4 ideas to get your home ready for Christmas

Decorate your hallway this Christmas — Deck the halls | Give pets a warm welcome with our handwoven wicker pet beds

With flurries of snowfall across the UK, the magic of Christmas has already begun. Whether you’ve got the whole family staying over Christmas or you’re looking forward to a smaller gathering of close friends on Christmas Eve, we’re sharing four ideas to inspire you and your home this festive season.

DECK THE HALLS

When it comes to decorating our homes, we consider the tree, the wreath on the front door, perhaps a mantelpiece garland in the living room. And yet, it is our hallways and entranceways that loved ones will see first when they step through the door. Consider adding strings of fairy lights around a hallway arch or doorframe. A smaller tree, simply decorated, sitting on a console table or sprigs of foraged foliage winding their way up the staircase. Dried oranges, with their zesty scent have a nostalgic feel and are simple to do and perfect for hanging. Candlelight too, helps to set a welcoming tone of warmth and welcome.

Guest bedroom ideas — A home from home | Introduce comfort and warmth with throws, rugs and soft lighting

If you’re expecting a number of guests over the Christmas period, storage, from a more practical standpoint, will help to provide a tidy welcome. Our shoe benches come in a range of shapes and sizes, offering a safe home for boots and shoes. For the smaller, or more compact entranceway, coat hooks offer guests a grateful space to hang coats and scarves.

A HOME FROM HOME

If you’re looking forward to friends and family staying with you over Christmas, your thoughts might now be turning towards the guest bedroom. Creating a warm and welcoming home from home. Whether they’re staying one night or four, we believe there’s joy to be found in comfort. A mattress, whether soft or firm, to provide support and relaxation. Our Pure Natural Mattress Collection is made from sustainable hand-teased Dartmoor wool. While our British-made Classics Mattress Collection, offers the same levels of comfort at an affordable price point.

A Christmas tablescape — Set the table | Create a festive tablescape with patterned crockery, linens, foliage and candlelight

Hand finished in Portugal, our bed linen is made from 100% cotton for a comforting and luxurious touch. With delicate detailing, our Avebury range, with its 200 thread count and percale weave promises a light and breathable night’s sleep. For colder nights, set aside layers that can be easily added. Cashmere-blend throws, blankets and thick quilts for extra warmth.

Lighting is important too, especially with the shorter daylight hours at this time of year. Place a table lamp either side on a bedside for a soft glow first thing in the morning. Believed to provide better quality sleep and relaxation, place a Cotswold Lavender bag close by for a thoughtful finishing touch.

SET THE TABLE

Timeless tradition | Beautifully nostalgic, our Morris tableware with complement those rich berry and forest green tones

This may not be something you think about too early on in December, but planning how you would like your Christmas table to look takes time and thought. Whether it’s considering the foliage and flowers you’d like on display – do these need to be ordered from your local florist? Or will you be heading out into the hedgerows to forage on Christmas Eve? How will you display them? Vases, in varying sizes, help to add height and interest to your table.

Many of us look forward to bringing out our best china on Christmas day. Our new Morris collection, with its timeless and subtle pattern will pair beautifully with the rich berry and dark green tones we love at this time of year. Napkins – tied with a sprig of holly – is a simple way to give a feeling of festiveness. The soft flicker of candlelight will add to the overall ambience, helping to ignite that feeling of conviviality.

Christmas decorating ideas — The finishing touch | Foraged foliage is a beautiful yet inexpensive way to decorate for Christmas

THE FINISHING TOUCH

Many of us have a box or two of decorations that we’ve collected over the years. Including, no doubt, a handful of special heirlooms that take pride of place. Some of us may prefer to go more natural, relying on nature for conifer stems, pine cones and red berried stems. Homemade decorations – from paper stars to bunting or gift tags – quickly become favourites too for their uniqueness and the memories they hold in making them.

This year, we’ve introduced a small and considered collection of Christmas wreaths. Handmade by a team of florists using naturally dried foliage, hang them inside or in a sheltered spot outside.

However you prepare and decorate your home for Christmas this year, we hope it brings you endless joy and touches of magic.

Shop online for Delivery before Christmas, or for more festive inspiration, follow us on Instagram @cotswoldco.