Scandi lifestyle expert at Contura shares tips on decorating your home this Christmas.
Whether for springtime, Easter, autumn, Halloween, or Christmas, decorating the home to celebrate the changing seasons or usher in holidays is an ever-growing trend and efforts seem to be getting more elaborate every year.
“With trees, lights, candles, wreaths, gonks, stockings, tablescapes, festive bunting, mantel and window displays, the festive season still remains the holiday that Brits like to go all out for,” says Scandi lifestyle expert at Contura, Catharina Björkman, “and what is wonderful to see, is that Christmas décor is today more nature-led, hand-crafted and sustainable than ever before.
“Whilst everyone’s idea of the perfect home at Christmas is different, there are a few easy ways to ensure your home is decorated sustainably as well as beautifully this festive season.”
Read on for Catharina’s Scandi inspired guide to decorating your home sustainably.
Sustainable swaps
Whilst many people believe reusing an artificial tree is a more sustainable option to putting up a real tree in your home for only a few weeks every year, if sourced and cared for correctly, real trees can be sustainable, and you just can’t beat the smell of pine for the ultimate sense of Christmas.
Pot grown trees are the most sustainable option, though you’ll need to ensure you’re regularly watering it and spritzing the foliage. Post-Christmas you can simply move it outside.
There are also companies nationwide that allow you to hire a tree for the festive season, collecting them again in January either to recycle or to re-plant to grow until it’s re-used again the following year.
Whichever option you choose, just make sure to do your research to ensure the company you’re buying from has solid sustainability credentials. Look for companies that use organic farming methods, plant replacement trees, invest in carbon reduction projects, and use minimal packaging.
Make do and mend
Don’t be tempted to rush out and buy new decorations. Instead, consider whether you can upcycle any existing decorations. You’d be amazed at what you can achieve with a touch of creative thinking.
Alternatively, if you’re thinking of revamping your festive colour scheme, check if any friends are considering doing the same – you may be able to do a simple swap!
And don’t forget to search local charity shops and second-hand stores for pre-loved decorations.
Get crafty
Making your own decorations is the perfect way to keep kids occupied for an hour or two and can provide plenty of gratification for adults too. Create paper snowflakes and colourful pipe cleaner stars, paint pinecones and simply thread and hang around the house.
If you have teens or fancy getting involved yourself, try decorating willow branches. They can either be spray painted a festive gold or silver or kept as they are for a more natural look. Display in a tall thin vase or jam jar and decorate with ornaments or sparkling lights.
If you’re feeling up to a challenge, try making your own Christmas crackers – there are plenty of tutorials online and the joy experienced thanks to personalised cracker gifts over Christmas lunch will create memories to last a lifetime.
Create your own festive potpourri
Forage for the ‘ingredients’ needed to make beautiful festive decorations – holly, twigs, pinecones and berries can all be found in abundance in local woodland. Cinnamon sticks, cloves and dried fruit are also great additions.
Get the whole family involved in painting some of the goodies – use gold or silver for additional festive sparkle.
Then simply add your mix of foraged finds to bowls or vases for a rustic, Scandi inspired festive potpourri.
Festive ‘scaping’
Doorscaping is a fun and creative way to dress up your front door and give visitors a joyful welcome.
A wreath, boughs of holly, and other festive foliage are all ideal, but why stop there? Transform the area around your front door with baskets filled with fresh or dried flowers, decorative doormats, seasonal characters that you can reuse year after year, and more. To make an even bigger splash, invest in a festive door arch – keep it rustic with lots of greenery but add some Christmas sparkle with twinkling lights.
Inside your home, turn your attention to your dining table. First thing’s first; consider your colour palette or theme – as this will form the foundation of your display – then build each layer of the table from there. It might be that you want a table inspired by nature but with touches of traditional festive green and red. In which case, you may forego a tablecloth and instead invest in handmade wicker placemats, traditional patterned napkins and seasonal foliage and berries displayed along the length of the table.
And don’t forget that the mantelpiece, windowsills and fireplace (in lieu of a stove or open fire) can be decorated too.
A nod to Christmas in every room
Many of us focus our Christmas decorations in the living room or kitchen-diner if that’s where we hang out most, but wouldn’t it be lovely to have a festive display in every room?
It’s not practical or economical to have multiple trees stationed throughout the house, but there are a number of simple, stylish ways to bring some Christmas cheer to bedrooms, dining rooms, or even bathrooms.
Decorative willow branches or foliage works well in any room, as do candles and ornaments. Try filling a glass vase with any decorations that didn’t make it on to the tree this year for a quirkier, unique decorative display. Festive bunting can also be used throughout the house to add seasonal cheer.
For more information on Contura, please visit www.contura.eu.
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Notes to editors:
- Rooster PR will coordinate comment, interview and profile opportunities for Contura UK Country Manager, Phil Wood.
- The Contura PR team will also arrange visits to the nearest Contura Design Centre dealerships or the Contura showroom in Doncaster to see the product range.
For further press information, please contact:
Anna Nyman | Elsa Findlay | Julie Aguilera
Rooster PR
T: +44 (0)203 440 8930
E: [email protected]
About Contura:
Contura is Europe’s leading manufacturer of wood burning stoves, offering an extensive range of classic and contemporary wood burners; from traditional insert stoves suitable for existing fireplaces, to freestanding statement models made with innovative materials such as soapstone.
Starting at £1,395, Contura stoves are premium yet affordable. Award winning, timeless Swedish design means the products complement or enhance any style of home, whilst also offering outstanding performance, maximum efficiency, practicality and ease of use.
Designed and assembled at the factory located in Markaryd, Sweden, and manufactured to the highest standards, Contura stoves are highly energy efficient, offering powerful convection, superior combustion technology and clean burning systems. Currently, 95% of Contura stoves are DEFRA Clean Air Act exempt and thus approved for use in Smoke Control Areas.
Contura stoves can be purchased through a network of 165 independent retailers nationwide.
Contura is part of the NIBE group, a Swedish manufacturing company producing world class solutions in sustainable energy across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.
Contura is a founding member of the Stove Industry Alliance (SIA) in the UK.
For more information please visit www.contura.eu
