Firstly, I have to say I think it’s absolutely crazy when homeowners don’t give their interiors a bit of design love. We all work hard, and at the end of the day, you need a relaxing, inspiring, and functional getaway. Can you imagine the stress I’m under at this time of year? There are 1.9 billion children in the world, and I’ve not only got to make a list of who’s naughty and nice, but I have to check it twice! Thankfully I’ve expanded my factory of little helpers. And before you accuse me of running a sweatshop, let’s make it clear that they’re all on minimum wage and working no more than 14 hours a day. I’m kidding!

Anyway, here are my special Santa decorating tips for Christmas. After four hundred years of silly seasons, I’ve learnt a thing of two…

1. Kick my feet up

For a jolly man like me, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of kicking the boots off and putting my feet up at the end of the night on an all-important comfy couch.

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2. Workshop Wonderland  

Mrs Claus helps me with my organisational skills and gave me some great space-saving storage alternatives for our workshop. Try these organisational ideas to create more space in your craft workshop or office!

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3. Eggnog Station

Sneaking down people’s chimneys and directing the reindeer all night makes me pine for a drink when I get home. I ensure I have an impressive bar setup filled with the finest eggnog, mulled wine and spirits to share with my best elves and Mrs Claus after a long day’s work.

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4. Mrs Claus’ Corner

Mrs Claus spends long nights reading and knitting away whilst Santa is out to work. I ensure she’s in absolute comfort with a living room setting suited to all her needs. Bookshelves, a creative side table and a great armchair keeps her satisfied with everything at her fingertips. Mrs Claus has revamped our humble abode to match with latest trends, using neutral and metallic tones, greenery and minimalist decorations to keep it Christmassy all year round.

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5. Light the night

Working long, late hours and arriving home in the dark of the night calls for a well-lit exterior to guide my way home. Try these outdoor lighting solutions that add the all-important Christmas charm. Incorporating different types of lanterns adds a charming and warm vibe to your home.

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6. Claus’ cooking

Mrs Claus needs a space to bake all her delicious treats and cook a hot meal to make sure I don’t fill up on milk and cookies on the job! Being here in Lapland, there are so many beautiful Scandi-style kitchens she has visited so she needed one of her own! Last Christmas I put my elves to work to give her this beauty:

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Check out our Christmas interior decorating article for decorating your Christmas table, decorating you Chistmas tree and sorting out your stockings!
Have a Merry Xmas, ho ho ho!       

The post Interior design, North Pole-style, with Saint Nick appeared first on Designbx.

If you’re aiming for the traditional green, gold and red colour scheme, modernise the look by adding some luxurious ornaments in burnt copper, gold and sage green colours. For a more coastal, white, blue and silver theme, try bleached timber ornaments, complemented with grey and pastel colours.

Now we have the basics down pat, let’s begin!

1. Lighting

To start with, most shops sell Christmas tree lights with either green or white wiring, so be sure to get the correct lights that will match your tree. Plain white sparkling lights go well with any colour scheme and matches easily with all kinds of ornaments. Alternatively, you can layer your lights, from small white lights to larger coloured bulbs. Make sure you always start at the top of the tree and work your way down and around, so the power pack lays nicely on the floor, and not dangling from the top of the tree!

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2. Garlands

Garlands are placed on the tree after the lights because you want to hide an electrical wire with pretty decorations. A little prior preparation for this stage can help stop a disaster later down the track. Split up your ornaments into three piles, large, medium and small. Start with the large ornaments and sprinkle them evenly around the tree, in the most visible areas (don’t forget the bottom). Continue on to the medium sized ornaments and then lastly, small sized. If you have timber ornaments that don’t match your theme, you can apply a thin coat of paint to give them a washed look. After the ornaments are placed, you can go crazy with the tinsel, beads and other goodies. Get crafty this Christmas and try make your own macrame that can be hung on your tree.

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3. Filling in the gaps

Even after layering lights, tinsel, beads and ornaments onto the tree, we can still be left with bare areas that really stand out. Luckily they are an easy fix with ribbon. Find ribbon that matches your theme and tie bows around bare tree stems to fill in the blanks. You can also fill the gap by hanging up lollies and chocolates for a Christmas day delight.

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Now all that’s left to do is stand back and be amazed by your creation. For more Xmas tips check out our stocking guide and Christmas colours!

The post Three fail-proof steps to a majestic Christmas tree appeared first on Designbx.