (We also sprayed ours with glitter)
PHOTOGRAPHY POLLY WREFORD | STYLING MARIANNE COTTERILL | DIRECTION AND WORDS SARAH KEADY
COME ON IN Greet your guests with a welcoming wreath Hops and berries, from a selection, New Covent Garden Flower Market. Shola ball decoration, £1.95, Re. Star lights, from £13.99 each, Lights4fun. Door and surround painted in Inchyra Blue exterior eggshell, £49.50/2.5L, Farrow & Ball
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MAKE AN ENTRANCE The hallway is the first thing guests will see (obviously), so ramp up the gorgeousness by illuminating it with loveliness. Twinkle? You can never have too much, just FYI. Above Green pottery Zagora candlesticks, from £18 each, Raj Tent Club. Blue glass candlestick, £14.99, Dobbies. Cream Sculptural candlestick, £8, Next. Coloured candles, £4.50/two; paper 3D star, £3.95; all Re. Kiwi candle in Blue & Green, £32/two, The Conran Shop Opposite Fairy lights, from £12.99; Pinecone LED bauble trio, £19.99; LED baubles, £7.99 each; all Lights4fun. Light-up wreath, £35, Cox & Cox. Hanging vases, £12 each, Toast. Reed sideboard, £999, John Lewis & Partners. Jul and Skog scented candles, from £44, both Skandinavisk. Walls painted in Bancha estate emulsion, £49.50/2.5L, Farrow & Ball. Floor tiles, £139.20/sq m, Otto Tiles
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CHRISTMAS ST YLE
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Fancy an ANGEL alternative? Colourful PAPER FANS make great tree toppers
LUXE LOUNGING Layers of soft velvet in rich, sumptuous colours will create a cosy space for you and your loved ones to gather. Izzy sofa, £2,040; Georgette footstool, £645; both Sofa.com. Cushions Scandi Tree, £18; Noel, £15; both The House Beautiful Collection at Homebase. Pelham velvet pink and orange, £55 each; rectangular in Llama Orange, £99; all Andrew Martin. Rectangular Transylvania Folk, £99; Orange Black Bird, £109; both Mind The Gap. Fuchsia cushion (on floor), £18, Next. Emerald rug, from £2,210, The Rug Company. Handmade decorations on wall Hot Pink Organdie ribbon, £1.60/8m, Hobbycraft. Red baubles, £30/20, John Lewis & Partners. Nordmann Fir Christmas tree, £93, Croft & Cole. Paper fans, from £2.50 each, Re. Pop-out crowns, £36/four, The Shop Floor Project. Baubles Blue spotty, £5, Homebase. Green, £15/10, John Lewis & Partners. Gold striped black, red and green, £12 each, Rockett St George. Pink and gold £20/six, Cox & Cox. Paper decorations, £40/six, Oka. Heddon candlesticks, from £48 each; Coleridge candles, £18/six; all Neptune. Crystal carafe, £175, LuxDeco. Metro Rust dinner plate, £10/two, House Beautiful Collection at Homebase. Walls painted in Sloe Blue estate emulsion, £49.50/2.5L, Farrow & Ball
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CHRISTMAS ST YLE
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CHRISTMAS ST YLE
FESTIVE FIRESIDE As the evening draws in, get cosy by a roaring fire. Grab a blanket for when the flames die down. Constellation mobile, £64, Caravane. Wreath made from Snow Mountain Pine and Mistletoe garland, £35, John Lewis & Partners; dried oranges, from a selection at New Covent Garden Flower Market. Egyptian glass tealight candleholder, £35; Polish Szopki houses, from £40 each; all Raj Tent Club. Gio Line lantern vases, from £38 each, LSA International. Vilshenko Winter Doll (blue) and Summer Doll (ivory) scented candle decorations, £120 each, Liberty. Fairy lights, from £12.99, Lights4Fun. Shona Accent armchair in Coastal Blue velvet, £399, Made. Transylvanian Suzani embroidered cushion, £189; Horse Parade embroidered cushion (on floor), £189; both Mind The Gap. Cashmere throw, from a selection at Johnstons of Elgin. Lugo side table, £300, Ercol. Walls painted in Calke Green estate emulsion, £49.50/2.5L, Farrow & Ball. Floor tiles, £139.20/sq m, Otto Tiles
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Frame your table with a SHOWSTOPPING garland threaded with TWINKLING lights
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CHRISTMAS ST YLE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS Neon candles, bright mini trees, bold glass tumblers and vibrant decorations will all add some fun to the formalities. Hops, from a selection, New Covent Garden Flower Market. Hen decoration, £12, Raj Tent Club. Glass baubles, from £20 each, KD Loves. Fairy lights, from £12.99, Lights4Fun. Bar cart, £199, John Lewis & Partners. Stemmed glasses, from £6 each, House Beautiful Collection at Homebase. Champagne bucket, £125, LSA International. Shola garland, £6.50; paper fans, from £2.50 each; all Re. Dining table, £2,200; chairs, £310 each; all Neptune. Tablecloth, £325; napkins, £25 each; all Summerill & Bishop. Renaissance Gold plates, from £35 each, Wedgwood. Tumblers, £48/four, Kalinko. Mini trees, £45/six; cutlery set, £45; all Rockett St George. Glass candle holders, from £12.75 each; twisted candles, £20/six; all Anna & Nina. Handpainted Barley Twist candlesticks, £65 each, Montes & Clarke. Napkin rings, £8.20 each; petal candle holders, £8.37 each; all Caravane. Crackers, £36/six, Nancy & Betty. Walls in Sloe Blue estate emulsion, £49.50/2.5L, Farrow & Ball House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 39
CHRISTMAS ST YLE
Cut out paper SHAPES and SPRINKLE them with sequins and glitter to catch the LIGHT
TAKE YOUR SEATS Oversized decorations – the brighter the better – look great tied with ribbon and hung on the backs of chairs. Hops and berries, from a selection, New Covent Garden Flower Market. Handblown glass baubles, from £20 each, KD Loves. Fairy lights, from £12.99, Lights4Fun. Metro Rust dinner plate, £10/two; side plate, £8/two; bowl, £8/two (above); all House Beautiful Collection at Homebase. Cardboard decoration, £10.50/four, Re. Winter Rainbow linen tablecloth, £325; napkins, £25 each; all Summerill & Bishop. Gold and black cutlery set, £45/16 pieces, Rockett St George. Crackers, £36/six, Nancy & Betty. Shola garland, £6.50; paper fans, from £2.50 each; all Re. Coloured glass candle holders, from £12.75 each; twisted candles, £20/six; all Anna & Nina. Napkin ring, £8.20, Caravane. Renaissance Gold plates (left), from £35 each, Wedgwood
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House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 41
FLOWER BOMBS Mini vases hung from lights and mirrors will add a pretty punch of colour. Teardrop hanging vases in Olive, £12 each, Toast
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STYLING ASSISTANTS ISABELLA SWEANEY AND JESS GRIFFIN
CHRISTMAS ST YLE
THE MODERN WAY TO
DRESS YOUR TABLE
Whatever your home style, we have a festive tablescape trend for you, from welcoming Scandi to dramatic metallics. Take your pick and wow your guests PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID LOFTUS | STYLING LIZ COCOZZA | DIRECTION AND WORDS SARAH KEADY
WELCOMING SCANDI Over-the-table rod, £49.95, Not on the High Street. Grey honeycomb ball decorations, £9.50/two, Rockett St George. Rustic linen runner, £50; seagrass tealight holders, £10 each; all The White Company. Amara dinner plates, £56/six, Ella James. Lulworth Grey side plates, £54/six; Heddon candlesticks, from £42 each; all Neptune. Rattan chargers, £14 each; Nature cutlery set, from £60; all Rebecca Udall. Green glasses, £11 each, Abode Living. Napkins, £8 each, Brissi. Luxury Alpine crackers, £50/six, Cox & Cox. Recycled cotton paper ornaments in Camel, £5.95 each, Rose & Grey
MEET OUR STYLIST To help us create the four very different looks for a festive table you’ll love, we enlisted the services of Liz Cocozza (left), a creative director and stylist, specialising in interiors, fashion and beauty. Liz offers her tips for making each trend work for you…
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READ ON FOR OUR OTHER TOP TABLE TRENDS…
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TRADITIONAL OPULENCE
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GROWN-UP PASTELS
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DRAMATIC METALLICS
FOLIAGE FROM A SELECTION AT NEW COVENT GARDEN MARKET. LIZ WEARS: SHIRT DRESS, ZARA
Earthy tones and materials inspired by nature ensure this understated look is warm and inviting
F E S T I V E E N T E R TA I N I N G
Styling tip Make the most of the space above the table by using a rod to hang paper decorations or trailing foliage, or tack them to the ceiling. For a casual feel, layer the table with textiles, crumpled linen, foraged pine cones and eucalyptus. House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 47
For many of us, Christmas is all about indulging in favourite time-honoured rituals, and nothing feels more festive than a beautifully laid red and gold table Ink linen tablecloth in Claret Red with Gold Drips, from £625; matching napkins, £35 each; all Summerill & Bishop. Talking Tables Luxe Gold glitter table runner, £15, John Lewis & Partners. Gold placemats, from a selection at M&S. White dinner plates with gold trim, £8 each; matching side plates, £6 each; all House Beautiful Collection at Homebase. Natural Blush Gold Edge dessert plates, £24 each; Gold cutlery, £78/seven-piece set; all Maison Margaux. Vintage champagne coupes with gold rim, £9 each; honeycomb ball decorations, £9.50/two; all Rockett St George. Vintage tall glass candleholders, £35 each; sparkle wreath, £135; all The White Company. Red Dinner candles, £10/four, Rebecca Udall. Fabric-covered crackers, £118.94/four, Not on the High Street 48 housebeautiful.com/uk
LIZ WEARS: RUBY SILK VELVET ANNE DRESS, RIDLEY LONDON
TRADITIONAL OPULENCE
F E S T I V E E N T E R TA I N I N G
Styling tip Give this timeless look a few modern twists. Fabric crackers and tablecloths in crimson and gold will add a luxe feel. Bring extra bling to the table with gold-rimmed plates and glassware mixed in with foliage with a touch of sparkle.
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This is a modern alternative to a classic Christmas look and is perfect for taking you through into the party season Cornice linen tablecloth in Rose Pink, £285; matching napkins, £30 each; all Summerill & Bishop. Camilla waxed Italian linen placemats in Petrol, £45/two, Rebecca Udall. Large pink charger plates, £30 each, Maison Margaux. White dinner plates, £14 each, The White Company. Exclusive Brights side plates, £25 each, The Conran Shop. Goa matt white rose gold 24-piece cutlery set, £370, Amara. Blue and gold grass, New Covent Garden Market. LSA Blue Gio Gem tumblers, £40/four, Heal’s. Pink glasses, £15 each; matte white bottleneck vases, from £30 each; all The Sette. Clear glass candlesticks and bud vases, stylist’s own, find similar at Graham & Greene. Whirlwind glass vases, from £42 each; Delaney bobble glass candlesticks (used as bud vases), from £12 each; all Anthropologie. Pastel fringe medium crackers, £25/six, Meri Meri. Multi Pink Christmas trees, £45/six, Rockett St George. Light Up Honesty wreath, £90, Cox & Cox. White paper star decorations with gold trim, £12/two, House Beautiful Collection at Homebase. Large white paper star, £19; small white paper star, £16; both Layered Lounge 50 housebeautiful.com/uk
LIZ WEARS: CARLINE ROSE MATHILDA DRESS, RIDLEY LONDON
GROWN-UP PASTELS
F E S T I V E E N T E R TA I N I N G
Styling tip This fun trend is inspired by the colours we’re seeing in interiors right now – soft sorbet shades mixed with coral, fuchsia and dove grey. Balance them against clean white space and simple shapes so they really pop.
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Bronze and copper with masses of warm fairy lights draped along the walls will set the scene for a theatrical banquet Ruffle linen tablecloth, from £189, Rebecca Udall. Live linen napkins, £65/four, The Sette. LSA Dusk Green glasses, £46/two; Teal Mervyn Gers side plates, £16 each; all Heal’s. Wonki Ware Organic dinner plates, £32 each, The Conran Shop. Duna Copper 24-piece cutlery set, £320, Amara. Jungle Cat crackers, £21.99/six, Gisela Graham. Green glass column candleholders, £12.95 each; faux Blue and Grey Cecropia branch (down centre of the table), £17.50; all Graham & Green. Baubles from a selection at Nkuku, John Lewis & Partners and Gisela Graham. Paper decorations, £20/three, Layered Lounge. Fairy lights, from a selection at John Lewis & Partners. Artificial Pre-Lit Christmas tree, £180, House Beautiful Collection at Homebase 52 housebeautiful.com/uk
ASSISTANT DAISY BENDALL LIZ WEARS: GOLD ISADORA FEATHER TARRA DRESS, RIDLEY LONDON
DRAMATIC METALLICS
F E S T I V E E N T E R TA I N I N G
Styling tip Metallics teamed with teal and olive green is a rich mix that works together to form a beautifully dramatic backdrop. Velvety ribbon, mercury glass and burnished baubles add to the sumptuous look. Visit lizcocozza.com for more table styling inspiration
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THE BIG CHRISTMAS TREE DEBATE:
REAL vs FAKE? Which will you go for: grown in the ground or shop bought? We’re here to help you pick your perfect fir, whether it’s choosing and caring for a real one or branching out and going faux…
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FESTIVE KNOW-HOW
THE REAL THING There’s nothing like the uplifting scent of a real Christmas tree to get you feeling festive, and the ritual of choosing one is just as important as decorating it. If you’re going authentic, these are the key things to remember before you hand over your cash… » Check it’s fresh To make sure you get the best tree for your home, check for freshness before you buy. Give it a shake a few inches above the ground to ensure most of its needles remain in place. » Inspect container varieties Some Christmas trees are container-grown, which means they have been in their pots for at least one season. They tend to be small – usually no more than three feet tall. It’s often possible to lift the tree out of the pot to inspect its whole root system and ensure it’s healthy and intact. The tree itself should look verdant and perky. » Choose the right size It may seem obvious, but measure the height of your ceiling and the floor area where you’re going to place your tree. Take a tape measure with you when you go to buy it, and be sure to allow enough space for a decoration to sit on top and for a stand in which to place it.
GET THE MOST FROM YOUR TREE The British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA) recommends: » Care Your tree should be fed and cared for like any other houseplant being brought into a warm, dry atmosphere. Give it water each day to help it last longer – retaining its pine fragrance and its needles. » Plant After Christmas, a container-grown tree can either be planted out, with a very good chance of success, or left to grow further in a pot. In this case, it’s a good idea to transplant it into a larger container. » Disposal Many BCTGA members and local councils offer Christmas tree collection services, where used trees are picked up and recycled. Find more details at gov.uk/garden-waste-disposal.
DON’T KNOW FRASER FROM DOUGLAS? Here’s our guide to the most popular varieties in the UK
NORDMANN FIR
NORWAY SPRUCE
This is the UK’s most popular tree. The dark green needles have excellent retention, and the strong symmetrical branches are great for hanging ornaments.
Water well to keep the needles happy on this traditional Christmas tree, which is dark green and has a rich, sweet scent and a good conical shape.
FRASER FIR
BLUE SPRUCE
A newcomer from the US, this fir offers great fragrance, dark green needles that are silvery underneath, and strong, upward-turned, pyramid-shaped branches.
Smaller and slow-growing, this is a good choice for a second tree or for tight space. It has beautiful colouring and its strong branches are ideal for heavy decorations.
NOBLE FIR
LODGEPOLE PINE
With bluish-green needles and a fresh fragrance, this fir keeps well and has short, stiff branches that can take heavier displays. It arrived in the UK from North America in 1830.
If kept well-hydrated, this pine will last well and hang onto its green/yellow needles. With upwardfacing tapering branches it’s a favourite with traditionalists.
DOUGLAS FIR
SERBIAN SPRUCE
Offering probably the strongest scent of all Christmas trees, this is a true fir with a great shape but, thanks to its dense foliage, it’s a little harder to decorate than some.
Tall and slender with graceful, upswept branches, this has a more unusual look, with glossy, dark green needles with streaks of white. First popular in Central Europe.
Visit bctga.co.uk to find where you can buy a real Christmas tree locally
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FESTIVE KNOW-HOW
FAKING IT If you’ve decided to opt for a faux tree to decorate your home this year (and beyond), you need look no further than these festive beauties picked by us at HB HQ 1
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REAL TREES OR FAKE: WHICH ARE MORE ECOFRIENDLY? If you’re dreaming of a Christmas that doesn’t cost the Earth, you’ll need to consider your choice of tree. Here’s why… It may seem counter-intuitive that cutting down a living tree could ever be an environmentally friendly option. However, the verdict from the Carbon Trust is that a real Christmas tree can have a much smaller carbon footprint when compared with a similar-sized, artificial version.
GREEN CHRISTMAS
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A FAUX TREE IS FOR LIFE
1 Berries and foliage 7ft Mixed Cones and Berries pre-lit tree, £95, Wilko 2 Elegant shape 6ft Alpine Fir (with candlelight clear LED), £379, Balsam Hill 3 Hand-painted branches 6ft Grand+ Spruce, £195, The White Company
4 White Christmas 7ft Beauty Pine pre-lit tree, £180, House Beautiful at Homebase 5 Traditional style 7ft Forest Pine, £90, Next 6 A touch of sparkle 7ft Midnight Luxe Dream tree, £80, Wilko 7 Ready frosted 6ft Dusky Pine (with LED), £225, Cox & Cox 8 Potted and good to go 6ft pre-lit Balmoral Berry tree, £179, John Lewis & Partners 56 housebeautiful.com/uk
Artificial trees are seen as a less ecofriendly choice because of the carbon emissions that are produced when they are manufactured and also because they’re made from plastic, which has a large carbon footprint. If you already own an artificial Christmas tree, or if you’re thinking of buying one, you’ll need to use it for at least 10 years before its carbon footprint comes close to the total carbon footprint of buying, then burning, a real tree every year for a decade. In addition, artificial Christmas trees can’t be recycled, so if you do opt to fake it, then it makes sense to buy the best quality tree you can afford and use it for as long as possible. HB
WORDS SARAH KEADY ADDITIONAL WORDS EMILIE MARTIN. PHOTOGRAPHS BCTGA.CO.UK; NASSIMA ROTHACKER; OAK MANAGEMENT
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The smaller carbon footprint of a real tree vs an artificial one is partly down to the fact that living trees store carbon as they grow. If you opt for a cut Christmas tree and burn it at the end of the festive season (providing you can do so safely), the carbon stored in the tree is released back into the atmosphere. This means that the tree itself hasn’t added to the amount of carbon in the environment. Chipping a cut tree to spread on the garden is another ecofriendly way of disposing of it. Trees can also be recycled (use the postcode checker at recyclenow. com/local-recycling to find out where you can recycle your Christmas tree). Whatever you do, don’t send a Christmas tree to landfill, where it will give off harmful methane gas as it decomposes. If you have the space in your garden, you could buy a tree in a pot and reuse it. This way, the tree can keep on growing and absorbing carbon. You can even rent a potted one for Christmas through schemes such as rentalclaus.com. You’ll pay about £40 to rent a 5ft tree.
