In the past, decorating your home in preparation for Christmas usually consisted of clumps of red and green tinsel with the odd talking Santa in the corner of the room.
Brooke Van Der Woude
Not anymore! Homely and busy is a trend of the past.
According to Ken Moncrieff, stylist at Moss Furniture, the key to Christmas is to think simple and minimalistic.
“For Christmas, I personally believe that the style has become more simplistic and sophisticated, complementing the modern furniture of today. Less is more,” said Moncrieff.
Owned by interior designer, Lyn Fisher, Moss Furniture mainly uses Casaerstone and stainless steel for their furniture designs, resonating simplicity and innovation.
Specialising in outdoor furniture, the team at Moss Furniture believe the best way of livening up your home for Christmas is to invest in your outdoor area.
“The reason why we do use stainless steel is because it is so resilient against the Australian weather. The resilient fibres in the product mean that you can have the furniture near the ocean and on the balcony. For Christmas, people can gear up for summer by buying outdoor tables and chairs to entertain their family and friends,” said Fisher.
With 40 years experience in the styling industry, Ken Moncrieff has a broad knowledge of interior design. His decorating style is heavily influenced by French and Italian designers.
The popular colours for home decorating this Christmas reflect the warmth and spirit of summer. Moncrieff says that the focus should be to complement the existing furniture within the home.
“I am lead to believe the latest trends in Christmas colours are mocha with pale blue, lemons and oranges, florals and a lot of pastels,” said Moncrieff.
Another way of adding a bit of character to your home is through the addition of lighting, either with candles or with the subtle illumination of a stylish lamp.
“Lighting is a major feature in this seasons decorating. I’ve talked to a lot of manufacturing companies and they say the biggest seller is illumination, striped lighting with a small fairy light, and the optic fibre Christmas tree,” he said.
When it comes to Christmas, over-decorating isn’t the only mistake people make.
“For a personal point of view, I find the paper chaining is terribly dated. Foil decorations for Christmas is definitely more in trend than other materials like tinsel. I think people tend to over decorate when really if you have a lovely tree you should keep decorating in a minimalist style,” suggested Moncrieff.
For those who are restricted financially, getting creative with the kids or purchasing an array of summery candles also great ways to save money and still stylise your home for Christmas.
“Candles are a really simple and inexpensive way of decorating for Christmas. If you have young children and you are on a budget, I think it’s nice to let them design and make their own decorations for the tree. It’s simple and cheap. Companies are selling decorate it yourself balls to hang on the tree. It’s a really novel way for the kids to be involved and it’s fun,” Moncrieff said.
For the upcoming Christmas, embellish your inner creative self, decorate with the kids, add colour and illuminate your home.
