As a Melbourne Interior Designer & Interior Stylist, I find that there are a few things that always make Christmas Day a smooth ride, these are my top tips for the perfect stress-free Christmas Day!
My House…
As you might have guessed, my house is always my number one for Christmas! (Being an Interior Designer & Interior Stylist I can get a little carried away with the decorating!) However I find that a little planning never goes a stray and will make your Christmas day all the more amazing, then running around the night before trying to track down those blush pink taper candles!
The vases are full!
For me Christmas would not be complete with out fresh blooms in my home, from my entry hall to my dining table I love to fill every room with blooms! My key to Christmas blooms is quite simple, about half of my blooms are plants; I love poinsettias, hydrangeas and orchids in green, white and depending on my décor I will use them to enhance the colour theme too. I keep them pottered and spritz them with fresh water often, so no stress Christmas Eve, get these a few weeks ahead and they will last for the whole of the Christmas season! The other half of my blooms are fresh flowers, I like to get these 2-3 days before the main event, for these blooms I again stick to my green and white with a touch of my theme colour to enhance the overall look! Its best to get these a few day ahead as its much easier then trying the day before to find exactly what your looking for, look for bunches with mostly closed flowers, these will last longer and by Christmas day they will all be in full bloom!
The Table is set…
As you may imagine my tables are quite a thing for me! For my Christmas tables I like to keep them fresh and chic, I’m not one for festive china, but shop my china closet and bring together a table that balances out the Christmas décor from the rest of my house. I look for china with silver or gold touches with fresh crystal glassware for some sparkle and then I add beautiful seasonal blooms, for me this is the perfect Christmas table! I like to set my table a few days ahead of Christmas day, this gives me the chance to tweak any last minute details and get everything ready so all that needs to happen on Christmas day is that everyone can take seat and the party can get started!
The candles are lit…
My Christmas would not be complete without the ambiance of candlelight, I have a good stockpile of candles of all shapes and sizes at hand so I’m always good to go for Christmas! I like too start using my candles a few days before Christmas day, it not only gets the festivities started, but it also gives you a chance to play with where they will all go, so on the day the house is brimming with a beautiful twinkle!
The food is ready!
I’m not the greatest cook that has ever lived, so I like to keep my menu simple and tasty! As it’s summer here in Melbourne a hearty roast often feels a little heavy, so I often serve cold meats and fresh garden salads buffet style, the best thing with this style of food is that much of it can be prepared the day before, this means that your Christmas day can be just as much fun for you as it will be for your guests! It’s a very Australian way to entertain and it definitely symbolises a summer Christmas!
Time for a drink!
Christmas would not be complete without a glass of bubbles! I like to start the festivities with delicious Champagne topped with fresh raspberries, then onto a clean crisp dry rosé served with lunch and then pink gin cocktails to finish off the day! For me Christmas need not be fancy, just fresh and tasty!
What’s under the tree..
No Christmas would be complete without the gifts! It is said that the best gift givers are good listeners and I absolutely believe this is the key to giving good gifts. Throughout the year listen, you will pick up on what someone would like, keep a list and pick things up throughout the year, this will make your Christmas Shopping much less stressful and your gifts will always hit the right spot! I like to wrap all of my gifts in a simple paper with beautiful grosgrain ribbon that coordinates with my decor, it always feel so elegant and simple, no need to over stress the finer details!
Christmas Wishes!
Lastly don’t forget to wish all of those in your life a special Merry Christmas!
I will take this moment to say a very Merry Christmas to all my loyal clients and supporters, thank you for sharing in my adventures and for supporting all of my design dreams, it means the world to me!
May you all have an amazing festive season with your family and friends!
If you’re ready to make your interior design goals come true get in touch and let Gabriel bring your dreams into a reality, after all the sooner you have the home of your dreams, the sooner you can start living them!