Festive flourishes
Go beyond just trimming the tree with these new ways to style up your whole space for the seasonal celebrations
COMPILED BY JAMES CUNNINGHAM
IN THE FOLD From oversized honeycomb fans to origami-style trees, paper decorations are having a moment. As well as being ecofriendly, paper gives shapes a lightweight structure so they can be displayed in interesting ways. Arrange them on a shelf, hang them from banisters or suspend them from a ceiling light above the dining table – the more the merrier. Try the great ranges at Dunelm, Ginger Ray and Pipii for myriad shape, size and colour options. Paper trees, £8/three; paper fans, £8/seven; neon light, £15; all Dunelm
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CHRISTMAS ST YLE
SHOW OFF Even the smallest space can be transformed with some festive charm. Turn the functional into the ornamental by decorating your shelving. For a cosy but considered look, combine old favourites with contemporary pieces. Layer them together artfully by mixing heights and textures, but stick to a relatively tight colour palette so your display doesn’t become chaotic. Try Layered Lounge, H&M Home and the collections at Nordic Nest for seasonal decorations that place a premium on style and aesthetics. Accessories, all from a selection at Layered Lounge
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DARK DRAMA A monochrome scheme doesn’t have to feel frosty. Combine black and grey shades with metallic sparkles and elevated textures such as crystal and satin to create a tablescape with a luxurious sense of drama. Black china is a clever culinary option too – it can maximise the visual impact of food and allow your feast to take centre stage. Make the table feel extra-special with handwritten place cards and consider laying miniature favours at each setting as a festive treat for guests. Matt black dinner set, £20/12 pieces; cutlery, £16/16 pieces; highball glass, £6/two; baubles, from 50p each; all George Home 60 housebeautiful.com/uk
CHRISTMAS ST YLE
COUNTRY COOL Luxe but laid-back, this year’s festive countryside trend is all about pairing tactile textures with high-end details. On the dining table, combine smart china and glassware with crumpled linen and natural foliage or pine cones for a look that sets an elegant tone and feels very welcoming. Neptune and The White Company stock tableware that fits the style. Add extra comfort to wooden furniture by draping soft sheepskin rugs along dining benches or fold a woollen throw over chair backs. Fenton tableware, from £72/six side plates; Ellis placemats, £52/six; Emily napkins, £40/six; Barnes wine glasses, £50/six; Hanley candlesticks, from £26 each; Rosedale etched tealight holders, £18 each; other accessories, from a selection; all Neptune
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NEW HUES For a subtle decorating scheme, consider festive accessories in less traditional colours. Muted tones of yellow, pink and green work well with white for a look that’s both soft and unexpected. Keep metallics to a minimum, though, and instead choose twinkling lights or the glow of candles to add a subtle sense of sparkle. For pretty seasonal pieces in these shades, browse the collections at Dunelm and online retailer Smallable. Paper fans, £8/seven; paper trees, £7/three; light-up garland, £15; light-up moon decoration, £15; stag ornament, £12; all Dunelm
Mix subtle shades such as pale yellow and pastel pink for a modern look that still feels festive
CHRISTMAS ST YLE
OUT OF THE WOODS From real, pine-scented trees to holly berry wreaths, natural beauty is celebrated in the festive season. Don’t overlook the potential of simple branches – forage for one substantial enough to hold your favourite baubles and then place it in an oversized vase or ceramic pot. Try using it as a secondary tree on a hallway console table or in the corner of a bedroom to bring a festive look to an otherwise overlooked space. Baubles and decorations, all from a selection at Ferm Living House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 63
CHRISTMAS ST YLE
OVERNIGHT SENSATION Christmas can be a busy time, so it’s important to have a dedicated spot for rest and relaxation. Turn your bedroom into an indulgent retreat by investing in high quality sheets, a cosy quilt and a cushion or two. Try the range of bedding at Dusk for dreamy options that will help you create a feeling of calm. Don’t forget the festive magic: wreaths, lights and other decorations work just as well in bedrooms as they do elsewhere in the home. For a restful look, choose pieces in shades that will complement those already in your space.
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PHOTOGRAPH EMMA LEE
Bedding and accessories, all from a selection at The White Company
CHRISTMAS CR AFTS
QUICK IDEAS TO
MAKE IT SPECIAL Whether you’re an expert crafter or more of a DIY novice, Christmas is the perfect time to flex your creative muscle – with trees, tables and gifts just crying out for some crafty prettifying. These simple suggestions will add a bit of magic and sparkle to your home in no time WORDS ALICIA FORD
1 FLICKERING DISPLAY
When it comes to displaying, well, anything, it’s all about how you curate it (which really just means what you group together). With tealights, arrange an even number on an ornate tray to form an atmospheric centrepiece – and to make it extra special, why not place them in upcycled glass jars? Turn the jars upside down and coat with a metallic acrylic spray paint to achieve a quick, streak-free finish. Once dry, decorate with twine and fresh foliage for a rustic feel. Metallic acrylic spray paint, Cass Art. Find a similar tray at John Lewis & Partners
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2 GIFT-BOX BAUBLES
If glittery tree decorations aren’t your thing, add some natural charm instead with these smart little packages. Use craft matchboxes as the structure for your present-like decs, wrap in brown paper (or any giftwrap of your choice), secure with tape and tie with a string bow, leaving one of the ends long enough to suspend from a branch. Just remember to tell guests there are no gifts inside! For craft matchboxes, visit bakerross.co.uk
3 LANTERN LOVE
A warm and welcoming display can be yours in an instant with glowing paper lanterns in the shape of Scandinavian houses and decorative fir trees. Draw the shapes onto thin card, including windows and doors for the houses and a pattern on the trees. Cut out, including the details, using a craft knife or small sharp scissors. Your shapes can then be secured to tealight holders or tumblers with double-sided tape.* Taken from Christmas
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Ornaments (£9.99, CICO Books)
4 DELIGHTFUL DECORATIONS
Made from felt, these pretty ornaments are ideal for decorating foliage and branches. Draw simple shapes onto thin card and cut out (we like these bird and fish designs). Fold felt sheets in half, pin on the card templates and cut out. Use complementary coloured thread to add embellishments, if you like. Make a loop of ribbon or wool to sandwich between the two halves. Secure together (with wrong sides facing) using PVA glue, or you could stitch around the edges, leaving a small gap for stuffing. Fill and finish by sewing up the gap. Felt sheets, from a selection, Hobbycraft
5 GLITTERING VOTIVES
Transform simple tealight holders into twinkling vessels in no time at all. Use PVA glue to fix sequins or bugle beads to glass; it will dry clear. Pour the beads or other embellishments into a shallow dish. Apply glue to the tealight holders with a paintbrush, then roll them in the decorations until well coated. Leave to dry. Tie a pretty ribbon around the base, if you like. Find plain glass tealight
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*NEVER LEAVE LIT CANDLES UNATTENDED. CONSIDER USING FLAMELESS LED CANDLES FOR THIS DISPLAY, SUCH AS THE TRUGLOW CANDLE RANGE FROM LIGHTS4FUN. PHOTOGRAPH CAROLINE ARBER, CICO BOOKS
holders at Hobbycraft and Ikea
CHRISTMAS CR AFTS
Create a new ritual with an ADVENT CALENDAR of your favourite decs
6 CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN
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Swerve the chocolate and ring the changes with an ornamental Advent calendar. Simply attach numbered gift tags to a piece of plywood using picture tacks, and string up 24 of your most treasured baubles. Then you can enjoy the daily ritual of removing them from the board to trim your tree. Easy. Find similar decorations at Nkuku, John Lewis & Partners and Gisela Graham
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7 NOVEL NAPKIN TIES
8 PRETTY PLACE SETTINGS
Not just for the FRONT DOOR, an easy-to-make floral WREATH adds a lovely festive touch 10
Seat your guests in style with namecards featuring a botanical twist. Coir seedling pots are a great size – just large enough to hold gravel or sand for stability, topped with decorative moss or other greenery. Don’t forget to block off any holes in the bottom of the pots before filling. Write or stamp names onto thin card and fasten to sticks using glue or wooden pegs before nestling into the pots. Finish with string and wooden present toppers or table confetti, if you like. Find letter stamps and table decorations at Hobbycraft
9 WINTER WREATH
Showcase your favourite frosty florals with a handmade wreath. Forage for fresh or buy a selection of faux greenery and stems to decorate a wicker or wire frame. Begin by securing floristry wire to your frame. Next, layer up your foliage, starting with the largest pieces, keeping in place by encircling with the wire. Add in blooms, pinecones or other festive decorations and finish off by tying on a colourful ribbon for hanging. For a comprehensive DIY wreath kit, visit sarahraven.com
10 PRESENT TOPPERS
Salt dough decorations will bring a personal touch to wrapped presents. Mix 250g plain flour and 125g table salt in a bowl. Add 125ml water and stir to form a ball. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to roughly 1cm thick. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and poke a hole near the top with a sharp pencil. Place the shapes on a baking tray and bake at your oven’s lowest setting for three hours, or until solid. Leave to cool. Paint and once dry, thread with a ribbon or string and secure to your gifts. Not to be eaten though, obviously! Find similar paper and ribbon at Katie Leamon 72 housebeautiful.com/uk
PHOTOGRAPHS HOUSE OF PICTURES; EWA STOCK/FLORA PRESS/MINA HESSE; CAMERA PRESS/CHRIS WARNES/BAUER SYNDICATION; LOUPE IMAGES; NARRATIVES/POLLY WREFORD; HOUSE OF PICTURES/TIA BORGSMIDT (STYLING BENTE HALKJAER)
Easily customisable depending on your table scheme (see page 46 for our four favourite trends), homemade napkin ties are the perfect finishing touch. Use decorative ribbon or string and thread on or attach foliage, present toppers or dried orange slices to complete the look. Find similar napkins at LinenMe
CHRISTMAS CR AFTS
11 QUICK CRACKERS
Once you’ve done all your wrapping, use any leftover giftwrap to create some cracking crackers. Secure an empty loo roll tube with double-sided tape along the long edge of your paper. Roll up until the tube is covered, as many times as you like, and secure with more double-sided tape. Pop in a gift, a handwritten joke and a paper hat. Gently squeeze and twist each end closed or leave open, if you prefer. A ribbon makes a lovely final flourish. These would also work with any leftover wallpaper you might have knocking about. Find similar giftwrap at Paperchase and a similar plate at John Lewis & Partners
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Look inside our beautiful real-life properties and be inspired…
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CONTINENTAL CHRISTMAS
WOODLAND SPIRIT
Bauhaus-style colour blocking is the ideal backdrop for German collectibles in a 1970s bungalow
Fresh foliage adds to the rich mix of textures and bold decorative flourishes in this London home
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HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
A TOUCH OF GRANDEUR
FESTIVE FAIRYTALE
A cosy farmhouse in the snowy Norwegian mountains is the perfect setting for Christmas
Cook and food writer Skye McAlpine gets ready for a traditional Christmas with all the trimmings
Natural touches and warm wood soften the sleek, minimalist interior of a Danish beach house House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 75
C H R I S T M A S AT H O M E
HOME PROFILE WHO LIVES HERE Thorsten van Elten, who runs interiors brand thorstenvanelten.com, and his partner, Karl Vodrey, a technical services manager at the Royal College of Art THE PROPERTY A three-bedroom, detached late-1970s bungalow in Battle, East Sussex PRICE £565,000 in December 2015 WHAT IT’S WORTH NOW About £800,000 76 housebeautiful.com/uk
LIVING AREA Against a simple backdrop of white-painted brickwork walls, the decorations, which are mainly German, bring a festive feel. The handcrafted sheep, which Thorsen sells through his shop, are 1982 designs by Hanns-Peter Krafft, and are sturdy enough to be used as seating
Continental Christmas Geometric architecture and a hint of Bauhaus colour-block decoration provide the perfect backdrop for German and Eastern European design classics in this 1970s bungalow WORDS JANE CRITTENDEN | PHOTOGRAPHY JAMES BALSTON
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LIVING SPACE Swedish artworks from the early 2000s feature on the wall of one of the living rooms. Totem Poles by Mike Lemanski is similar Right The 20-year-old 78 housebeautiful.com/uk
modular sofa by Cappellini has been reupholstered in orange velvet by Raf Simons for Kvadrat, while the Espiga copper rod floor lamp is by Bowles & Linares
C H R I S T M A S AT H O M E
one-off bungalow, built in the late 1970s, caught the eye of German design enthusiast Thorsten van Elten, much in the same way he chooses stock for his online shop or items for his home. ‘For me, design, and my house, should be timeless and uncomplicated and enjoyed for exactly what they are. My aesthetic isn’t overly one thing or another: the Bauhaus movement has made a big impression on me, but I also like 1970s and 1980s classics. This bungalow is nothing like other English houses, having a continental look yet located on the edge of a Sussex village, and that really appealed to me,’ he says. Thorsten and his partner, Karl Vodrey, had been living in a two-bedroom flat above a central London tube station for 20 years when Thorsten decided it was time for a change. Their agenda was to find a property within easy reach of channel crossings for Thorsten to return home to Germany, and to London for Karl’s job at the Royal College of Art. This brick and black-timber-clad bungalow had everything they were looking for: a large garden overlooking the countryside, a barn for storing Thorsten’s shop stock and, of course, a unique design aesthetic. ‘Elements of the property are like my brother’s home in Germany – white-painted brickwork, floor-to-ceiling windows, black window frames,’ says Thorsten. ‘Because the plot is on a slope, the layout is split-level. Once I saw the sunken seating area – often called a “conversation pit” – I was completely won over. People talk about making their house their own, but this house already felt like my own, so why change it?’ Bedrooms and bathrooms are arranged around the entrance hallway, separated by steps down into a linear layout of adjoining living spaces that look out onto the garden and countryside beyond. ‘As well as the conversation pit, we have a living room and glazed “wintergarten”, as I call it, to sit in and relax, which are part of an extension carried out in the 1990s,’ explains Thorsten. The couple moved into the bungalow a few days before Christmas in 2015 with Karl’s family hot on their heels to celebrate the big day with them. Thorsten was selective House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 79
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‘The BAUHAUS movement made a big IMPRESSION on me, but I also like 1970s and 1980s CLASSICS ’ 80 housebeautiful.com/uk
about furniture, putting the essentials into their home and storing the remainder in the barn until they’d worked out exactly where they wanted everything to go. ‘We decorated for Christmas,’ he recalls. ‘With my classic German decorations, a real tree and our familiar furniture, the house felt immediately like home.’ Thorsten trained in interior design and was a buyer for retailer SCP before opening his own shop, often collaborating with designers to produce furniture and accessories. Before the coronavirus pandemic, he regularly returned to Germany and visited various Eastern European countries, mixing work with pleasure as he sought out the best design classics, both modern and vintage. ‘It’s never about price – I value items that reach out and speak to me,’ he says. ‘They need the right balance of aesthetics in shape and colour, and quality is essential. For instance, my napkins from Budapest cost 20p each and are regularly used, while I invested in Cappellini’s Cuba sofa 20 years ago and it’s still going strong. I don’t want to replace something for the sake of it; if it doesn’t offend me, it can stay – there are far more important things in life than perfection.’ This is why the bathrooms and kitchen remain unchanged, for now. Elsewhere, wood-panelled ceilings are untouched, and the exposed brick and blockwork were simply refreshed with a new coat of brilliant white paint. This gallery-esque backdrop is perfect for showcasing designer furniture, lighting, art, cushions and blankets, many of which are by friends, such as Daniel Emma and Donna Wilson – whose red felt Christmas placemats Thorsten uses every year. One dramatic change that came about after the move was a decision to upholster
DINING AREA The 1970s dining table and chairs – by German company Rosenthal – were a lucky find at local auction house Burstow & Hewett. The Cherry pendant light above the table was a gift from designer friend
Daniel Emma, and the red felt Christmas placemats were given to Thorsten by Donna Wilson. The green-stemmed Roemer glasses are a classic German collectible that Thorsten sells through his online shop
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KITCHEN/DINER
A friend gave Thorsten the 1950s Danish daybed, which he had reupholstered in a blue fabric. The rug by Christopher Farr is available at The Conran Shop
An oversized cup-and-saucer planter by Gitta Gschwendtner sits on the concrete and aluminium table by Bowles & Linares. The grey Foto pendant is from Ikea
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‘It’s never about price. I VALUE, items that REACH OUT to me’
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BATHROOM Original plywood remains in the unrenovated bathroom, where clean lines echo the geometric forms in the rest of the property. The Restgarn towel, made from leftover yarn, can be bought from Thorsten’s shop
HALLWAY The entrance is at the top of the sloping plot where steps, flanked by thriving pot plants, lead down into the kitchen/diner. The quarry floor tiles and black-framed doors are original
‘DESIGN should be TIMELESS and ENJOYED for exactly what it is’ the sofa in orange, a departure from Thorsten’s usual choice of neutrals for large furniture. ‘I saw the zingy velvet in SCP’s shop and thought it looked amazing,’ he says. ‘It’s also the right shade of orange to work with the Bauhaus colour blocks I’ve painted around the sliding door frame.’ With Christmas around the corner once again, celebrating remains much the same for Thorsten and Karl, though this year they will have a new Christmas tree since the previous one outgrew its pot and is now planted in the garden. The couple also like to buy one or two new vintage tree ornaments each year. ‘Our German decorations are made from wood; they’re simple, much-loved and timeless, which is very much how our home feels,’ explains Thorsten. ‘Nothing is overcomplicated here, or over-thought, or too precious. We’ve achieved a really comfortable way to live.’ HB 84 housebeautiful.com/uk
BEDROOMS This page Framed black and white posters decorate the walls. The Shadow mirror among them is by Belgian designer Sylvain Willenz and the framed lady is one of Thorsten’s great aunts Far left The Berlin cushion in the guest room was inspired by 1960s and 1970s architecture in Berlin’s U-Bahn stations
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GET THE LOOK Recreate Thorsten and Karl’s dynamic look with statement pieces in bold colours 2
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1 Cast Shape 1 pendant light, £90, Nest 2 Froset easy chair, £75, Ikea 3 Aami Aami cushion, £75, Yinka Ilori 4 Strom vase by Raawii, £46, Heal’s 5 Toadstool table lamp, £50, John Lewis & Partners 6 Bauhaus exhibition print, £40 (unframed), PSTR Studio 7 Simple Pleasures tree, £28, Bloom & Wild 8 Dark Blue Hinge side table, £197, Bombinate 9 Cuscino three-seater velvet sofa, £1,500, Habitat 10 Wooden Nutcracker decorations, £20 each, Ella James 11 Homage to the Square: Blue, White, Grey rug, £850, The Conran Shop
Matt Cobalt fruit bowl, £27, Artysan 86 housebeautiful.com/uk
Abstract pattern cushion, £8, George Home
Mushroom tree decoration, £14, Anthropologie
Milas Blue Tassel recycled cotton throw, £20.90, Beaumonde
Cade desk lamp, £25, Next
COMPILED BY DAISY BENDALL
S T Y L E I T FA S T FO R U N D E R £ 3 0
WOODLAND SPIRIT
Homemade wreaths and fresh foliage add layers of joy to a London home already rich in pattern and colour WORDS JO LEEVERS | PHOTOGRAPHY RACHAEL SMITH | STYLING JENNYFER STANLEY
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HOME PROFILE WHO LIVES HERE Jennyfer Stanley, founder of interior design company J Stanley Interiors (jstanleyinteriors.co.uk), her husband Tim Loo, a strategy director at a digital design company, and their children Madeleine, 13, and Seb, eight THE PROPERTY An extended four-bedroom 1920s semi in north London PRICE £850,000 in 2016 MONEY SPENT £250,000 WHAT IT’S WORTH NOW £1,300,000
LIVING ROOM The children’s favourite decorations take pride of place on the tree. Jennyfer adds to the festive mood by dotting Christmas ornaments everywhere, from the mantel to the coffee table
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his house was a classic ‘doer-upper’, and Jennyfer Stanley and her husband Tim wouldn’t have had it any other way. With her strong sense of style, Jennyfer wanted to bring in a look that reflects her personality and love of travel. Unsurprisingly, when Christmas comes around, her decorations are similarly creative. ‘As I get older, I find myself drawn to pieces that remind me of my childhood and family traditions,’ says Jennyfer, who grew up in Singapore and the United States before settling in London. Take, for example, the vintage china she uses for her Christmas table settings. ‘It has a subtle chinoiserie pattern that brings to mind my childhood in Asia. Touches like this are great for giving my own children an insight into the kind of designs I grew up with,’ she says. Other places Jennyfer has lived have also influenced her style. She worked in finance before retraining as an interior designer, and the steel-framed glazing at the back of the house reminds her of the edgy urban feel of New York, where she lived before having children. Meanwhile, the way the open-plan spaces on the ground floor flow into each other is reminiscent of Japanese interiors. ‘I’ve worked in Tokyo, where the idea of flow is integral to design, and I think that aesthetic seeped into my consciousness,’ she says. To add to the mix, Tim hails from Sydney and loves to create open, sunlit spaces. ‘Between us, we brought quite an international flavour to this project,’ says Jennyfer. But before she could get down to creating this mix of styles, there was a lot of building work to be done. The house had been rented out
