Festive Fetish: Lipstick Christmas

What? I have mentioned NOTHING of Mistletoe… or my rules for ugly mistletoe man avoidance?? I’m talking about these ruby red Christmas decorating ideas… of course…? It’s Christmas Eve tomorrow, so I have only 24 hours of rabbiting on about beautiful Christmas ideas – brace yourselves!!

I love these snowflake Christmas card holders!

Get creative with your Christmas card displays

Make a Christmas centrepiece out of gifts and fill with chocolates or cake for dessert.

Make a statement above the dining table with an oversized hanging decoration

Can I come in? Farmhouse Christmas home

Remember how warm this cute and cosy country farmhouse looks when you’re waiting for the bus in the freezing cold and when you’re slowly – but noticeably – sliding down the hill on the ice!

I’m sure they won’t mind if you take a sneaky look around their Christmas home…

Steal the style of a warm and welcoming country Christmas living room

 

Add festive sparkle to country wooden beams with fairy lights

Add atmospheric glow by the aga with colourful hanging lanterns

Even the country bathroom gets a Christmas update with a white dove garland

Ho… Ho… Ho… memade Christmas (sorry!)

Have yourself a homespun little Christmas with Country Homes & Interiors. Another year, another batch of beautiful Christmas decorating ideas from those country-style gurus, and these schemes are no exception. Can I…? fall in…? …love with a room?

Cover a big-and-bold Christmas tree with fabric doves, hearts and stars finished in fabric stitching. Add rustic charm with handmade cushions to match.

Country Christmas craft ideas for a happy holiday

Hang a natural garland trimmed with mini stockings above a guest bed and top with a fun wood-cut reindeer. Layer the bed with cherry red woollens!

Give your Christmas bedroom a touch of homespun style

Lampshades covered in a hand silk screened wallpaper make a stunning focal point above the Christmas table.

Enjoy Christmas lunch the country craft way

Don’t limit a Christmas wreath to the outside of the house – they look so pretty on internal doors, too!

How to create a cosy Christmas look in the hallway

Make berry-red felt curtains with folk art white felt hearts hand cut using a homemade stencil.

Create a magical festive seating area in the hallway with Christmas

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

I must emphasise I’m talking about these cute snow-inspired Christmas decorating schemes, not the actual ‘it was fun at first’ snow that seems to prevent anyone getting anywhere without at least flailing on ice embarrassingly… and unattractively!

Narnia gets a modern update!

Decorate your Christmas living room in Narnia-esque snow!

Group Mexican votives and Christmas trimmings in bauble shapes using White Tack to create a blend of modern folk and 2010 favourite – multifaceted metallics!

Modern metallics give this Christmas hallway a calming twist

Can I come in? Modern country Christmas home

Happy Christmas week everyone! I’m going to devote the next couple of days (oh let’s face it, the next FIVE DAYS) to squeezing in as many inspiring Christmas ideas as humanly possible. I’ve seen so many beautiful ideas in the magazines this month and it seems a shame not to share them – especially if you, like me, have been too busy rushing around the shops to calmly browse through the latest issues.

Take a tour around Livingetc‘s Christmas house of the month, a chic farmhouse with a modern twist – it’s stunning!

Traditional furniture pieces get a modern update with vibrant red accents and oversized decorations.

Find modern country Christmas living room decorating inspiration

Cosy and atmospheric, this dining room is the perfect place for a Christmas feast.

Update a traditional dining room with eye-catching Christmas decorations

This bedroom is gorgeous all year round – I love how the stocking matches the rest of the scheme!

Add shimmer and sparkle to your bedroom this Christmas

Christmas trees – the good, the bad, the UGLY!

Anyone walking past my desk this afternoon would have thought I was having a webchat with a clown and a murderer at the same time! You see, I’ve been searching the web for Christmas tree decorating ideas, and while some of them filled me with festive joy, other so-called ‘best designs’ were enough to make a grown woman/decorating addict weep!

The good Christmas tree

Although I’d like a fuller tree (this one looks like it’s going to get frost-bite!), I adore the cute vintage decorations and homespun style. You can pick up everything for this look at John Lewis.

roomenvy - nostalgic Christmas tree

The bad Christmas tree

Although I’m a fan of all things ‘weird and wonderful’ I’m just not convinced by this alternative Christmas tree. I’m with Casa Sugar on this one, it’s just not … well … Christmassy?

roomenvy - alternative Christmas tree

The ugly Christmas tree

Oh my! This is what happens when bad Christmas decorations happen to good trees. I’m sure it works for some people, but do those people have a Lion, a Witch and also a Wardrobe??

roomenvy - scary Christmas tree

p.s Is that actually a STONE HEAD in the middle of this tree? (or am I seeing a ghost?)

Traditional Christmas tree decorating ideas

It’s almost time to start decorating your Christmas tree… that is, if you haven’t already rushed to a Christmas tree farm at 6am on December 1st. If you’re looking for tips to get you started check out this video.

Watch on for fab tips on everything from making an artificial Christmas tree look authentic to making your own homespun Christmas tree decorations.

Christmas decorating looks: Matalan

Ever wonder how the celebs decorate their homes at Christmas? Well if you want to know EXACTLY which decorations, head to Matalan where their celebrity ‘influences’ have designed everything from decorations to  gifts!

Have a look at these two Christmas decorating looks and see if you can guess which is by the ultra flamboyant, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and which is by the quintessentially English actress, Jane Asher. It’s a toughie!!

Add flamboyance to your fireplace this Christmas with exotic decorations

Love the traditional country Christmas look? Go for decorations in gold, green and red

Christmas decorating looks: The White Company

Christmas Envy

noun

• a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by the fact it’s freezing and yet isn’t Christmas time yet. She felt a twinge of Christmas envy while looking at this year’s Christmas range by The White Company.

• (the Christmas envy of) a decoration that inspires envy: The The White Company‘s laid back festive style and modern country chic is the Christmas envy of… Jenny!

Add subtle festive touches to your front door this Christmas

Add shimmer and sparkle to your Christmas dining table with metallic accessories and LED Christmas lights

Liven up your Christmas mantelpiece with a mini Christmas tree and mini gift boxes filled with chocolate

Christmas decorating looks: House of Fraser

One Christmas decorating look that really stood out for me this year was House of Fraser‘s ‘Burlesque’ range, and it involves everything you would expect… gothic glamour, show-stopping gold sparkle, sexy pinks and purples and flirty finishing touches!

It makes me blush just looking at it!

Add show-stopping style to your Christmas tree with hot pink and purple decorations

Brighten up your hallway this Christmas with these stunning gothic glam decorations