HALLWAY
SNUG
The family enjoy Jennyfer’s use of colour and pattern, not least in the hall, with its ceiling papered in a vibrant Pierre Frey design and blue and white floor tiles from Fired Earth. The pendant is from Lampsy
Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue has been used on the walls of this cosy space off the main hallway. The rich colours were inspired by vintage kimono silks and the painting, bought in Bali
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LIVING ROOM With its grand proportions, decorative chandelier and bold Hermès wallpaper, this room is the perfect setting for the beautifully decorated supersized tree Opposite, top The piano doubles as an extra surface for displaying decorations House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 93
DINING AREA A starburst chandelier from Graham & Green illuminates a mid-century-style table and chairs from West Elm. Devol cabinets are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Rangwali. Vintage chinoiserie-pattern plates sit on a tablecloth from Zara Home 94 housebeautiful.com/uk
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‘As I get older, I’m drawn to pieces that remind me of my childhood and family traditions’
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‘The aim was to open up the spaces while preserving a feeling of intimacy’ 96 housebeautiful.com/uk
KITCHEN The Devol units, painted in Farrow & Ball’s Pantry Blue with brass handles, have a timeless, sophisticated look
and was in a jaded state, but that made it easier for Jennyfer to envisage taking out dividing walls and rebuilding a tumbledown conservatory as their dining area. ‘The aim was to open up the spaces while preserving a feeling of intimacy in each of them,’ she explains. The Crittall-style glazing was created by macArchitect. The firm also added a side extension to enlarge the family’s kitchen and make space for a cloakroom and utility room. Upstairs, a loft extension created a suite for Jennyfer and Tim, with an ensuite behind more steel-framed glazing. The family decamped to a nearby rental while the bulk of the work was going on, giving Jennyfer time to hone her moodboards. ‘After living in rented apartments in so many different cities, I couldn’t wait to get going on our own home. I had a storehouse of ideas ready to go,’ she says. One thing she wanted to include was a stylised Jardin d’Osier wallpaper by Hermès, which has been used to eyecatching effect on the chimney breast in the living room, while a more serene pattern by Fromental features in the couple’s blue bedroom. Both designs reflect Jennyfer’s love of flowers and foliage. ‘I enjoy painting and arranging flowers; anything that involves working with colours and shapes,’ she adds. Seasonal displays reveal Jennyfer’s love of mixing textures and tones within her home – something she does all year round, but which really comes to the fore at Christmas. ‘I think when you walk into a room, your eye should be drawn to interesting focal points,’ she says. ‘The variations you see, whether in fabrics, upholstery or foliage, add depth to a scheme.’ Jennyfer always starts preparing for the festive season in good time: ‘Having lived in America, I have carried on the tradition of celebrating
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White Fired Earth Metro tiles laid in a herringbone design echo the parquet floor. The space is abuzz with activity at Christmas. ‘I do the decor and Tim gets involved with the cooking,’ says Jennyfer
Light-reflecting baubles in sugar-plum shades liven up garlands of spruce branches – offcuts from the family’s oversized Christmas tree – that wind up the banister
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Thanksgiving, which is in November. For me, that signals the start of all the winter festivities.’ Jennyfer always makes her own wreaths to hang in the windows, and this year she had some unexpected extra supplies of spruce branches. ‘When our Christmas tree arrived, it was a size larger than we had ordered, so we had to trim back its branches and remove the top to get it to fit into the room,’ she smiles. The offcuts have been worked into wreaths and arrangements, mixed with eucalyptus and dried ilex berries. ‘I don’t have anything against faux foliage, but it’s worth remembering that real leaves last for ages, especially if you give them the odd spritz of water,’ explains Jennyfer. She loves the annual ritual of creating foliage displays: ‘Anything that involves working with nature feels therapeutic, which we can all benefit from at this busy time of year.’ Jennyfer hangs plenty of gleaming baubles alongside this natural greenery, and the impressive tree in the living room is laden with its fair share of quirky decorations. ‘The children have their old favourites and get to vote on the colour scheme each year,’ she explains. These seasonal additions fit easily into the house’s existing style, which is strong on atmospheric colours, patterns and gleaming textures. ‘As well as being our favourite time of year as a family,’ she says, ‘Christmas is also my favourite time to indulge my love of nature, colour and pattern.’
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LOFT BEDROOM
ENSUITE
Top A Fromental wallcovering makes an elegant backdrop to a Loaf bed with Anthropologie bedding and cushions by Designers Guild Left Bespoke eaves storage is painted in Stiffkey Blue by Farrow & Ball
This has been cleverly divided from this main loft bedroom by steel-framed glazing. Marble tiles from Fired Earth and brassware from Lefroy Brooks make for a hotel-luxe feel
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KIDS’ ROOMS
GUEST ROOM
In Madeleine’s bedroom, the chimney breast is painted in New Mauve by Designers Guild, while layered rugs add zingy shades. In Seb’s room, a Jane Churchill wallpaper reflects his love of cars
A dreamy wallpaper from Rebel Walls distracts from the tricky shape of this long, thin room. Cushions by Orla Kiely at John Lewis & Partners add colour. The bedding is from Ikea
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GET THE LOOK Layer up plenty of pattern and colour to recreate Jennyfer and Tim’s style 1
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COMPILED BY DAISY BENDALL
S T Y L E I T FA S T FO R U N D E R £ 3 0
Leikny cushion cover, £4.50, Ikea
Gold eucalyptus wreath, £28.99, Gisela Graham
Reactive green vase, £8, Next
Pip Studio La Majorelle Blue plate, £12, Daisy Park
Gold metal lantern, £20, Matalan
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HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS A red farmhouse in the snowy Norwegian mountains is as inviting inside as out, with family heirlooms and delicate festive touches
WORDS CHRISTINA B KJELDSEN/LIVING INSIDE | PHOTOGRAPHY INA SKJEFTE/LIVING INSIDE
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HOME PROFILE WHO LIVES HERE Gunn Tausvik. Her three grown-up sons Magnus, Jørgen and Henrik visit often, along with her grandson Jakob THE PROPERTY A farmhouse built in 1929 in the village of Skage, Norway
EXTERIOR The little red farmhouse is a chocolate-box Christmas scene. The extension on the right was added by Gunn and her late husband when their young family began to grow House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 105
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his picture-perfect weatherboarded house in the Norwegian mountains is full of precious memories for its owner, Gunn Tausvik. It has been in her family for almost a century, and while its decor reveals unbreakable links with her family’s past, some simple style updates have also brought Gunn’s own personality into its rooms. The old farmhouse near Skage has always been a place the family have used for weekends away and summer holidays, but this is the first time Gunn and her three grown-up sons, Magnus, Jørgen and Henrik, plus her grandson Jakob, have celebrated Christmas here. Home for Gunn is usually a far more modern house an hour’s drive from here, while her sons have long since flown the nest. ‘I’m not quite sure why we never spent Christmas here before now,’ says Gunn. ‘When you’re looking out on the snowy landscape, it feels so cosy inside and I’m loving being here. In fact, the snow can keep falling as much as it wants – we have all we need and each other’s company, so we’re happy to stay here until the New Year,’ she says with a smile. Part of the warm atmosphere is down to the way Gunn has set family heirlooms and some of her more modern finds against a crisp white backdrop. Painted tongue-and-groove boards cover the walls and 106 housebeautiful.com/uk
EXTERIOR Opposite Gunn and her sons Magnus, Jørgen and Henrik outside the house; hand-knitted jumpers hang in the hallway
LIVING ROOM The simply decorated Christmas tree stands alongside a vintage wall clock – a family heirloom
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LIVING ROOM
DINING AREA
Ikea sofas and a vintage coffee table sit in a space opened up around a renovated fireplace Opposite Gunn found the old oil lamp, among other antique treasures, in the house’s barn
Opposite A potted baby spruce adds festive charm on top of a timeworn gateleg table, while a simple wreath and a paper star in the window complete the look
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pitched ceilings. This traditional method of insulating the house from the harsh weather is mirrored by the property’s red exterior. Gunn has also used white paint on the floorboards and the rustic kitchen units, creating a calm, cohesive feel. Some items of furniture have been in Gunn’s family for decades and are pieces she remembers from her own childhood. These include a kitchen chair that belonged to her grandmother, and a rustic carved bed made in 1948 by her grandfather as the couple’s marriage bed. Gunn found most of these interesting items hidden away in the house’s barn and boathouse. She dusted them off and cleaned them up and now they add a distinctive vintage charm throughout the house. ‘My grandparents and parents put away things they saw as old-fashioned. Now I’ve rummaged around in their hiding places to find them and give them a second lease of life,’ she says. Among Gunn’s favourite rescued finds are a spinning wheel that is now proudly displayed in a cosy seating area on the landing, which offers fantastic views of the forest. Other prized possessions are a vintage chair upholstered in a traditional floral-print fabric, and a chest of drawers that Gunn repurposed as a basin stand in the
‘I guess it always goes in CYCLES; we see BEAUTY in things previous GENERATIONS thought were old and tired’ House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 109
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KITCHEN Traditional Norwegian porcelain is displayed above handmade white-painted units, while a chair that belonged to Gunn’s grandmother adds warmth
Pared-back WREATHS, paper stars and sprigs of SPRUCE are all that’s needed in quieter corners bathroom. ‘I guess it always goes in cycles – we see beauty in things that previous generations thought were old and tired,’ she adds. When her children were younger, Gunn and her late husband did quite a bit of renovation work on the house, opening up the living and dining spaces and restoring the exposed-brick central fireplace as a focal point. They also added an extension to one side of the main house, which provided extra bedrooms to accommodate their growing family. Today, when Gunn and her sons decorate the house for Christmas, she’s more aware than ever of how they are immersed in family traditions. She loves delving into boxes of old tree decorations and blending them with newer homemade ones, which include photographs of beloved family members, such as Gunn’s late husband, who died three years ago. ‘I’d say that my Christmas style is traditional, neutral and simple,’ she says. ‘My favourite colours are white, green and dusky earth tones.’ Pared-back wreaths, paper stars and sprigs picked from local spruce trees are all that’s needed in the quieter corners of this home, alongside folksy painted furniture and unfussy wooden trunks and tables. Gunn’s love of tradition is also played out in the kitchen, where she uses her grandmother’s recipe book to bake things with her grandson Jakob, including cakes, cookies and a gingerbread house that bears an uncanny resemblance to her own snow-dusted home. She likes the idea that she is helping to create a bank of memories for Jakob – and if they can echo her own, all the better. ‘I have wonderful memories of visiting my grandparents and even my great-grandmother here. I can recall harvesting strawberries, tending the potato fields and chopping firewood for winter,’ she says. These days, Gunn and her sons enjoy more leisurely pursuits, including skiing, which is possible right from the house’s front door. ‘There are several good slopes nearby for ski jumping, sledge rides and snowboarding,’ she says. ‘When you ski back from the mountain, it’s wonderful to glide into the village and come to a stop outside our snow-covered house.’ HB
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KITCHEN Opposite, top Gunn’s grandson Jakob helps to make gingerbread biscuits
JAKOB’S ROOM Opposite, bottom A bureau handpainted with folk patterns is a family heirloom
KITCHEN On white-painted shelving, an old family photograph takes pride of place amid retro storage jars, silverware and an array of traditional sweet treats
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BATHROOM Gunn repurposed a chest of drawers that belonged to her grandmother as a vanity unit
BEDROOM A crocheted blanket adds homespun charm to a bed carved by Gunn’s grandfather
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Gunn is helping to CREATE a bank of MEMORIES for her grandson Jakob
EXTERIOR The house has a fairy-tale air at any time of day. ‘When we look out on the snowy landscape it feels so cosy inside,’ Gunn says
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GET THE LOOK Be inspired by Gunn’s rustic-cottage charm with traditional pieces in muted tones 4 2 1 3
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COMPILED BY DAISY BENDALL
S T Y L E I T FA S T FO R U N D E R £ 3 0
Logan Industrial Grey wall light, £25, Dunelm
Apothecary bottle, £14, Dyke & Dean
Water hyacinth bin, £15, John Lewis & Partners
Kashi kilim cushion, £28, Myakka
Classic candlestick, £25, Liberty London
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A touch of GRANDEUR Cook and food writer Skye McAlpine shares her Christmas traditions WORDS CAROLYN BAILEY | PHOTOGRAPHY BRENT DARBY
DINING AREA Laden with festive delights, a long, rustic-style table takes pride of place in the dining space adjoining the kitchen. The huge dresser, from a Brussels fleamarket, has been repainted and lined with Antoinette Poisson wallpaper 116 housebeautiful.com/uk
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HOME PROFILE WHO LIVES HERE Skye McAlpine, cookery writer and author of A Table for Friends, her husband and their two sons THE PROPERTY A Victorian townhouse in south-west London
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‘I love everything about Christmas,’ smiles Skye McAlpine. ‘I really enjoy getting into the festive spirit and celebrating with my favourite people. I’m obsessed with seeing everyone I love, so I squeeze in as many small celebrations as possible throughout December. The food is obviously a highlight – I can’t wait to enjoy all the amazing dishes we only eat once a year. For me, Christmas lunch is not about sophisticated food or trying anything new – we have the same things each year. It’s all about tradition for us. ‘I also love decorating the tree, choosing the crackers and finding the perfect presents for friends and family,’ she adds. ‘And wrapping gifts. I’m very lucky that our nanny Ellie gives me a hand – we do a couple of sessions together when the boys have gone to bed. On Christmas Eve, we have a cosy supper with close family and then go to midnight mass.’ When it comes to the big day itself, the family follow a number of time-honoured traditions. ‘We kick off with a special breakfast of hot ginger tea, panettone or pastries on trays, then gather round the tree to open stockings,’ explains Skye. ‘We have our lunch later on, after a
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DINING AREA
FESTIVE TABLE
Top, left This first-floor space is flooded with light from the large window dressed with curtains in a soft apricot shade. A Murano glass chandelier is an opulent touch above the festive dining table
Left Skye’s wrapping paper and crackers are made of Italian-style marbled paper Above One of the many Christmas cakes Skye makes as gifts – continuing festive traditions is important to her
LIVING ROOM Skye loves decorating the Christmas tree. The sofa is upholstered in a pretty Jean Monro fabric
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long family walk. We always spend the day with my mother and a few other friends we can persuade to come over; this year there will be six of us. They’ll arrive for late-afternoon drinks before we sit down to eat.’ Another annual ritual is Skye’s mother’s gift of a jigsaw puzzle featuring a memorable family photograph from that year. ‘The year we got married, she used a photo of our wedding,’ recalls Skye. The fun continues into the evening, which is, she says, ‘a time to play with the new toys, chill out in our pyjamas and eat up cold leftovers. We also sometimes watch a classic Christmas film such as The Muppet Christmas Carol or White Christmas. The children make the day come alive with their excitement, which is so infectious! We lean into the magic with them, which gives us plenty of excuses to make it extra special.’ The family’s main Christmas meal reflects their love of all things traditionally festive. ‘The last couple of years we’ve eaten goose, and this year we plan to do the same,’ says Skye. ‘We serve it with crispy roast potatoes cooked in the goose fat and heaps of vegetables.’ And, while food might be her area of expertise, the cooking on this special day is very much a collaborative affair. ‘My husband is in charge of the bird, while I’m obsessed with stuffing baked in trays until it’s nice and crispy; my favourite is panettone, chestnut, pancetta and sage,’ she continues. Other trimmings include her mother’s red cabbage recipe, plus peas cooked with onion and stock, which she makes in advance. ‘We also have Brussels sprouts with chestnuts,’ she enthuses. ‘I usually give bread sauce and gravy a miss but make up for it with cranberry sauce, which we all love. For dessert, we serve panettone and brandy butter, and I also make Christmas cakes decorated with glacé fruit and nuts. I keep to the traditional menu each year and sometimes just add a little extra; this year it’s going to be a radicchio salad, which always looks so pretty. ‘I always keep the fridge well stocked so there’s plenty of food for Boxing Day, too,’ adds Skye. ‘We have cold hams and leftover bread
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‘My motto in life is: more is more! Everything in abundance, whether that’s a huge bowl of fruit or a vase filled with flowers’
DETAILS
KITCHEN
Opposite, top left Tucked away in a living-room alcove is a 1950s Fornasetti drinks fridge Opposite, top right Storecupboard jars are kept in plain sight on open shelves Opposite, bottom left Copper jelly moulds from Ebay form a striking wall display
Skye’s oversized oven helps take the stress out of Christmas entertaining. The island is an old work table upcycled with a marble top and a shelf, and can be wheeled out to the patio when needed for any alfresco gatherings House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 121
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with butter and cheeses – pecorino and stilton. I get a large Ocado order in a few days before Christmas, but the goose is from our local butcher and the cheese from [traditional cheesemonger]Paxton & Whitfield. ‘When I was a child, my mother made me an Advent calendar with a gift for each day in December, and I now do the same for my boys,’ explains Skye. ‘It’s a lot of work but worth the effort when I see the excitement on their faces. I also had my stocking at breakfast as a child and we do now, too. Another family tradition I keep up is making Christmas cakes as gifts. And I have special memories of my mother’s nativity scene with antique figurines, which she still gets out each year. ‘I love abundance, so I display bowls filled with fruits, nuts, satsumas with leaves, pomegranates, mince pies, chocolates and pears throughout the house. We eat them and refresh the bowls as we go,’ says Skye. ‘When it comes to decorations, I go for a timeless look – gold and silver instantly conjure up Christmas and I like to mix these with a little surprise, such as touches of pink, as well as adding texture with velvet ribbons. My decorations have been accumulated over years and mean a lot to me, so I don’t change things in a big way. I do make a few small updates, though. ‘I also introduce fresh flowers and foliage so the house smells of Christmas, and candles create a warm and cosy atmosphere and can easily be replaced; my favourites are beeswax for their texture and aroma. Each year, my friend Milli* makes a wreath for me – I love the moment of arriving at the door when it’s up. And the final decorative touch is the Christmas cards, which I put up for everyone to enjoy.’ HB 122 housebeautiful.com/uk
HAIR AND MAKE-UP LINDSEY POOLE FLOWERS AND WREATH MILLI PROUST *MILLIPROUST.COM
‘I love a timeless look at Christmas. I never follow trends’
STUDY Opposite ‘This cosy space turns into Santa’s HQ in December,’ explains Skye. ‘I hide all my wrap, ribbons and gifts under blankets. It’s also a welcome retreat from the excitement and a place where I can catch up on last-minute emails.’ The room is painted in Rectory Red gloss by Farrow & Ball
LIVING ROOM Opposite The piano is a focal point of this stylish but comfortable room, and comes into its own at Christmas. ‘My husband plays carols and we all sing along,’ says Skye
STAIRWAY Hand-painted wallpaper by Alasdair Peebles sweeps from the landing up and is complemented by flowers and foliage by Skye’s friend Milli Proust, a Sussex-based florist and flower grower
SKYE’S INGREDIENTS FOR A MAGICAL CHRISTMAS » Organisation is key.
Plan the menu in advance, taking the space in your oven into account. If you’re limited on room, use the hob for vegetables and sausages. » Get as much cooking done in advance as possible. Prepare the vegetables and parboil potatoes the day before. » Lay the table the night before and get the family to help if you can. My son always gives me a hand and keeps me company. » Keep Christmas Day as simple as possible so you can spend time with the family rather than getting stuck in the kitchen. House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 123
GET THE LOOK Reproduce Skye’s opulent glamour with plush furnishings and ornate accessories 2
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1 Mosaico square tray, £32, Amara 2 Petworth three-seater sofa, £2,738, Sofas & Stuff 3 Conservatoire mirror with gold mouldings, £373, Maisons du Monde 4 Large zig-zag rim Zagora bowl, £50, Raj Tent Club 5 Indusbar rug, £170, Jaipur Rugs 6 Wild Woodland wreath, £55, Bloom & Wild 7 Treacle footstool, £605, Loaf 8 Bistro-style chair, £299/two, La Redoute 9 Three glittered fern sprays, £15.50, Cox & Cox 10 Modena chandelier, £279, Lights & Lamps
Serving stand, £25, House Beautiful at Homebase 124 housebeautiful.com/uk
Italian marbled-paper box, £16, Reset Select
Bounty glass candlestick holder, £18, Selfridges
Green Regal Peacock plate, £18, Burleigh
Waterfall coupes, £14 each, Anthropologie
COMPILED BY DAISY BENDALL
S T Y L E I T FA S T FO R U N D E R £ 3 0
Festive
FAIRYTALE
With a pared-back scheme softened by warm wood and decorations woven from nature, this Danish beach house is a holiday hideaway WORDS EVA-MARIE WILKEN/LIVING INSIDE | PHOTOGRAPHY MARTIN SØLYST/LIVING INSIDE 126 housebeautiful.com/uk
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HOME PROFILE WHO LIVES HERE Henrietta Caroline Sharma, interior designer at Simonsen &Czechura, her husband, their two children and three dogs THE PROPERTY A renovated wooden beach house near Copenhagen, Denmark, dating from 1905
LIVING ROOM An Eilersen sofa, marble coffee table and minimalist chairs by Poul Kjærholm, available at Skandium, create a sleek look, while a Cathrine Raben Davidsen artwork draws the eye up to the room’s full height House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 127
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w
hen Henrietta Caroline Sharma and her family celebrate Christmas at their converted beach house, there’s a feeling of being surrounded by nature. Thanks to the glazed extension to the once-simple waterside home, the frosty landscape and distant shore can be seen from expanded living areas on both the ground floor and a first-floor mezzanine at the front of the house. An extra-tall Christmas tree, plus simple arrangements of branches and spruce garlands lovingly included throughout, provide ever-present reminders of the forest that wraps around the back of the house, making it feel all the cosier. Then there’s Henrietta’s interiors style: a pared-back mix of natural textures, simple monochromes and soft-berry pastels that, in their own way, also pay tribute to the beautiful natural setting close to the water’s edge of the Øresund, the strait between Denmark and Sweden. The house is clad in black-painted timbers and when Henrietta renovated it and added the new windows, she wanted the architecture to make the most of the big-sky views, which inspire her all year round. ‘It’s beautiful in all seasons, but I love it most in wintertime, when I can bring in the glow of candlelight and add lots of special details,’ she says. This festive mood greets visitors as soon as they walk up the front path, where garlands of twinkling fairy lights are wrapped around the potted box and spruce trees that flank the way to the door. The first-floor balcony is also hung with lights and
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DINING ROOM
A Christmas tree from the local forest stands alongside an imposing artwork by Ulla Pedersen and an Arco lamp by Flos. The staircase leads up to the airy mezzanine level with its second seating area
Natural grasses decorate the dining table, which Henrietta made from leftover Dinesen floorboards. The pendant lights are by Moooi while the woven-backed chairs are by Paola Navone for Gervasoni
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Henrietta shows how calming it can be to use a base palette of black and white
KITCHEN Henrietta painted the Boform kitchen and the two Ilva tables she uses as an island in Railings by Farrow & Ball, adding brass handles to the units. See Herringbone Kitchens for a similar design. Monochrome tiles from Made a Mano complete the stylish but practical scheme
EXTERIOR Fairy lights prettify the house’s black cladding. Along with lanterns, they illuminate the garden after dark 130 housebeautiful.com/uk
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evergreen branches, adding to the atmosphere. Throughout the house, Henrietta’s decorations have a handmade quality, and most are crafted from foliage and berries that have been picked and foraged locally. Adding further to the natural beauty, the house’s main Norwegian spruce tree is hung with angels made from pine needles – delicate decorations created by the flower artist Malou Karberg. Similarly, Henrietta hangs wreaths and single glossy green leaves in the windows, and decorates her dining table with a mixture of dried and evergreen foliage. ‘Once the candles are lit, the dining table is one area that really sparkles,’ she says. Above all, any Christmas adornments must work in harmony with the home’s existing feel. ‘Decorations should serve the surrounding architecture and style, not hide it,’ she insists. When she redesigned this home, Henrietta wanted to show how calming it can be to use a limited base palette of black and white – especially with the addition of natural materials such as marble, woven wicker and wood to soften any starkness. For example, in the kitchen, the cabinetry and island (made from two simple flatpack trestle tables) are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Railings, which contrasts with the pale shade of the Dinesen Douglas fir pine floorboards, while the splashback of Made a Mano tiles dazzles with a white-on-black pattern. In the adjoining dining room, two perforated black pendants by Moooi stand out against the white walls and pale floorboards, with woven rattan and pale wood softening the effect. Upstairs in the main bedroom, the scheme continues with pale-grey walls and white bedlinen, while dusky-hued
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cushions on the bed catch the eye and provide a softer counterpart to the room’s faded monochrome base. Throughout the living spaces, the art on display tends towards bold and graphic pieces, with a particularly tall work by Cathrine Raben Davidsen in the seating area helping to emphasise the dramatic height of this more recent extension. In summer, this space opens onto the garden and the beach beyond, but in winter, it’s kept warm, cosy and cosseting, while the upstairs mezzanine area provides a second seating spot that feels quieter, but still connected to the house’s easy flow – not to mention the Christmas preparations. ‘I’m always really busy in the run-up to Christmas, but once we all arrive here, our time in this house is dedicated to having fun and hanging out together,’ says Henrietta. One of her favourite things to do is to take the dogs for long walks in the woods behind the property and bring back branches and cones to turn into decorations. Another annual ritual is for her children to bake Lucia buns, a speciality that Henrietta remembers from her own childhood, when she would spend time with her mother’s family in Sweden. ‘I love it when our home is full of family,’ says Henrietta. ‘We each have our roles to play to make Christmas feel wonderful.’ For example, her aunt cooks the duck for their main Christmas Eve dinner (a Scandinavian tradition), while Henrietta’s mother has her own secret recipe for the traditional Danish risalamande, a dessert of whipped cream, sugar, vanilla and chopped almonds. ‘For us, Christmas is a time to pause, come together and strengthen the family bond,’ smiles Henrietta. HB
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*WE DO NOT RECOMMEND USING REAL CANDLES ON A TREE. CANDLES SHOULD NEVER BE LEFT UNATTENDED
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MEZZANINE This lofty space with views towards the shore of the Øresund includes a quiet work area decorated with dried willow branches. Find a similar chair at Cox & Cox
BATHROOM A long white vanity unit offers ample storage plus space on top for all the natural finds Henrietta is so fond of. Lusso Stone has similar units. This is a home that celebrates nature, inside and out
BEDROOM Calming grey walls and pure white bedding are offset by cushions in dusky shades
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GET THE LOOK Echo Henrietta’s Scandi style with a neutral colour palette and soft rose tones 1
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1 Lucide mesh ceiling light, £34, Lighting Direct 2 Brass wreath candle holder, £29, Quince & Cook 3 Munich three-seater sofa in Chalk, £1,349, Swoon 4 Abstract wall chart, £55, Abode Living 5 Kubu rattan lounge chair, £290, Lagoon 6 Brera Lino two-tone cushion in Rosewood and Azalea, £60, Designers Guild 7 Annetta stool, £69.99, Wayfair 8 Bailey round leather pouffe, £945, Perch & Parrow 9 Nepaya two-drawer display case, £1,082, Maisons du Monde
Grooved bud vases, £18/three, Sass & Belle 134 housebeautiful.com/uk
Textured Pom Pom Blush cushion, £14, Dunelm
Milan folded paper Christmas trees, £27.90/two, Beaumonde
Bretby serving bowl, £28, Neptune
Frayed-edge linen placemats, £9.95 each, The Grey Works
COMPILED BY DAISY BENDALL
S T Y L E I T FA S T FO R U N D E R £ 3 0
Make the most of the season, indoors and out
COMFORT AND JOY
PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID LOFTUS PROP STYLING CLAIRE MORGAN DIRECTION SARAH KEADY
It’s the little things at Christmas that make all the difference – especially when it comes to the dinner table… a beautifully wrapped favour, a glass of fizz in your finest glassware and a scattering of sparkling decorations. Oh, and of course, not forgetting the festive feast that brings us all together. Let’s park the resolutions until next year – for now, it’s about pure indulgence
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BUON NATALE
HANDMADE WITH LOVE
GIVE YOURSELF THE GIFT OF CALM
MIDWINTER MAGIC
Serve up a festive feast with an Italian flavour – easy to create and perfect for sharing
Gorgeous edible treats make the perfect present with a personal touch
Clever ideas for taking time out to relax and revive at the busiest time of year
The garden at Woodhill Manor provides plenty of natural decorative touches at Christmas House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 137
Buon Natale Celebrate with an Italian-inspired feast specially created by our food columnist Giovanna Ryan PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID LOFTUS
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hristmas is synonymous with food in our family,’ says Giovanna. ‘We arrive laden with various edible items: my brother with cheese, panettone and his famous mince pies, my husband with the meat, and my sister with something sweet. In the absence of Nonna and Nonno, my dad will order the traditional smoked salmon for the rye bread sandwiches we have on Christmas night. And when it comes to the main event, it’s a happy mix of British and Italian dishes. ‘I’ve devised this menu to be an informal Italian-ish, pass-the-plate affair, inspired by the big family meals of my childhood,’ adds Giovanna. ‘It’s designed to be as hands-off as possible so that whoever is cooking can enjoy the festivities, and most elements can be prepared in advance. The dishes make a wonderful alternative to the more traditional Christmas meal but can be served as a whole menu or individually for feeding friends and family at any point over the festive season.’
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Get ahead
The risotto can be made two days ahead and the aioli can be made three days in advance. Store in the fridge.
Saffron arancini with roast garlic aioli and gremolata The basis of this dish, the risotto, makes for a fabulous meal in its own right, or as an accompaniment to slow-roasted beef or veal. It’s also the basis for arancini, my favourite canapé of all time. MAKES 16 ARANCINI FOR THE RISOTTO » 80g butter » 1 celery stick, finely chopped » 1 shallot, finely chopped » 300g Arborio risotto rice » 800ml chicken or vegetable stock » Small pinch saffron strands » 200ml white wine » 50g Parmesan » 50g plain flour » 1 egg, beaten » 50g panko breadcrumbs » 1L sunflower or vegetable oil, for frying FOR THE AIOLI » 2 large garlic cloves 140 housebeautiful.com/uk
1 large egg yolk » 250ml rapeseed oil or sunflower oil » Juice of ½ lemon FOR THE GREMOLATA » Small bunch parsley, very finely chopped » 1 garlic clove, grated » Zest of 1 lemon »
1 To make the risotto, gently melt 40g of the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Sweat the celery and shallot in the butter for 5min until soft, but not browned. Add the rice, stir to coat and toast for 2min. 2 Heat the stock with the saffron in a small saucepan to a gentle simmer. Add half the
wine to the rice and stir until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add a ladle of the stock and allow to absorb, stirring regularly. Repeat with the rest of the wine and then the remaining stock, a ladle at a time, until the rice is cooked. If you need more liquid, use hot water. 3 Add the remaining butter, grate in the Parmesan and season with black pepper and a little salt. Transfer the risotto to a container, allow to cool, then cover and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours. 4 To make the aioli, preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Place the garlic cloves, unpeeled, on a tray and roast for 30min. 5 Place the egg yolk in a bowl and whisk for 1min. Using a jug, drip the oil very slowly into the yolk, whisking constantly. Once the mixture starts to emulsify and thicken, add the oil in a thin stream. If it starts to split, add a dash of hot water and whisk until it comes back together. 6 Once you have a thick, mayonnaise-like consistency, add the lemon juice and squeeze in the roasted garlic from the skins. Whisk well, taste and add a little salt and more lemon juice, if needed. 7 To make the gremolata, mix together the chopped parsley, grated garlic and lemon zest in a small bowl with a little salt and set aside in the fridge. 8 When ready to serve, shape the cold risotto into golf-ball-sized rounds. Place the flour, egg and breadcrumbs in separate bowls and coat each ball first with the flour, then egg and the breadcrumbs. Place on a tray. 9 Heat the oil in a high-sided pan to 170°C. If you don’t have a thermometer, place a cube of bread in the oil. When it's turned golden brown, the oil is at the right temperature. Fry the arancini three or four at a time until golden. Don’t let the oil get too hot otherwise the arancini will brown too quickly and the insides will be cold. Drain on kitchen paper and repeat with the remaining balls. 10 Serve immediately. Enjoy dipped first in the aioli, then the gremolata.
Burrata with roasted red peppers, dukkah and tarragon oil This is served cold and can be made ahead. The tarragon oil is really simple and so delicious. Unused dukkah and tarragon oil will keep in an airtight jar. SERVES 6-8 » 3 burrata » 4 medium red peppers, cored and sliced lengthways » 2tbsp olive oil, for roasting » A few tarragon leaves or dill fronds FOR THE DUKKAH » 1tbsp fennel seeds » 1tbsp cumin seeds » 1tbsp coriander seeds » 50g blanched hazelnuts » 50g blanched almonds » 20g sesame seeds » 1tsp flaked sea salt FOR THE TARRAGON OIL » Large bunch tarragon, leaves picked » 300ml neutral oil, such as sunflower or vegetable 1 First make the dukkah. Toast the spices in a dry pan until fragrant and starting to pop. Tip into a spice grinder, or use a pestle and mortar, and grind to a coarse powder, leaving a few seeds whole. 2 Toast the nuts in the same pan until golden, then grind to a reasonably fine grind with a few bigger bits for texture. Mix with the spices. 3 Finally, toast the sesame seeds and tip into the spice and nut mixture. Season with a generous pinch of sea salt and set aside to cool. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container. 4 To make the tarragon oil, place the tarragon leaves and oil into a blender and blend on the highest speed until you have a bright green, thick liquid. Strain through a muslin cloth or fine sieve. Season with a little salt and transfer to a clean jar until ready to use. 5 Preheat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan/gas mark 8. Spread the pepper slices on a large baking tray in one layer. You may need to use two trays. Drizzle with a little olive oil, season with salt and roast for 25min, turning occasionally, until the peppers are very soft and starting to catch at the edges. Leave to cool completely, transfer to a sealed container and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. 6 When you’re ready to eat, drape the peppers on a serving plate, drain the burrata and nestle among the peppers. Sprinkle liberally with the dukkah, drizzle with tarragon oil (or a good olive oil, if preferred) and finish with a few tarragon leaves or dill fronds. House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 141
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Negroni sbagliato Sbagliato means ‘mistake’ in Italian. Here, prosecco replaces gin for a lighter, brighter version of the classic cocktail. SERVES 1 » 25ml red vermouth » 25ml Campari » 25ml prosecco or other sparkling wine Combine the vermouth and Campari in a glass with ice. Top with prosecco, stir and serve.
Pork belly porchetta Traditionally, porchetta is a whole suckling pig, deboned and stuffed with copious quantities of garlic and herbs. This version uses pork belly, although if you’re feeding more people you can ask your butcher for the belly and loin in one piece. It’s a real crowd pleaser, the crispy crackling giving way to yielding, juicy meat. SERVES 6-8 WITH LEFTOVERS » 4kg skin-on pork belly in one piece, ribs removed » 3tbsp fennel seeds » 4tbsp chopped fresh rosemary » 4tbsp chopped fresh sage » 10 large garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated » Grated zest of 3 lemons » 100ml white wine or vermouth 1 Place the belly skin-side up on a large board with the long edge facing you. Remove the skin from the right hand half of the belly. Using a very sharp knife, carefully make vertical cuts into the 142 housebeautiful.com/uk
remaining skin, being careful you don't go down to the meat. If you’re unsure about this, ask your butcher to do it for you. 2 To make the filling, mix together the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Rub the pork all over with salt, then turn skin-side down. Spread the filling evenly over the meat. Roll up like a roulade, starting with the edge without the skin. Tie the porchetta with string at 2cm intervals as tightly as you can. 3 Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper, place on a rack over a deep baking tray and leave to rest, uncovered, in the fridge for at least 12 hours – this will allow the flavour of the filling to penetrate the meat and ensure perfect crispy crackling.
4 Remove the porchetta from the fridge 1 hour before cooking, pat dry and wipe any escaped juices out of the baking tray. 5 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/ gas mark 4. Fill the baking tray with approx 500ml water, or until half full, and place the pork on a rack above it. Roast for 4-5 hours until the meat is very soft. The crackling may be perfect by this stage, but if not, turn the heat up to 240°C/220°C fan/gas mark 9 and blast for 20min for a final crisp. 6 Leave the pork to rest for at least 30min before slicing and serving. Reserve the juices from the baking tray, skimming off any excess fat, add any liquid from the resting pork and serve in a jug alongside the meat.
Get ahead
You’ll need to start this recipe in advance as the pork has to rest for a day or so in the fridge before cooking.
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Get ahead
Roast the beetroot the day before. Slice and store in the fridge. Save 200ml of the cooking liquid for the dressing.
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Roasted beetroot and potatoes with radicchio and walnuts This dish uses the sweet roasting juices of the beetroot as a dressing to intensify the earthy flavour. If you can’t find radicchio, or you’d prefer something less bitter, any robust salad leaves would work. You can also serve this as a vegetarian main dish, either as it is or with some feta or goat’s cheese. SERVES 6-8 AS A SIDE » 8 small to medium beetroot, ideally different varieties, washed and leaves trimmed » 200ml red wine vinegar » 1tbsp honey » 3tbsp walnut or olive oil » 1kg small variety potatoes, such as Charlotte » Olive oil, for roasting » Small handful of walnuts, roughly chopped » ½ head of radicchio, leaves roughly torn » Small handful of parsley leaves, to serve 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/ gas mark 6. Place the beetroot in a deep baking tray along with the red wine vinegar, 200ml water and a little salt. Cover tightly with foil and roast for around 45min until the beetroot are just tender. When cool enough to handle, slip the skins off the beetroot and reserve the juices. Slice into wedges and set aside. 2 Mix 200ml of the beetroot cooking liquid with the honey and the walnut or olive oil to make a dressing. 3 Cut any particularly large potatoes in half and place on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and roast for 30min or until golden and crispy. Place the walnuts on a tray and roast for the last 10min of the cooking time of the potatoes. 4 To assemble, place the torn radicchio leaves in a bowl and arrange the beetroot and potatoes on top. Drizzle with the dressing and top with the toasted walnuts and a few parsley leaves.
Pumpkin agrodolce Agrodolce means ‘sweet and sour’. The sauce in this dish makes a wonderful addition to most roasted vegetables, fish or meat. The sharpness of the vinegar cuts through the richness of the porchetta and the flecks of chilli provide welcome bursts of heat. Delica pumpkins are perfect here as they’re buttery and sweet, but any of the small to medium varieties will do. SERVES 6-8 AS A SIDE » 2 Delica pumpkins or a similar variety » 3tbsp olive oil FOR THE AGRODOLCE SAUCE » 250ml sherry or red wine vinegar » 3tbsp honey
3 red chillies, sliced » 50g golden raisins, roughly chopped but leaving some whole » 2tsp chilli flakes (optional) »
1 Start by making the sauce. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for around 10min until syrupy. Allow to cool and set aside until ready to serve. 2 Preheat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan/ gas mark 5. Cut the pumpkins in half and scoop out the seeds. Most varieties of smaller pumpkins, including Delica, have edible skin but check first and peel if necessary. Slice into wedges and spread out in one layer on two baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and roast for 30min, turning halfway, until soft and the edges are browned and crispy. 3 To serve, place the roasted pumpkin on a platter, drizzle with the sauce and scatter over sage leaves if desired. Serve any extra in a bowl or jug at the table. House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 145
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Passion fruit, persimmon and physalis pavlova If you’re looking for a spectacular but simple dessert, you can’t go wrong with a pavlova. I use a mixture of cream and mascarpone, spiked with vanilla seeds, to complement the sharp and sweet fruit. My nonna loved persimmons, which Italians call cachi fruit. The Italian fruits are larger and almost jam-like when very ripe but the supermarket variety will hold its shape better. SERVES 8-10 FOR THE MERINGUE » 200g egg whites (about 7) » 200g caster sugar » 1tsp cream of tartar FOR THE CREAM » 400g mascarpone » 600ml double cream » Seeds from 1 vanilla pod TO SERVE » 4 persimmons, sliced » 10-12 physalis, outer layer peeled back but kept intact » 6 passion fruit, seeds and juice scooped out
Bay and pink peppercorn shortbread I’ve given my classic shortbread recipe an upgrade with two different flavourings: bay and pink peppercorns. These are great for serving when guests drop in for a cup of coffee or for wrapping up and gifting. MAKES 12 OF EACH VARIETY 2 bay leaves, ideally fresh but dried will do » 100g caster sugar, plus 1tbsp extra » 1tbsp pink peppercorns » 130g softened butter » 260g plain flour » 80g rice flour (or replace with more plain flour) »
1 Begin by removing and discarding the centre stem from the bay leaves. Place the leaves in a spice grinder with the tbsp sugar and grind to a fine powder. Set aside. Grind the pink peppercorns to a slightly more coarse powder. 2 Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/ gas mark 3. Beat together the butter 146 housebeautiful.com/uk
and remaining sugar in a large mixing bowl. Transfer half the mixture to another bowl. Add the ground bay to one bowl and the ground peppercorns to the other and mix well. 3 Divide the flours equally between the two bowls and fold in to form a dough. If it looks a bit dry, add a little more butter. 4 Wrap the doughs in clingfilm, flatten out into discs and chill for around 30min. 5 Roll each of the doughs out, one at a time, onto a lightly floured surface to around 1cm thick and cut into rounds. Place on a lined baking tray and bake for about 30min until cooked, but not browned. 6 Transfer to a rack to cool completely, then to an airtight container. Serve on plates or arrange in gift boxes.
1 To make the meringues, preheat the oven to 110°C/90°C fan/gas mark ¼. Place the egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on a low to medium speed for 10min until you get soft peaks. Add the sugar 1tbsp at a time, gradually increasing the speed as you go. Then add the cream of tartar. You should have reached the highest speed by the time you’ve added the last of the sugar. Whisk for another 2-3min until you have a thick and glossy meringue. 2 Line two baking trays with baking parchment. Divide the meringue mix equally between the trays, spreading each into a rough circle. Bake for 4 hours. They’re done when the bottom of the meringue comes away easily from the paper. Leave to cool completely. 3 To assemble, gently whisk together the cream and mascarpone with the vanilla seeds until it just holds its shape. Spoon half the cream mixture onto one of the meringues and top with half the passion fruit and half the persimmon slices. Top with the second meringue, the remaining cream and fruit. Serve immediately.
Get ahead
The meringues will keep, covered, for two or three days, so they can easily be made in advance.
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My brother Sam’s cheeseboard Sam has an encyclopedic knowledge of cheese. Ever since he started working in delis in our hometown of Cambridge, he’s absorbed every bit of information about cheese varieties, producers, pairings and processes. He’s put together a cracking selection (pictured left) that’s sure to keep everyone happy. and an effortless Tomme de Savoie from the French Alps. » When creating a festive board, be sure to remove your cheeses from the fridge 30min before serving, to improve flavour and texture. Encourage your guests to enjoy the cheeses in whichever order they like and be generous with the crackers! Cheeses supplied by Meadows Cambridge @meadows_camb HB
FOOD STYLING LIBBY SILBERMANN PROP STYLING CLAIRE MORGAN HAIR & MAKE-UP LINDSEY POOLE STYLING ASSISTANT SAM CUNNINGHAM DIRECTION SARAH KEADY PRODUCTION ALICIA FORD. LINEN APRON IN SAGE GREEN, £19.99, H&M. LINEN APRON IN PLASTER PINK, £32; HANDMADE STONEWARE CANDLESTICK HOLDER, £22; BINGLEY BRASS CANDLESTICK HOLDER, FROM £16; ALL ROWEN & WREN. GIOVANNA AND SAM WEAR THEIR OWN CLOTHES
SERVES 6-8 » The best cheeseboards have a mix to suit all tastes: a hard and a soft type, something blue, one that’s goaty and a variety that is sure to please everyone. » This cheeseboard includes a rich cheddar from West Wales called Hafod and the deliciously delicate St Jude from Suffolk. Joining them are a raw Stichelton from the Midlands, a fresh and zingy Blackmount from Lanarkshire
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Ginger and lemon spritz This cocktail is so refreshing and the combination of ginger and lemon is ideal for those who want to quench their thirst with an alcohol-free option. SERVES 6-8 » 1L ginger beer » 500ml sparkling water » 2 lemons, sliced » Small bunch fresh mint » 100g fresh ginger, sliced thinly Combine the ingredients in a jug or a punch bowl with plenty of ice, giving some of the lemon slices a squeeze to release the juice. Stir well before serving.
Handmade WITH LOVE
Baked by you and presented beautifully, these presents from the kitchen will add the perfect personal touch this Christmas
Stollen bites Spiced mini versions of the German Christmas classic, these are ideal for gifting. PREPARATION 30MIN, PLUS MACERATING AND PROVING COOKING ABOUT 40MIN MAKES 25 » » » » » » » » » » » » »
75g mixed dried fruit 25g mixed peel 25g dried sour cherries, chopped 2½tbsp spiced rum 75ml milk 75g butter Zest of 1 orange 1tsp fast-action yeast 225g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting 1tbsp caster sugar ½tsp each ground cinnamon and mixed spice 2 green cardamom pods, split open, seeds removed and crushed 1 medium egg, plus 1 yolk, lightly beaten
THE PERFECT PRESENT Rich, buttery cakes are best kept in a cool, dark place, so a cardboard gift box is ideal. » Line the box with baking parchment before adding the bites. » Cover the cakes with more parchment before closing the lid. » Then just add a ribbon and a tag and you’re good to go. 150 housebeautiful.com/uk
Sunflower oil, for greasing » 1tsp icing sugar, plus extra for dusting » 200g golden marzipan »
1 Mix the dried fruit, peel and cherries with 1tbsp rum. Set aside for at least 2 hours. 2 In a small pan, gently heat the milk, 50g butter and orange zest until the butter has melted and beginning to steam. Remove from the heat, set aside to cool slightly until lukewarm, then stir through the yeast. 3 Tip the flour, caster sugar, spices and a pinch of salt into a large bowl and briefly stir to mix. Pour in the milk mixture, egg and yolk, and stir with a wooden spoon to form a soft but not too sticky dough. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10min until the dough is smooth and springs back when lightly pressed. 4 Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm and set aside in
a warm place for 1-2 hours until the dough has almost doubled in size. 5 Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) gas mark 4. Meanwhile, sift 1tsp icing sugar onto a clean surface and roll the marzipan into a 20cm square. 6 Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface, spoon over the drained fruits and knead until distributed evenly through. Divide in two. Roll each piece out to a rough 20cm square and put one into a 20cm square tin lined with greaseproof paper. Top with marzipan and then the second piece of dough. Set aside in a warm place to prove for 20-30min until doubled in size. 7 Bake for 25min until golden. Cool in the tin on a wire rack for 15min; remove to a wire rack to cool completely. 8 Trim the edges to neaten and cut into 25 squares. Melt the remaining butter with the rest of the rum, then brush a little on each square. Toss in icing sugar.
Treats for everyone Skip the rum so these moreish morsels are suitable for anyone with a sweet tooth
EDIBLE GIFTS
Italian macaroons These biscuits are a softer, chewier version of amaretti. PREPARATION 35MIN COOKING 15MIN MAKES 40-45 » 350g caster sugar » 250g ground almonds » 40g plain flour » 4 large egg whites » Few drops almond essence » Zest 1 lemon 1 Heat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan) gas mark 4. Line three baking sheets with parchment. 2 Set aside 2tbsp of the caster sugar. Combine the remaining sugar, almonds and flour in a mixing bowl. 3 Whisk the egg whites until frothy and lighter in colour but not stiff. Add the almond essence and lemon zest. 4 Add the almond mixture to the egg whites a spoonful at a time until it forms a soft mixture that just holds its shape. Leave to sit for 10min to firm up slightly. 5 Put teaspoons of the mixture, spaced well apart, on the baking sheets. With a wetted finger, shape the tops into domes. Sprinkle with the reserved sugar. Bake for 15min until golden at the edges and they pull away from the paper easily. Turn off the oven and leave inside for 5min, then transfer to wire racks to cool. 6 Put two macaroons together, wrap in tissue paper and twist the ends. Keep for two weeks in an airtight container.
THE PERFECT PRESENT Create a fabulous centrepiece and present these tissue-wrapped treats on a beautiful cake stand or plate. » Cut out a square of cellophane wrap big enough to enclose the plate and the macaroons. » Draw up the sides to create a ‘bag’, twisting the top and tying with either ribbon or twine.
Vanilla and raspberry rings Make jam-sandwich biscuits or plain ones dusted with icing sugar. PREPARATION 40MIN, PLUS CHILLING COOKING 7MIN MAKES 35-40 » 50g butter, plus extra for greasing » 85g golden syrup » 1tbsp caster sugar » 1tbsp milk » 200g self-raising flour » ½tsp bicarbonate of soda » 1tsp vanilla extract » Raspberry jam, for filling » Icing sugar, for dusting 1 Melt the butter, golden syrup and caster sugar in a pan. Add the milk. 2 Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Pour in the butter mixture. Using a flat-bladed knife, work the flour to make a soft dough. Gently knead, shape into a disc and wrap in baking paper. Chill until firm. 3 Heat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan) gas mark 4. Grease three baking sheets. Roll out the dough on baking paper to 3mm thick. 4 Using a 6cm plain or fluted cutter, cut out
circles and re-roll if necessary. For the sandwich biscuits, leave half as bases and stamp out 2½cm stars in the centre of the tops. If making plain ones, cut out the centres with a smaller round cutter. Place on the baking sheets and bake for 5-7min until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack. 5 To make the raspberry rings, spread the bases with jam, dust the star biscuits with icing sugar and sandwich together.
THE PERFECT PRESENT Stack your cookies in an upcycled coffee tin for a gift with star appeal. » Cover the outside of the tin in Christmassy wrapping paper. » Cut out a circle of the same wrap for the top of the lid and glue in place. » Line the tin with tissue paper, then carefully drop in the biscuits before popping on the lid.
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Boozy beauties
The liqueur-laced gifts on these pages are for the grown-ups only
Christmas pudding liqueur Enjoy straight with ice or top up with tonic water for a long drink.
1 Pour the vodka into a large bowl, then stir in the sugar to dissolve. 2 Using a vegetable peeler, peel 2 large strips of orange skin, being careful to leave behind the white bitter pith. Add to the vodka with the spices and dried fruit. Cover with clingfilm and leave to infuse in a cool, dark place for at least a month. 3 Strain the liqueur through a muslin-lined sieve and transfer to sealable glass bottles. Seal and tie on jolly festive labels.
THE PERFECT PRESENT Any bottle (with a cork or stopper) can be used, but a clear one lets the ruby colour shine through. » Wash and dry bottles thoroughly before filling them with liqueur and adding the stopper. » Wrap coloured gift twine or ribbon around the neck of the bottle and finish with a handwritten gift tag.
Sloe gin truffles Put the truffles into petit four cases and present them in an attractive vintage box or tin. PREPARATION 5MIN COOKING 15MIN MAKES ABOUT 24 » 100ml double cream » 250g dark chocolate, broken into pieces » 2tbsp sloe gin » 1tsp vanilla extract » Cocoa powder, for dusting 1 Pour the double cream into a small pan and bring to the boil. 2 Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Leave to melt, stirring once or twice until smooth. 3 Pour the cream into the melted chocolate, stirring until smooth. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before adding 152 housebeautiful.com/uk
the gin and vanilla. Beat (using beaters, not a whisk) until the mixture lightens in colour and looks fluffier. Chill for 10min or so to firm before forming the truffles. 4 Sift a thick layer of cocoa powder onto a tray lined with baking parchment. Cover another with petit four cases. Using 2 teaspoons, drop small blobs of the mixture into the cocoa. Dust your fingers with cocoa and quickly roll each one into a ball; roll in more cocoa and place inside a case.
THE PERFECT PRESENT Don’t have any vintage tins? No worries. This rustic idea looks just as good… » Wrap a few truffles in a clear cellophane bag and secure the top. » Wrap each bag in a square of brown kraft paper, securing with tape. » Complete the homespun look by tying with garden twine, finishing with a bow.
PHOTOGRAPHS MAJA; TARA FISHER; YUKI SUGIURA; EMMA LEE
PREPARATION 10 MIN, PLUS INFUSING MAKES ABOUT 750ML » 70cl vodka » 100g dark brown soft sugar » 1 orange » 1 cinnamon stick » 2 whole cloves » 25g each sultanas, currants and raisins
EDIBLE GIFTS
Clementine and Cointreau curd This soft and velvety Christmas preserve has a tart yet sweet citrus flavour and is wonderful spread on toast or used to fill cakes and tarts. PREPARATION 15MIN COOKING 25MIN MAKES ABOUT 750G » » » » » »
Juice and zest 4 large clementines (enough to make 125ml) Juice and zest 1 lemon 4 large eggs, beaten 125g golden caster sugar 125g unsalted butter, diced 1tbsp Cointreau
1 Put all ingredients, except the Cointreau, into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Stirring constantly, cook for 20-25min or so until the curd is very thick and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in the Cointreau. If the curd isn’t completely smooth, the heat was too high, but it can still be saved – push it through a nylon sieve and discard the lumps. 2 Pot into hot sterilised jars and seal immediately. Label when cold. It will keep for up to a month but should be stored in the fridge once opened and used within a week.
THE PERFECT PRESENT Transform recycled jars with cloth covers. » Cut out circles of festive-coloured cloth bigger than the jar lids (about 2-3cm all round). » Drape these over the lids. Tie with matching string, leaving the ends long. » Thread ends through a pretty button or mini bauble for a finishing flourish. HB
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GIVE YOURSELF
THE GIFT OF CALM At the busiest time of year, it’s worth taking a moment to unwind from the festivities. Here are our favourite ways to relax body and soul… FEATURE JAMES CUNNINGHAM
STEP OUTSIDE Whether it’s a long walk enjoying the sights and sounds of the wintry landscape, a trip to a forest to forage for seasonal greenery or simply checking in on how hardy annual plants are doing in the garden, nature has a lot to offer us at this time of year. Heading outside on a chilly day may not always seem appealing, but being active in the fresh air has been shown to release positive endorphins in the brain, boosting your mood and encouraging feelings of calm. On bright days, the extra sunlight on skin will create vitamin D too, nourishing the body at a time when natural light levels are otherwise low.
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WELLNESS
PAMPER YOURSELF A soak in the bath or a long, leisurely shower are ideal ways to unwind at the end of the day. Upgrade the experience and treat your body and mind to more than just a moment of relaxation. Create a whole new sensory experience by swapping your normal bubble bath for Espa’s therapeutic bath and body oils – they make a wonderful self-gift. The natural pampering accessories at The Body Shop will also make your cleanse feel more blissful. Complete the DIY spa experience with fluffy towels and a soft bathrobe – try the collections at The Fine Cotton Company for luxurious options.
BREATHE IN From calming lavender to warm, spicy notes, fragrance can comfort and soothe. A scented candle delights the senses, creating a gentle glow as it releases a delicious perfume. Or use room sprays and diffusers in bedrooms and bathrooms for a feeling of tranquillity. Try the classic winter collections at Wax Lyrical or Diptyque for uplifting seasonal fragrances. London-based apothecary Anatome has scents created for relaxation, or try the range at Territory Scents.
TAKE NOTE The meditative practice of journalling – keeping a diary of thoughts and feelings – can help to de-stress and restore emotional equilibrium. If you’re taking it up during the festive season, why not place a focus on gratitude? For journals that will inspire you to put pen to paper, try the selection at Rosemood and Paperchase.
DIVE INTO A GOOD BOOK At this busy time of year, it’s important not to swamp your diary with too many social commitments, and to make sure you factor in some ‘me time’. For a moment of calm that allows you to escape the everyday, why not snuggle up in a comfortable armchair with a cosy throw and lose yourself in a gripping book? Reading is good for the brain and can help reduce feelings of stress. For literary recommendations tailored to your specific interests and habits, try Book Therapy’s personalised prescriptions. House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 155
WELLNESS
RELAX & UNWIND
From crafting kits to scented soap, gift yourself something feelgood
Pomander room spray, £50, Diptyque
Notebooks, £2.95 each, Rex London
READY, STEADY, BAKE!
REST EASY
GET CRAFTY Festive crafting can provide a welcome distraction from seasonal stresses and will give your decorating scheme some homespun charm (see p69 for some crafty ideas). Choose something soothing that won’t be too challenging or involve much preparation or clearing up. The paper origami sets at Cambridge Imprint are good, as are the pretty Artcuts wreath craft kits sold exclusively at John Lewis & Partners. 156 housebeautiful.com/uk
A good night’s sleep boosts the immune system, aids memory and improves emotional wellbeing. Dial up the comfort and cosiness with a mattress topper and electric blanket – try the collections at Dreams. Dress the bed in luxurious sheets and a winter tog duvet to keep you snug on chilly nights. To add to the indulgence, treat yourself to new sleepwear – The White Company has a great range.
Star garland kit, £14.95, Cambridge Imprint Cedar & Bitter Orange Salt soap, £9.90, Monday Cake stand, £48, Natalia Willmott
Cashmere bed socks, £35, Soak & Sleep
Bailey armchair, £389, Cult Furniture
PHOTOGRAPHS HOUSE OF PICTURES/ANNABELLE ANTAS (STYLING: MAIJA TIENSUU); NATO WELTON/SARAH KAYE AGENCY, (STYLING: POLLY WEBB-WILSON); LIVING4MEDIA/NELE BRAAS/FREDERIC VASSEUR/ANDREW BOYD/ BIRGID ALLIG; CAMERA PRESS; GETTY
Baking is wonderfully therapeutic – the kneading, the rolling and the gentle satisfaction of creating delicious treats to nibble on with an afternoon cup of tea or send to friends (see p150 for our favourite make-your-own edible gifts). If baking from scratch isn’t your thing, try the sets of ready-to-make breads, buns and biscuits from Honeywell Bakes, for everything you need to make baking even more soothing. And seek out pretty festive serving platters and cake stands in the collections at Emma Bridgewater and Natalia Willmott.
COMING NEXT MONTH
NEW YEAR NEW INSPIRATION Creating a serene scheme » Decorating with botanicals » Fresh looks for bathrooms
» FABULOUS READER HOMES AND MAKEOVERS
FREE 32-PAGE MAGAZINE
22 TRENDS FOR 2022 PHOTOGRAPHY THE CONTENTED NEST/DAN DUCHARS
»
FEBRUARY ISSUE ON SALE 8 JANUARY House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 157
MIDWINTER
MAGIC Natural decorations and beautiful seasonal plants add festive charm in and around this inspirational garden WORDS PAULA M CWATERS | PHOTOGRAPHS JASON INGRAM | STYLING KATE HALLS 158 housebeautiful.com/uk
G A R D E N I N S P I R AT I O N
OVERVIEW Gardener Kate Halls (right) oversees the two-acre plot at Woodhill Manor in the Surrey Hills. Topiary shrubs and the box parterre bring a formality and structure that contrasts beautifully with the vibrant winter beds
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hen the owners of Woodhill Manor opened their Christmas presents a couple of years ago, there was one that stood out: a photobook with a series of stunning images charting the seasons of their much-loved garden deep in the Surrey Hills. The book was the work of their gardener Kate Halls, an avid Instagrammer, who had simply used the camera on her phone to capture life in the garden throughout the previous 12 months. It made a wonderful memento, but the gorgeous photos were also testament to Kate’s skill for ‘styling’ a garden – a talent that’s evident each year during the Christmas festivities.
SEASONAL CELEBRATIONS ‘Christmas is huge at Woodhill,’ says Kate. ‘The owners absolutely love it and it takes up a big part of our time running into December.’ Preparations begin early. Hazel and willow stems are collected for weeks, along with cones from the fir and larch trees, and stacked in baskets ready for fashioning into natural decorations such as wreaths and stars to hang inside the house and around the garden. Kate recommends using old watering cans and gardenalia such as vintage garden sieves for making arrangements of fir branches and twigs, along with winter-flowering violas, snowdrops and hellebores. For the house, she forces hyacinth bulbs and ‘Paperwhite’ and ‘Bridal Crown’ narcissi in generous bowls and baskets. Closer to Christmas itself, mistletoe is harvested from two magnificent poplar trees and brought indoors to create a ‘chandelier’ over the staircase, while smaller bunches are hung from archways outside. At the top of the garden sits The Gardeners’ Retreat, a charming weatherboarded cabin with a wooden veranda and tiled roof that houses Kate’s desk, tools and books. Even this space gets its own festive makeover – fir branches are festooned with tiny lights, while miniature Christmas trees are dressed with cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices and stars cut from birch bark. Family and friends usually gather at Woodhill for Christmas, so time is spent making the approach to the house look magical, with hundreds of lights woven into the trees and shrubs along the driveway.
WINTER COLOUR Kate has been gardening at Woodhill for 17 years and cherishes the two-acre plot as if it were her own. Winter reveals the bones of the garden, and the formal structure that has been designed into ‘front of house’, as Kate calls it, comes into its own. Two intricate box House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 159
parterres – one set in gravel and the other in lawn – sit alongside beds of mixed shrubbery, crossed by paved stone paths so it’s easy to explore and enjoy in wet weather while feet remain dry. ‘There are benches tucked in there, in sheltered spots, and we’ve included lots of sweet box Sarcococca confusa and winter-flowering honeysuckle, along with Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’ and witch hazel for unexpected scent,’ says Kate. It’s important for these beds to look good from the windows too, so there is bright colour from Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire’ and ‘Sibirica’, and evergreen shrubs such as Leucothoe ‘Scarletta’ and ‘Curly Red’, which take on vibrant hues in the colder months.
LOOKING FORWARD The pace may slow in winter, but there are still plenty of jobs for Kate and her team to get on with, including pruning the wisteria on the pergola and the grapevine outside the greenhouse. In the greenhouse, seed sowing begins in January as the annuals for the cutting-garden beds, herbaceous borders and various pots go into countless trays. Kate keeps a collection of succulents here, many of which were amassed by her late father Dennis. Now, they are proudly displayed in terracotta bowls and pots on tiered shelves, and offer something to admire whatever the weather or season. The winter months bring a chance to take a breath and reflect on all that has been achieved in the garden during the year, but there is still plenty to forage for seasonal displays, posies and collages, including pretty snowdrops and glorious hellebores. ‘Don’t find yourself staring out at bare earth at this time of year,’ says Kate. ‘There is so much winter interest you can enjoy.’ HB Find Kate on Instagram at @katesinthegarden
5 TIPS FOR WINTER GARDENING 1 CHOOSE FRAGRANT SHRUBS Try sweet box Sarcococca confusa, winter honeysuckle Lonicera fragrantissima, wintersweet Chimonanthus praecox ‘Luteus’ and Daphne odora. 2 INCLUDE CLIMBERS Evergreen Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurascens ‘Freckles’ and Clematis urophylla ‘Winter Beauty’ are both favourites at Woodhill. 3 USE WITCH HAZELS Explore different hues: Woodhill has bright yellow Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ (right), rich orange ‘Jelena’ and copper-red ‘Diane’. 4 DECORATE POTS Plant containers of spring bulbs and add cut lengths of vibrant cornus or willow to add height and interest over winter. 5 CREATE A DISPLAY OF EARLY BULBS Place pots of Iris reticulata, snowdrops and narcissi on outdoor tables – their emerging tips herald the arrival of spring.
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G A R D E N I N S P I R AT I O N
‘Don’t find yourself staring at BARE EARTH. There is so much WINTER INTEREST you can enjoy’
SEASONAL SCENES Opposite Kate and her team are busy at this time of year, foraging for branches, cones and twigs to create natural decorations for using indoors and out This page Paths have been woven through the beds to encourage exploration even on winter days House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 161
MODERN LIVING
EXTRA-SPECIAL SOFAS AT DFS
OPULENT BEDS AT DREAMS
NEW! SCANDI-STYLE FURNITURE AT HOMEBASE
SUPER-SOFT CARPETS AT CARPETRIGHT
WONDERFUL IDEAS FOR A WARM, COSY WINTER With winter firmly upon us, we want our homes to be havens of warmth and cosiness, so we’ve gone all out for comfort this month. The Freya range from DFS has been refreshed to offer maximum relaxation and practicality, with more pieces, including a cuddler sofa, added to the collection. Fans of Scandi style will be wowed by the new Trua range of furniture at Homebase – made from pale oak with gentle curves, it’s hygge for your home. And we haven’t forgotten the bedroom. The Neva bed frame from Dreams looks stunning and has been designed to give you the perfect night’s sleep, while the sumptuous Super Sublime carpet from Carpetright means getting out of bed on a chilly morning isn’t such a chore. Enjoy.
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BETTER THAN EVER The popular Freya range, from the House Beautiful Collection at DFS, just got an upgrade
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ouse Beautiful Freya has been wowing with its generous proportions, wide squared-off arms and deep-filled back and seat cushions for a while now. So how good is it that one of your – and our – favourite House Beautiful ranges has had a reboot? The fabulous lounger sofa (shown) not only has the super-relaxing chaise we know and love, but now the end lifts to reveal tons of practical, hidden storage. Even the accent scatter cushions that come with Freya have had an update, with new on-trend shades of sage green and duck-egg blue being introduced, as well as a velvet cushion to really up the luxury factor. And that’s not all. The entire Freya range has been expanded and now includes a super-comfy cuddler, a cuddler sofa bed and a wonderful lounger chair, just when you thought this collection couldn’t get any better. Check out the full House Beautiful Freya Collection at dfs.co.uk/freya
Hide and seek
Freya’s chaise end conceals masses of secret storage, perfect for tidying away toys, magazines and more
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F R E YA AT D F S
Trend setters Fashionable new cushion colours and fabrics bring Freya bang up to date
FIND MORE BEAUTIFUL DESIGN IDEAS AND INSPIRATION AT DFS.CO.UK
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REST EASY
Sleep your best sleep with Neva from the House Beautiful Collection at Dreams
Charge it up
The Neva bedside table, £229, has an integrated USB charging port so you’ll never run out of power
etting a good night’s sleep has never been easier, thanks to the House Beautiful Neva ottoman bed frame. Not only does this bed look stunning, it’s also packed with features that make it super-comfy. The plush, gently winged, faux velvet padded headboard with distinctive hexagonal styling has been created to offer maximum support and comfort when sitting up in bed. The deep base has parallel rows of sprung slats that respond to body weight by flexing with the movement of the mattress, relieving pressure points. Neva is also
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available with Sleepmotion (not compatible with the ottoman frame). This lets you customise your position at the touch of a button, for added comfort when sitting up, to raise your head, which may help reduce snoring, or to improve circulation by elevating legs. House Beautiful Neva is offered in two stunning colours – on-trend, elegant grey (shown) and rich royal blue. The range also includes an upholstered blanket box, bench and a smart bedside table. House Beautiful Neva, from £799, is available in double, king and super king sizes
N E V A AT D R E A M S
Secret store The Neva blanket box, £299, has ample storage for duvets, pillows and more. Also available: Neva bench, £259 (not shown)
FIND MORE BEDROOM INSPIRATION AT DREAMS.CO.UK
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TRUA LOVE Introducing the new Scandi-inspired furniture range from the House Beautiful Collection at Homebase
Curve appeal
Gently rounded edges and soft, natural timber combine to create a smart, modern effect
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T R U A AT H O M E B A S E House Beautiful Trua oak wide TV unit, £495
Reflected glory Contrast the understated lines of the Trua range with statement accessories
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hen it comes to home decorating, our love of all things Scandi is showing no sign of abating, which is why it’s brilliant news that the style experts here at House Beautiful have teamed up with the designers at Homebase to launch Trua. Each piece in this fabulous new collection is made in Europe and delivers on the Scandinavian ideals of quality and simplicity, featuring natural materials, light colours, clean lines and gentle curves. Crafted from solid oak with oak veneer, the House Beautiful Trua dining range (left) is striking in its minimalism. The table was designed to maximise leg room, with space for a chair to be added at either end, while the benches are comfortable and generous – easily seating two adults or three little ones. Just add some textured linens and throws to create a sense of hygge. The sleek Trua TV unit (above) and large sideboard (below), which are both supplied fully assembled, pair oak bases with white-painted cabinetry and masses of storage. Neat angled legs lift both pieces elegantly from the floor, creating a feeling of lightness and airiness in even the smallest of rooms.
House Beautiful Trua oak large sideboard, £650
House Beautiful Trua oak six-seater dining table, £595; Trua oak dining benches, £250 each; metal wall mirror, £45. Cushions, glassware, crockery and other accessories, from a selection
SEE THE FULL COLLECTION OF FURNITURE AT HOMEBASE.CO.UK/HOUSE-BEAUTIFUL
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S A X O N Y AT C A R P E T R I G H T
COSY UP
Perfect fit Super Sublime Saxony in Bluebird can be ordered in 4m or 5m widths to suit any size of room
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othing beats the warmth and comfort of running your toes through the deep pile of a super-soft carpet, especially on chilly winter mornings and nights. And when it comes to choosing the plushest of the plush, it doesn’t get much better than the opulent House Beautiful Super Sublime Saxony range. Shown here in elegant Bluebird, Super Sublime has a dense pile with a velvety finish that’s incredibly hardwearing. It’s made with superfine yarn crafted from 100 per cent polyamide, which offers extreme colourfastness as well as stain-resistance, making it the ideal floor covering for any room in the home.
House Beautiful Super Sublime Saxony carpet is available in 15 shades, £42.99/sq metre
Smoot h as silk
Super Sublime’s dense pile feels silky underfoot yet is tough enough to withstand even high-traffic areas of the home
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SEE THE FULL FLOORING RANGE AT CARPETRIGHT.CO.UK
PHOTOGRAPHY POLLY WREFORD STYLING JENNIFER HASLAM PRODUCTION SARAH KEADY
Luxe up your home with a wonderfully soft Saxony carpet from the House Beautiful Collection at Carpetright
HOUSE PROMOTION
THE PERFECT CRUISE FOR FOOD AND DRINK LOVERS
BESTSELLING CRUISE This trip is a real treat for food lovers
Explore the Provençal city of Avignon
TASTE THE RHÔNE’S FOODIE TREASURES with James Martin and Susy Atkins Join two experts on this eight-day river cruise to discover France’s premier gastronomic region MEET OUR EXPERTS Chef James Martin has travelled through France, working in the kitchens of French châteaux. Susy Atkins is an award-winning wine writer, broadcaster and author of 11 books on wine.
Reasons to book SEE JAMES MARTIN IN ACTION James will create some of his favourite recipes during a live demonstration and cook an unforgettable gala dinner.
WINE TASTING WITH SUSY ATKINS In the heart of Burgundy, you’ll join Susy for a wine masterclass and tasting.
SAIL IN STYLE
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orld-famous for its rich Burgundy wines, fine cheeses and rosé from Provence, south-eastern France is the ultimate foodie destination. From Arles, you’ll sail on the Rhône to Lyon, stopping at Avignon, Viviers, Tournon-sur-Rhône and Chalon-surSaône. You’ll feast on the region’s best bites, visit vineyards and enjoy a Provençal dinner hosted by chef Fabien Morreale, a finalist in the French TV show Top Chef. Along the way, TV chef James Martin will give a cooking demonstration, prepare a gala dinner for you, with wine pairings by Susy Atkins, and share his culinary secrets in a special Q&A session.
Your stay on Emerald Liberté includes all meals in the Reflections Restaurant, plus an on-board pool, cinema and bar.
DAY 1 Marseille to Arles DAY 2 Arles DAY 3 Avignon DAY 4 Viviers DAY 5 Tournon-sur-Rhône DAY 6 Lyon DAY 7 Chalon-sur-Saône DAY 8 Lyon and return to the UK YOU WILL GET THE CHANCE TO… z Join an exclusive cooking demonstration and tasting with James. z Enjoy a special gala dinner cooked by James, with wine pairings by Susy. z Take a wine masterclass with Susy. z Enjoy excursions, including canoeing, vineyard hikes and a visit to Arles Amphitheatre. z Go on tours of the beautiful and historic Arles, Avignon, Viviers and Tournon-sur-Rhône. z Spend seven nights in a deluxe stateroom or suite. z Feast on delicious local produce, with all meals included, plus wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner. z Save £500pp (flexible booking policy and deposit protection). ALSO INCLUDED Return flights, taxes and transfers, plus all tips and gratuities.
EXCURSIONS GALORE Hike in Avignon, go on cycling trips, tour Roman monuments and much more***.
HOW TO BOOK PRICE From £2,345pp (save £500pp)* Deposit £300pp** DATES 22 to 29 October 2022
Sit back and relax on board Emerald Liberté
OUR TRAVEL PARTNER Emerald Cruises offers classic river cruises on board spacious, modern ships. Its award-winning, state-of-the-art fleet is among the newest in Europe
TO BOOK, CALL 01615 165 827, quoting HB JAMES MARTIN VISIT goodhousekeeping. com/uk/hbjames for more details and to see the full itinerary
DISCOVER MORE financially protected trips at goodhousekeepingholidays.com 172 housebeautiful.com/uk
*PRICE BASED ON TWO PEOPLE SHARING THE LOWEST-GRADE AVAILABLE EMERALD STATEROOM. PRICE INCLUDES RELEVANT DISCOUNT OF £500PP. SINGLE SUPPLEMENT APPLIES. SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. **DEPOSIT PAYABLE ON BOOKING. THIS TRIP IS ATOL- (11681) AND ABTA-PROTECTED (Y6692). CANCELLATION TERMS AVAILABLE AT EMERALDCRUISES.CO.UK/TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS. ***DISCOVER MORE EXCURSIONS AT ADDITIONAL COST. TIMINGS OF JAMES AND SUSY’S EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND THERE MAY BE SLIGHT ALTERATIONS TO THE ITINERARY DUE TO OPERATIONAL RESTRICTIONS. THIS TRIP IS OPERATED BY EMERALD CRUISES AND MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE TO OTHER SELECTED MEDIA PARTNERS. ALWAYS CHECK THE FCDO TRAVEL ADVICE, AS IT INCLUDES THE VERY LATEST INFORMATION ON SAFETY, SECURITY, TRAVEL WARNINGS AND HEALTH. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT GOV.UK/FOREIGN-TRAVEL-ADVICE
YOUR ITINERARY
Enjoy a visit to spectacular Blickling Hall
EXCLUSIVE TOUR
A TASTE OF NORFOLK PHOTOGRAPHY OF DELIA: ©DELIAONLINE/ALBANPIX. BLICKLING HALL: SHUTTERSTOCK. *PRICE BASED ON TWO SHARING. SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT FROM £120PP. **FOR DEPOSIT AND CANCELLATION DETAILS GO TO: TSTOURS.CO.UK/ASSETS/TANDC.PDF. THIS PROMOTION MAY BE PROMOTED BY OTHER SELECTED MEDIA PARTNERS
with Delia Smith Enjoy the very best of Norfolk plus a culinary experience in the company of one of its famous faces MEET OUR SPECIAL GUEST
Reasons to book
Delia has been teaching the country DINE AT DELIA’S to cook for over 50 years and has The acclaimed Delia’s Restaurant and Bar sold more than 21m books. She was offers meals to Delia’s exacting standards awarded the Order of the Companions and has a seasonal menu emphasising of Honour in 2017, receiving the local produce. You’ll have canapés award from HM The Queen for on arrival, a three-course dinner, her contribution to cooking coffee and something sweet. and cookery education. MEET THE
SUPERSTAR
O
n this exclusive OF BRITISH DELIA CULINARY DAY Your Food and Wine five-day tour, you’ll COOKING! Workshop includes coffee be hosted by Delia with biscuits, tea with cake, an for a full day at her opportunity to browse the gift shop, Food and Wine Workshop, where you a three-course lunch with wine, cooking will also be joined by chef Alex Mackay, demo with Alex, wine tasting with Jason, cocktail expert Simon Atkinson and wine a cocktail masterclass with Simon, Q&A expert Jason Banner. Your fun-packed session with the team, book signing food and drink experience will include with Delia and Alex, and a goodie bag. a three-course lunch with wine tasting, a cooking demonstration with Alex, RAIL AND SAIL EXPERIENCES cocktail masterclass and a Q&A session You’ll ride the Bure Valley Railway and with Delia and the team. You’ll also cruise on the Broads aboard the Southern dine at Delia’s Restaurant and Bar. Your Comfort Mississippi Paddle Boat. You’ll Norfolk adventure will continue with a also enjoy Burnham Market, with its arts ride on the Bure Valley Railway, sailing and crafts shops, historic Walsingham, on a paddle cruiser on the Broads and lunch in a traditional Norfolk tavern, and a tour of magnificent Blickling Hall. You’ll touring Blickling Hall, which contains also visit the coastal towns and villages some of the most historically significant of the North Norfolk coast, including manuscripts and books in England. Burnham Market, plus tour Norwich itself. OUR TRAVEL PARTNER TS Tours Ltd is the UK’s leading specialist in creating bespoke tours, cruises and rail journeys in the company of experts. Its exclusive trips combine unique experiences and access to inspirational people.
YOUR ITINERARY DAY 1 Welcome dinner in Norwich DAY 2 North Norfolk coast and lunch in a tavern DAY 3 Delia’s Food and Wine Workshop DAY 4 Norwich tour, Norfolk Broads cruise and exclusive three-course dinner at Delia’s restaurant DAY 5 Blickling Hall, Bure Valley Railway and afternoon tea YOU WILL GET THE CHANCE TO… z Spend four nights at the four-star Maids Head Hotel in Norwich. z Enjoy a full-day food and wine experience at Delia’s Food and Wine Workshop. z Be a part of a special Q&A session with Delia. z Go on tours of Blickling Hall, Norwich and the North Norfolk coast. z Sail on the Norfolk Broads on the Southern Comfort Paddle Boat. z Dine at Delia’s Restaurant and Bar. z Take a journey on the Bure Valley Railway. z Enjoy a welcome dinner, afternoon tea and lunch in a Norwich tavern. ALSO INCLUDED All transport and the services of a tour manager.
HOW TO BOOK PRICE From £999pp* Deposit £75pp**
DATES 16-20 May, 2022
TO BOOK, CALL 020 8131 1564, quoting HB NORFOLK DELIA DEC21 VISIT goodhousekeeping. com/uk/hbdelia for more details and to see the full itinerary
DISCOVER MORE financially protected trips at goodhousekeepingholidays.com
A DV E R T I S E M E N T F E AT U R E
STYLISH LIVING For you and your home SMARTER, SAFER, CONTROLLED BLANCO EVOL-S Pro - Instant boiling and cold filtered water, simply better. Introducing the stunning semi-professional 4-in-1 kitchen tap. The EVOL-S Pro is a game changer. Unique on the market with its precision measuring feature, it is a must have in any modern kitchen. Finished in luxurious Stainless PVD Steel and complete with innovations specifically developed to keep you and your loved ones safe. The flexible dual-spray spout delivers hot and cold mains water, the second insulated spout delivers a controlled, anti-spray stream of true-boiling filtered or cold filtered water via a measuring dial and intuitive touch control. Choose exactly how much water you want. Water is purified through a five-stage filtration system and heated in a titanium tank that is stronger, more reliable, and more hygienic than standard stainless steel or copper tanks. Discover the benefits of instant, perfectly filtered boiling water and watch it in action at blanco.co.uk/evolspro BLANCO UK blanco.co.uk 01923 635 200
CLEAN UP FOR THE PINK RIBBON FOUNDATION
SPRINGVALE LEATHER Springvale have been lovingly making their high quality 100% British made furniture for well over 30 years. Their furniture is made to last and every piece is hand crafted to your exact requirements, you choose the design, size, colour, comfort and all the extra little details which make your furniture truly unique to you. For more information about their furniture or to request a brochure please call 01706 211830 or visit springvaleleather.co.uk
174 housebeautiful.com/uk
SEBO is proud to be supporting the amazing Pink Ribbon Foundation with another beautiful floral design; the Felix Peony. 25% of profit on each vacuum sold goes direct to the charity supporting those affected by breast cancer. Attractive and high quality, this German made machine is part of the award-winning Felix range of upright vacuum cleaners. Five-year parts and labour guarantee. British Allergy Foundation Seal of Approval. For further details and stockists visit www.sebo.co.uk pinkribbonfoundation.org.uk
HOME DIRECTORY Professional Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Services with over 50 years’ experience
To get in touch with your local specialist for a free, no obligation quote, contact us using the below details
www.safeclean.co.uk
info@safeclean.co.uk or 01235 444757 &= %443-281)28 83 ,)6 1%.)78= 8,) 59))2 &)( 1%29*%'896)67 ;639+,8 -632 %2( &6%77 &)( '314%2= 08( 236*30/
Wrought Iron and Brass Bed Co.
WALLPAPERS
Handmade in Norfolk | Guaranteed to last a lifetime
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FOR DETAILS OF CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PLEASE TELEPHONE 020 3728 6260 OR VISIT WWW.HEARSTMAGAZINESDIRECT.CO.UK
HOME DIRECTORY
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CAST IRON STOVES 16 6kW
HOTTER FOR LONGER Half the weight of cast iron and warm to the touch, an Albion bath has a difference you can feel
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See www.machinemart.co.uk
All Stoves conform to EN13240
BurnWood or Coal
Selling Top Quality Stoves for over 25 years
Big Stocks of Flue Pipes & Accessories in-store
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WENTWORTH £357.80 REGAL III £514.80
SEE THE RANGE ONLINE OR IN OUR 65 STORES
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HAND MADE IN ENGLAND
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FOR DETAILS OF CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PLEASE TELEPHONE 020 3728 6260 OR VISIT WWW.HEARSTMAGAZINESDIRECT.CO.UK
HOME DIRECTORY
EST. 1986
A range of traditional and contemporary fires, fireplaces and stoves, exclusively from Charlton & Jenrick. T: 01952 200400 www.charltonandjenrick.co.uk Charlton & Jenrick brands:
Infinity Paragon
FOR DETAILS OF CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PLEASE TELEPHONE 020 3728 6260 OR VISIT WWW.HEARSTMAGAZINESDIRECT.CO.UK
Live the season
TIME TO CELEBRATE
O
ur homes come alive at this time of year, especially in the social spaces where we entertain friends and family. To make the most of the magic, decorate with lots of sparkle. A wreath on the front door will offer a cheerful welcome to guests, while a tree generously
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your space lots of festive charm. Candlelight is a must for ambience – light lanterns on the doorstep, a candelabra on the dinner table and pop scented jars all around for a dose of fragrance. Elevate your hosting credentials by dishing up tasty treats on elegant trays and pouring drinks into particularly beautiful stemware. 178 housebeautiful.com/uk
3 1 Unity star wreath, £55, Dark Horse Ornament 2 Lantern, £48, Layered Lounge 3 Brass-finish tray, £28, Cielshop 4 Cocktail shaker, £44, House Doctor at Smallable 5 Dinner candles, £29/six, Hay at Liberty London 6 Gromwell jug, £50, Oka
WORDS JAMES CUNNINGHAM PHOTOGRAPH PICTURE PRESS/JONAS VON DER HUDE/LIVING AT HOME
trimmed with decadent baubles will give
175 PRESENTS FOR HOME LOVERS
25% OFF at COX & COX T&Cs apply
CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE 2021
READER OFFER Blue Mountain Spruce faux Christmas tree, £295; Antique Gold textured metal stars, from £18.50 each; burnished brass tealight houses, from £50 each
SAVE 25% at COX & COX Give your home a sprinkling of festive sparkle with this exclusive offer
T
his year, Cox & Cox has everything you need to bring some Christmas cheer to your home. Find stunning trees and a wealth of beautiful decorations to dress them up, gorgeous wreaths and garlands to create a warm welcome, pretty tealight holders, and lights for indoors and out that will carry the magic through the house and beyond. Enjoy our exclusive 25 per cent discount and make your home feel special – it’s the perfect gift from you to you. Find out more by visiting coxandcox.co.uk or take a look at @coxandcox on Instagram 2 housebeautiful.com/uk
HOW TO CLAIM YOUR 25% DISCOUNT Get your discount code at housebeautiful.com/uk/offersdec21 TERMS & CONDITIONS This offer is valid from 5 November 2021 to 20 December 2021. This offer can only be used once per person and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or promotion. It is not valid on discounted and sale items, gift vouchers or paint sample collections. The discount does not apply to delivery.
Welcome Contents 04
December is always an exciting month and, while Christmas 2020 was different for many of us, there’s real hope that this year’s festivities will be more recognisable. Whatever the season has in store for you in 2021, you’ll want to choose special presents for the special people in your life. And that’s where our gift guide comes in. The following pages contain 175 fabulous treats hand-picked by the House Beautiful team for everyone who loves their home – from interiors enthusiasts and foodies, to gardeners, pet lovers and more… And you could find a few ideas to add to your own Christmas wish list. I hope you have a happy and safe Christmas, and very best wishes for the year ahead.
FOR STYLISH LOUNGERS Decorative touches for interiors
06 FOR GADGET FANS High-spec kitchen equipment
08 FOR KEEN COOKS Stunning tableware and accessories
10 FOR FOODIES Gourmet goodies with a festive flavour
12 FOR COCKTAIL AFICIONADOS Cool barware
14 FOR DREAM LOVERS Laid-back luxe
16 FOR PAMPER FANS Bathtime treats
18 FOR NATURE LOVERS Gifts to help a garden grow
20 FOR FURRY FRIENDS
FRONT COVER CREATED BY DINA KOULLA BACK COVER CREATED BY LEO TERRY
Pet-friendly presents
22 FOR CORRESPONDENCE CONNOISSEURS Sophisticated stationery
SARAH KEADY STYLE AND INTERIORS DIRECTOR
24 FOR LITTLE ONES Cute, colourful and playful gifts
26 FOR HOME TECHIES Clever gadgets for easy living
28 FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST Brilliant great-value ideas The Grand Advent calendar, £68, Hotel Chocolat
Beauty Advent calendar, £159, John Lewis & Partners
Wine Advent calendar, £69.99, Laithwaites
30 WHERE TO BUY Stockist details
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 3
FOR STYLISH LOUNGERS
Gorgeous ideas for houseproud homebirds
FROSTY SCENE Coomba pouf, £397; coffee table, £851; cocktail coupes, £120/pair; Snowy Norway spruce artificial tree, £395; Ivory vintage trees, £105/three; Lowland rug, £749; Bernadotte candle holder, £222/two; Carina shagreen tray, £450; Japonica glass jar candle, £42; all Amara 4 housebeautiful.com/uk
COMPILED BY DAISY BENDALL
LOVES
WONDER WALL
SEND A MESSAGE
EARTHY TONES
House of Quinn Reassembled I print, £45 (unframed), Objects & Finds
Velvet festive cushion, £18, House Beautiful Collection at Homebase
Terracotta vase, £45, Rose & Grey
TRAY JOLIE
TOUCH OF GLASS
STRIKING STRIPES
Woven green & lilac tray, £18, Matilda Goad
Oblate vase lantern, £185, LSA International
Toppu ceramic pot, £57.99, Oyoy
MAKES SCENTS
SOFT TOUCH
NATURAL TEXTURES
Aroma diffuser, £45, Oliver Bonas
Suki cushion by Christina Lundsteen, £95, Couverture & the Garbstore
Decorative basket floor vase, £89.99, Akojo Market
COSY & WARM
GAME ON
STORE & ORDER
Diamond lambswool blanket, £95, Toast
Printworks Classic chess set, £37, Arket
Kyri leather magazine rack, £79, Made
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 5
FOR GADGET FANS The latest kitchen kit any home cook will love
A brilliant buy for home bakers to whisk up sweet treats for Christmas and beyond
ICONIC DESIGN Kenwood kMix KMX750 stand mixer, £369.99, John Lewis & Partners 6 housebeautiful.com/uk
SLICE AND DICE
BEST BREW
DOUBLE BUBBLE
Cordless five cup chopper, £129, KitchenAid
Barista Maxplus coffee maker, £499.99, Breville
Aarke Carbonator 3, £218.99, Lakeland
BOILING POINT
LOW AND SLOW
MILKING IT
Contemporary white jug kettle, £45, Dunelm
Morphy Richards Sear and Stew slow cooker, £34, Amazon
Frother, £150, Smeg
ARTISANAL TASTE
WELL BALANCED
SAY CHEESE
Portable pizza oven, £299, Ooni
Taylor Pro touchless kitchen scales, £21.99, Kitchen Craft
Copper fondue set, £85, John Lewis & Partners
COMPILED BY ALICIA FORD
LOVES
STIR IT UP
BAKER’S DELIGHT
CUSTOM BLEND
Cordless hand mixer, £90, Cuisinart
Russell Hobbs stand mixer, £189.99, Emma Bridgewater
Le Blender, £180, Magimix
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 7
FOR KEEN COOKS Stylish serveware and kitchen accessories for home chefs
SHINE ON Osby star lights, from £11.99 each, Lights4fun 8 housebeautiful.com/uk
SPREAD THE WORD
UNDER COVER
TABLE TOP
Splatter butter dish, £48, Not Another Bill
Beaded glass cake stand with cloche lid, £52, Not on the High Street
Knitted trivet, £15, Toast
SWEET DISHES
MOVABLE FEAST
ALL IN ONE
Diggins ceramic bowls in Rhubarb Fool, £28/two, Loaf
Pegu rattan tray, £90, Kalinko
Perfect pot, £140, Our Place
LOVES
PINCH POT
GET THE SCOOP
FRESHLY BAKED
Le Creuset salt pig, £32, Harvey Nichols
Tortoiseshell salad cutlery set, £59.89, Anna & Nina
Rattan bread basket, £26, Rebecca Udall
COMPILED BY ALICIA FORD
Doubles up as a serving platter
COUNTER INTELLIGENCE
GO WITH THE GRAIN
FAMILY FAVOURITES
Utensil pot in Pigeon Grey, £26 (excludes utensils), Falcon Enamelware
Medium teak cutting board, £35, Made
Recipe journal, £24.99, Papier
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 9
FOR FOODIES Tempting treats and tipples for the gourmet in your life
Almost too pretty to eat, t hese hand-decorated macarons are sure to delight
KEEP IT SWEET Seasonal handpainted macarons, from £30/six, Emma Dodi Cakes 10 housebeautiful.com/uk
SAVOURY SNACK
JUST THE TONIC
CHERRY PICKED
Cheese Nibbles, £4.50, National Trust
The Supersonic gin, knife and chopping board gift set, £250, Tog Knives
Panettone Maraschino, £24.95, Carluccio’s
ICED-LY DONE
SMELL THE ROSES
FESTIVE SPIRIT
Christmas Hamper biscuit tin, £35, Biscuiteers
Rococo Turkish Delight, £15.95, Liberty London
Jaffa Cake rum, £34.95, Not on the High Street
TASTE OF SICILY
SOFT OPTION
SPICE UP YOUR LIFE
Crema di Pistacchio spread, £11.95, Strazzanti
Seaward non-alcoholic spirit, from £26.80, Pentire
The Cult chilli selection, £14.99, Sous Chef
TAKE YOUR PICK
TOP-DRAWER GOODIES
A SPECIAL BREW
Cath Kidston limited edition Roses tin, £9.99, Cadbury
The Fortnum’s Express hamper, £130, Fortnum & Mason
Comfort & Joy winter fruit tea, £15, Daylesford
COMPILED BY ALICIA FORD
LOVES
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 11
FOR COCKTAIL AFICIONADOS
Serve up a little festive spirit to your favourite mixologist
Metallic goblets are the perfect present for the home bartender with a sense of style
GET IN THE PARTY MOOD Gemstone Forest baubles, from £5; Gemstone Forest wrap, £4; Swoon Cole glass bar cart, £199; Forest leaf pattern metallic glass tumbler, £9; LSA International white wine glasses, £65/four; Hepburn cocktail shaker, £61; LSA International Julia decanter, £75; Nude Hemingway ice bucket, £24; gold gemstone Forest Green glitter pine cone wreath, £35; all John Lewis & Partners 12 housebeautiful.com/uk
LOVES
STELLAR SET
SHAKEN NOT STIRRED
THE PERFECT MIX
Maxime star coasters, £68/four, Jonathan Adler
Woven glass cocktail shaker, £26, Rockett St George
Negroni framed print, £54, Ciao Chiara at Papier
ON REFLECTION
BOOKSHELF HIT
ZEST, CHOP & PEEL
Astro tray in mirrored steel, £84, Fy!
The Spirits, £16.99, Vintage
Tortoiseshell bar set, £75, Rebecca Udall
WHEN LIFE GIVES LEMONS
COMPILED BY DAISY BENDALL
Retro electric citrus juicer, £139.95, Smeg
MUDDLE IT UP
TAKE A SIP
Lemon stirrers, £33/four, Not Another Bill
Arabella champagne saucer, £8, House Beautiful Collection at Homebase
UNIQUE STYLE
A REAL CORKER
ON A ROLL
Handblown Stripe glass, £32, Bias Editions
Star bottle stop, £12.50, Oliver Bonas
Dolly drinks trolley, £200, House Beautiful Collection at Homebase
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 13
FOR DREAM LOVERS Find something special for sleeping beauties
MAGICAL NIGHTS Kindred bedding, from £10; Kindred cushions, from £6; faux fur throw, £20; jute rug, £45; two-tone woven shade, £25; side table, £22; baubles from 50p; wood mini tree, £3, George Home 14 housebeautiful.com/uk
LOOKING GOOD
DREAMY DUO
TWINKLE TWINKLE
Nina print pyjamas, £42, Cyberjammies
Sleepy Vibes hand balm and pillow mist, £25, Neom Organics
Standing star light, £34.50, Sparkle Lighting
CALMING VIBES
SEEING STARS
JUST ADD WATER
Pixel scented candle, £22, John Lewis & Partners
Jessica Russell Flint silk eye mask, £36, Wolf & Badger
Ferm Living Ripple carafe set, £29, Rose & Grey
COMPILED BY JESSICA TAVERNER
LOVES
STATEMENT SILHOUETTE
TOASTY TOES
SAFE PLACE
Amber recycled glass Turin vase, £26, Wyld Home
Wool patterned ankle socks, £9, Anthropologie
Velvet trinket box, £28, Boden
LUXE LAYER
COSY COMPANION
OPEN HOUSE
Moe velvet bedspread, £155, Oliver Bonas
Velvet striped hot water bottle, £38, Boden
Sheepskin door stop, £45, The White Company
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 15
FOR PAMPER FANS Gift them some R&R with these spa-like goodies
CLEAN AND SERENE Wooden bath tidy, £60; candle, £20; body oil, £25; shower gel, £18; fragrance oil, £10; diffuser, £35; mist, £22; portable electronic diffuser, £40; all The White Company 16 housebeautiful.com/uk
SMOOTH OPERATOR
WRAP UP WARM
FAB UNDERFOOT
Jade face roller, £26, Cowshed
Classic cotton robe, £60, The White Company
Runner bath mat, £39.50, Oliver Bonas
LOVES
SOFT SCENTS
PRETTY IN PINK
ETERNAL FLAME
Lavender and chamomile soap, £10.50, Cologne & Cotton
Oba Studios ceramic soap dish, £35, Maison Commune
North Sky Reset aromatherapy candle, £55, Khoeo
BODY POSITIVE
TRAVEL COMPANION
NATURAL GLOW
Charms of Happiness gift set, £35, Espa
Mabelle wash bag (medium), £30, Liberty London
Simmer Down serum, £28, Couverture & The Garbstore
COMPILED BY DAISY BENDALL
The plushest towels to wrap them in luxury
BATH BOMBS
SUPER DRY
RELAX AND UNWIND
Ouai chill pills, £25, John Lewis & Partners
Organic cotton towels, £118/three, Tekla at Matches Fashion
Moon Bath book, £14.99, Anthropologie
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 17
FOR NATURE LOVERS
Find the perfect gift for those with a passion for the outdoors
ALFRESCO COSINESS Sheepskin rug, £125; sheepskin cushion, £70; Berwick throw, £350, pre-lit wreath, £145; cashmere throw, £350; seat pad, £45; lanterns, £55 each; log basket, £115; domed candle holder with tray, £45; all The White Company 18 housebeautiful.com/uk
SNIP SNIP
TWITTER SPHERE
GET CARRIED AWAY
Hand pruner, £49.95, Opinel
Bird seed feeder, £10, National Trust
Fruit picking basket, £42, Ibbi
TWIST AND TIE
ARE YOU BEING SERVED?
CREATE A BUZZ
Twine stand cutter, £24, Daylesford
Gardener’s tray, £37, Emma Britton
Dew Drop bee house, £30, Toast
Ideal for anyone who loves succulents
BE KIND
IN A LINE
MIDAS TOUCH
Wellness journal, £24.99, Papier
Terracotta pots, £22.50/three, Petersham Nurseries
Gold watering can, £60, Raj Tent Company
COMPILED BY CAROLYN BAILEY
LOVES
PAINTED BEAUTY
TOP DOG
ON DISPLAY
Handled vase, £34, John Lewis & Partners
Sausage dog boot scraper, £41, Cotswold Co
Amber vase, £165, LSA International
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 19
FOR FURRY FRIENDS
Even pampered pets are covered with these cute treats
CHRISTMAS SURPRISE Handmade Pawsome dog cracker, £10.50, Cox & Cox 20 housebeautiful.com/uk
LOVES
HIDDEN AWAY
FUN FOR FELINES
SQUEAKY CLEAN
Paw print canister, £22.50, Oliver Bonas
Cactus cat tree scratching post, £24, Argos
Animal wash with botanical extracts, £27, Aesop
STAYING WARM
A LITTLE INDULGENCE
BRASS & LEATHER
Two-in-one wax dog coat, £59.95, Barbour
Ultimate dog pampering kit, £40, Norfolk Natural Living
Leather dog collar, £45, Kintails
PLAY ALONG
HOLIDAY PACK
CAT CALLING
Cat toy collection, £15.95, The Natural Pet Company on Amazon
Pet travel kit, containing expandable bowls and a travel brush, £95, Oka
House Tiger disc identity tag, £12.50, Cheshire & Wain
COMPILED BY DAISY BENDALL
Anyone with a pet will love this on-trend design
FEEDING TIME
LIMITED EDITION
GET COMFY
Personalised two tone dog bowls, £28 each, HKA Ceramics
Cracking festive treats for dogs, £16, Lily’s Kitchen
Maryn medium seagrass pet bed, £69, Made
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 21
FOR CORRESPONDENCE CONNOISSEURS Noteworthy gifts for anyone who loves to put pen to paper
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN 24 Days of Stationery Advent Calendar, £89, Martha Brook 22 housebeautiful.com/uk
ZIP IT UP
FIRST CLASS POST
POP A CORK
Leather pencil case, £48, Katie Leamon
Paisley writing paper set, £34.99, Rosie Assoulin for Papier
Story pinboard, £50, Muuto at Nest
TO THE FUTURE
WELL WRITTEN
BETWEEN THE LINES
Personalised life planner, £37.95, Martha Brook
Gold-foiled scallop notecards, £23.60/ten, Matilda Goad for Papier
Darwin colouring pencils with case, £6, Natural History Museum
INK PIECE
POT LUCK
MAKE A DATE
Metallic pens, £5 each, My Billet Doux
Scallop pen pot, £19.95, Martha Brook
Hydrangea 2022 planner, £35.50, Rifle Paper Co at Papermash
JOT IT DOWN
YOUR DAY AHEAD
WRITE ANGLE
Terrazzo notebook set, £20, Aim Studio
Make Today Count daily planner, £7, Três Paper
Sora notebook set, £10, Paperchase
COMPILED BY JAMES CUNNINGHAM
LOVES
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 23
FOR LITTLE ONES Attention-grabbing gifts they’ll remember forever
AN ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS Pompom stockings, £45; Gemma princess doll, £60; Florence sequin Tulle angel doll, £62; velvet cushions, £29 each; all Meri Meri 24 housebeautiful.com/uk
Entertain for longer with a diy kit
COLLAPSIBLE CASTLE
MAKING MAGIC
READY TO RACE
Graphic print nylon play tent, £33, Kids Concept at Selfridges
Mimi & Lulu rainbow wand, £8, JoJo Maman Bebe
Djeco do it yourself Grand Prix craft kit, £9.40, Tickety-Boo
WALK IN THE WOODS
NEW JOURNEY
TO THE BEAT
Gruffalo wellington boots, £24.95, Joules
FSC-certified wooden train set, £20, John Lewis & Partners
Marching drum, £35, Not on the High Street
SMART STORAGE
ADVENTURE TIME
RAINBOW BRIGHT
Yendi kids patterned bike basket, £42, The Basket Room
Dino backpack, £23, Sophie Allport
Multi-coloured abacus, £30, My 1st years
BEGINNER BARISTA
SKY HIGH
RETRO DESIGN
Play coffee machine, £32, Cam Cam Copenhagen
Pop A Cork 3D easy-to-post rocket, £3.95, Liga
Little Dutch wooden scooter, £86.95, Scandiborn
COMPILED BY JESSICA TAVERNER
LOVES
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 25
FOR HOME TECHIES
Gadgets to make day-to-day life even smarter
Your favourite film buff can turn any room into a home cinema wit h this pocket-sized projector
MOVIE NIGHT Nebula Astro projector, £279.99, John Lewis & Partners 26 housebeautiful.com/uk
COMPILED BY JESSICA TAVERNER
LOVES
SOCIAL SNAPPING
NEAT DESIGN
EASE THE CREASE
Instax mini 11 camera, £69, Amazon
PureVis self-cleaning water bottle, £95, Larq
Philips garment steamer, £39.99 Argos
LET THE MUSIC PLAY
EASY LISTENING
CAFFEINE FIX
XB13 Coral extra bass portable speaker, £55, Sony
Galaxy Buds 2 in-ear earphones with case, £139, Samsung
Nanopresso portable espresso maker, £83.88, Wacaco
GREEN LIGHT
PADDED POUCH
MOOD BOOSTER
Hay portable table lamp, £65, Nest
Wouf People laptop sleeve, £19, Anthropologie
Wellbeing pod mini diffuser, £50, Neom Organics
HANDS-FREE HELPER
CHANGE THE TUNE
SOUND & VISION
Nest Hub Gen 2 smart speaker with screen, £89.99, Google Store
Anyday digital radio, £40, John Lewis & Partners
Symfonisk table lamp with wifi Sonos speaker, £150, Ikea
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 27
20 UNDER £20
FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST These will delight without breaking the bank… and they’d be great for Secret Santa!
BIRD IN THE HAND
SUNNY OUTLOOK
COUNTDOWN
Blue Birds tea towel and dishcloth gift set, £17, Pasoluna
Gold Sunburst mirror, £12, Sass & Belle
Sand timer, £18, John Lewis & Partners
SOMETHING FRUITY
PLUMP IT UP
SOFT LIGHT
Orange needle painting embroidery kit, £17.50, Paraffle
Heritage Tree cushion, £12, Next
Burnt Custard candle pot, £8, Loaf
Anyone wit h lots of knick-knacks will love t his pretty box
PERFECT SCENTS
’TIS THE SEASONING
PRECIOUS PIECES
Seasalt and Amber fragranced diffuser, £15, House Beautiful Collection at Homebase
Oak and glass salt and pepper set, £19, Nordic Nest
Decorative trinket box, £15, Rockett St George
28 housebeautiful.com/uk
Light up t heir Christmas wit h t his minimalist lamp
MAKE AN ARRANGEMENT
WELL LIT
BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED
Dried craspedia flowers, £15 (excluding pot), Botanique Workshop at Heal’s
Bulb table lamp, £12, George Home
Mango wood serving board, £10, Habitat
TAKE A SIP
TO THE LETTER
LUCKY STRIKE
Bamboo jug, £16, Sunday Living
Initial trinket dish, £9.50, Bombay Duck
Cheetah matches, £6.95, Annabel James
COMPILED BY JAMES CUNNINGHAM
LOVES
FOR THE GALLERY
FACE OFF
LET IT BREW
Best Friends art print, £15 (unframed), Illustrations For Cleo at Fy
Abstract face coasters, £10/four, Remie Margot
Dipped glaze mug, £6, House Beautiful Collection at Homebase
GO FOR GREEN
SOFT LANDING
Mini monstera plant, £18, Leaf Envy
Velvet cushion with embroidered motif, £16.99, M&Co
House Beautiful DEC 2021/JAN 2022 29
WHERE TO BUY
Your at-a-glance directory of suppliers featured in this supplement Aesop aesop.com Aim aimstudio.co Akojo Market 07709 047613; akojomarket.com Amara 0800 587 7645; amara.com Amazon amazon.co.uk Anna & Nina anna-nina.nl/en Annabel James 0345 548 0210; annabeljames.co.uk Anthropologie anthropologie.com Argos 0345 640 3030; argos.co.uk Arket 020 3868 9990; arket.com Barbour barbour.com Basket Room (The) 01608 239482; thebasketroom.com Beechmore Books beechmorebooks.com Bias Editions biaseditions.com Biscuiteers 0870 458 8358; biscuiteers.com Boden boden.co.uk Bombay Duck 020 8749 3000; bombayduck.co.uk Breville 0800 525 089; breville.co.uk Cadbury cadbury.co.uk Cam Cam Copenhagen camcamcopenhagen.com Carluccio’s carluccios.com Cheshire & Wain cheshireandwain.com Cologne & Cotton 0845 262 2212; cologneandcotton.com Cotswold Co 0333 200 1725; cotswoldco.com Couverture & The Garbstore 020 7229 2178; couvertureandthegarbstore.com Cowshed cowshed.com Cox & Cox 0330 333 2123; coxandcox.co.uk Cuisinart 0370 2406902; cuisinart.co.uk
Cyberjammies cyberjammies.co.uk Daylesford daylesford.com Dunelm 0191 378 3151; dunelm.com Emma Bridgewater 0844 243 9266; emmabridgewater.co.uk Emma Britton Designs 07989 269347; emmabritton.net Emma Dodi Cakes emmadodicakes.com Espa espaskincare.com Falcon 020 7837 9749; falconenamelware.com Fortnum & Mason 020 7734 8040; fortnumandmason.com Fy iamfy.co George Home 0800 952 3003 george.com Habitat 0344 499 1111; habitat.co.uk Harvey Nichols 020 7201 8088; harveynichols.com Heal’s 0333 212 1915; heals.com HKA Ceramics hkaceramics.com Homebase 0333 003 7084; homebase.co.uk Ikea 020 3645 0000; ikea.co.uk John Lewis & Partners 0345 604 9049; johnlewis.com JoJo Maman Bebe jojomamanbebe.co.uk Jonathan Adler 020 7589 9563; uk.jonathanadler.com Joules 0845 250 7170; joules.com Kalinko kalinko.com Katie Leamon 0753 905 0330; katieleamon.com Khoeo khoeo.com Kintails kintails.com Kitchen Craft 01216 041111; kitchencraft.co.uk Kitchenaid 0800 988 1266; kitchenaid.co.uk
Lakeland 01539 488100; lakeland.co.uk Larq livelarq.com Leaf Envy leafenvy.co.uk Liberty 020 7734 1234; libertylondon.com Liga loveliga.co.uk Lights4fun 01423 816 040; lights4fun.co.uk Lily’s Kitchen lilyskitchen.co.uk Loaf 020 3141 8300; loaf.com M&Co mandco.com Made 0344 257 1888; made.com Magimix magimix.co.uk Maison Commune maisoncommune.co.uk Martha Brook 020 3176 0900; marthabrook.com Matches Fashion matchesfashion.com Meri Meri merimeri.co.uk My 1st years my1styears.com My Billet Doux mybilletdoux.com National Trust Shop 0300 123 2025; shop.nationaltrust.org.uk Natural History Museum (The) 020 7942 5494; nhmshop.co.uk Neom Organics neomorganics.com Nest 0114 243 3000; nest.co.uk Next 0333 777 8000; next.co.uk Nordic Nest nordicnest.com Norfolk Natural Living 01553 775758; norfolknaturalliving.com Not Another Bill 020 3790 7790; notanotherbill.com Not on the High Street 020 3318 5115; notonthehighstreet.com O&F 0131 609 0030; objectsandfinds.com Oka 0333 004 2042; oka.com Oliver Bonas 020 8974 0110; oliverbonas.com Ooni uk.ooni.com
Our Place fromourplace.co.uk Papermash papermash.co.uk Papier 0116 464 7180; papier.com Paraffle paraffle-embroidery.com Pasoluna pasoluna.co.uk Pentire pentiredrinks.com Petersham Nurseries 020 8940 5230; petershamnurseries.com ProCook 0844 888 8380; procook.co.uk Raj Tent Club 020 7820 0010; rajtentclub.com Rebecca Udall rebeccaudall.com Remie Margot remiemargot.co.uk Rockett St George 01444 253391; rockettstgeorge.co.uk Rose & Grey 0161 926 8763; roseandgrey.co.uk Samsung samsung.com/uk Sass & Belle 020 7346 0117; sassandbelle.co.uk Scandiborn 020 3143 0031; scandiborn.co.uk Selfridges 0800 123 400; selfridges.com Smeg smeguk.com Sony sony.co.uk Sophie Allport 0845 017 7866; sophieallport.com Sous Chef sous-chef.co.uk Sparkle Lighting sparkle.lighting Square Peg penguin.co.uk Strazzanti strazzanti.co Sunday Living sundayliving.co.uk Tickety-Boo tickety-boo.co.uk Toast 0333 400 5200; toa.st Tog 0117 276 0273; togknives.com Tres Paper & Co trespaperco.com Wacaco wacaco.com White Company (The) 020 3758 9222; thewhitecompany.com Wolf & Badger 020 7229 4848; wolfandbadger.com/uk/ Wyld Home wyldhome.com
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LOUISE PEARCE EXECUTIVE EDITOR TERRY BARBROOK Supplement Editor Sarah Keady Acting Creative Director Dina Koulla Art Editor Linsey Cannon Designer Laura Sheppard Junior Designer Leo Terry Chief Sub-Editor Helen Bonthrone Deputy Chief Sub-Editor Julie Pannell-Rae Style & Interiors Editor James Cunningham Lifestyle & Homes Writer Alicia Ford Homes & Style Assistant Daisy Bendall Picture Director Patricia Taylor Picture Researcher Charlie Hedges Chief Brand Officer (Lifestyle & Homes) Sharon Douglas Acting CEO, Hearst UK/President, Hearst Europe Simon Horne
Published by Hearst Magazines UK, a trading name of The National Magazine Company Limited (Registered in England number 112955). Registered offices are at House of Hearst, 30 Panton Street, London SW1Y 4AJ. Corporate website: hearst.co.uk. © Hearst Magazines UK. Printed and bound by Walstead Group, Walstead Roche, Victoria Business Park, Roche, St Austell, Cornwall PL26 8LX. House Beautiful is distributed by Frontline Ltd, Peterborough. Tel: 01733 555161. IMPORTANT While we make every effort to quote correct prices, it’s possible that prices may have changed since we went to press. While we do our best to ensure firms and organisations mentioned are reputable, the Editor can give no guarantee that they will fulfil obligations in all circumstances. Readers must therefore deal with them at their own risk. House Beautiful ISSN no. 0955-3533 is published 11 times a year by Hearst Magazines UK.
30 housebeautiful.com/uk
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