Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2023 i HomeStyle

Welcome to our all-star Christmas issue, filled with this year's most gorgeous festive looks, expert decorating tips and a delicious festive menu that's sure to be a crowd-pleaser, whoever's coming to dinner! Discover our key Christmas trends on page 18, from a modern take on traditional red and green to a dreamy, ocean-inspired scheme, you're sure to find a look to suit your interior style. This month, our stunning real homes and makeovers are also dressed for the season and packed with ideas to inspire your festive styling, as well as your next reno. Turn to page 27 to see this month's spectacular home tours, and you'll find our room makeovers from page 94, including our cover star Bronagh's characterful living room transformation on page 100. Also in this issue,…

Best-buy edit HABITAT Comfort & joy There's nothing better than sinking into the sofa and lighting a scented candle at this time of year – styling up the space with natural, neutral tones will help you feel relaxed AVAILABLE IN TWO SIZES Panel talk Create a warm backdrop with wood panelling Sweet scents Enhance the cosy vibes with a seasonal candle Pattern clash Mix and match fabrics for an eclectic look PRIMARK Folklore Create a cosy bedroom packed with pattern by layering comfy cushions and throws in complementary colours such as deep berry, teal and vibrant green DELICATE GLASS DESIGN Shine on Mirrors help to reflect light around a room NEXT Table manners Get set for dinner-party season by sprucing up your table. Let luxe candles and vases take centre…

SCAN ME for more trending ideas at yourhomestyle.uk…

MONEY SAVING TIP Repurpose beachy finds from your summer holidays as decorations for this seaside theme. Use leftover driftwood to construct a Christmas tree, or add pieces of sea glass to garlands and wreaths. style idea Give your look a quick refresh with festive artwork. See page 39 for some of our fave picks How to get the look • This dreamy scheme is the perfect match for rooms where you've embraced the trend for warm neutrals. Soft beige walls are brilliant for playing the part of sandy beaches and will help to pull the whole effect together. If you don't have neutral walls, don't worry! Pink and blue tones will look great too and will create a more vibrant feel overall. • When picking out your decorations, look out…

TOP TIP If you're not confident in your sewing skills, make your stockings out of brown card and glue them together around the outside edge, then draw on numbers and stars in white pen YOU WILL NEED • jute string • decorative ladder • scissors • pencil • scrap card • 1m hessian fabric • small white iron-on numbers • small white iron-on stars • iron • fusible webbing (optional, see instructions for details) • sewing machine and thread • pins • mini wooden pegs • paper fan and berry sprigs (optional) INSTRUCTIONS 1 Begin by tying four lengths of jute string horizontally between the rungs of a decorative ladder rack. Once tied securely, trim away any loose ends for a neat finish. 2 Make a stocking template by using a…

Style edit Take a bow Give your porch a makeover with an oversized wreath featuring a giant bow (Esme would approve – Sewing Bee fans, you know what we're talking about)! Add a coordinating garland and decorate potted plants to match. For a contemporary look, fill outdoor lanterns with baubles instead of candles – so cute! ADJUST YOUR LIGHTING DISPLAY BY PLUGGING IT INTO A SMART PLUG - YOU CAN OFTEN CONTROL SETTINGS FROM YOUR PHONE Light fantastic Keep your outdoor lighting simple for a sophisticated look. A light-up wreath is ideal when you want the festive vibes to last all month, and it can be reused year after year. If you have the space, a pair of illuminated wire trees creates symmetry either side of the front door and…

UNDER £2 NATURAL EFFECT Use a fir-inspired green as the base for this look, layering classic patterns and natural woven details, then add plenty of foliage for a rustic vibe…

Festive make There are two ways to make a paper angel, either with a round fold to create the angel's head or with a tiny paper ball with a hole through the centre that you can buy from craft stores. Both designs are adorable! YOU WILL NEED ● thick patterned paper, at least A4 in size ● scissors ● twine, string or embroidery thread ● pencil or a compressed paper ball for the angel's head (available from craft stores) ● glue stick INSTRUCTIONS 1 Cut out 2 sheets of paper in a colour and/or pattern of your choice. One sheet needs to be wider than the other, while both should be the same length. For example, the large sheet can be A4 size and the smaller sheet the length of…

sugar & spice Christmas is a brilliant time for some baking, whether you go all-out constructing a gingerbread house or prefer to whip up a one-bowl batch of cookies. But if your cookware is looking a little tired, why not pick up some pieces from this new Habitat collection? You can even pop a few extras in your basket while you're doing the weekly shop! WIN! Fancy winning an electric shower? We've teamed up with Triton to give away two – turn to page 93 for more info go with the flow Planning a bathroom reno? It's worth considering including an electric shower, as although you may pay a little more upfront, it can reduce water and energy usage in the long-term. Triton's latest range has a control panel with a…

About me My name is Bronagh Meere (@whiledollysleeps on Insta), 41, and I'm a fashion and celebrity stylist. I live with my husband, Ben, a commissioning engineer, and our children, Dolly, 7, and Hugo, 5, in a three-bed Edwardian house in Kent. We've lived here for four years. TOTAL £6,755 BEFORE My problem living room I loved the proportions in our living room, but it was very uncared for and dated – and not in a good way. We wanted to replace all the original features that had previously been ripped out and bring back some character. How I made it work I've always wanted to own a period property. The house had been split into flats, so we spent a long time converting it back into the original house…

SCAN ME for more top buys at yourhomestyle.uk FEEL THE BUBBLES If this time of year makes you want to get cosy and enjoy a good book or movie with a cup of velvety smooth hot chocolate, then consider investing in one of these handy gadgets to make that comforting treat just the press of a button away EDITOR'S CHOICE 1 The Velvetiser £99.95, Hotel Chocolat Available in charcoal, copper and white, the highly popular, sleek and stylish Velvetiser delivers the smoothest, creamiest hot chocolate in just two and a half minutes. Simply add your choice of chocolate flakes and milk and the one-touch button takes care of the rest. If you're after style as well as substance this model would make a great addition to your kitchen worktop. WE…

Interview IN CONVERSATION WITH Congrats on 30 years of Caroline Gardner! How are you celebrating? We've held lots of different events and workshops in our Marylebone shop to celebrate. My first cards were made with wire, so we had a demonstration on how to make your own wire card. And we've held events like a puppy party, as well as celebrating with the team. So, lots of ways to say thank you to everybody that has supported us so far. Describe a typical day in the life for you… Every day really is different. On a day when I've got lots on, I often have meetings at 9am, 12pm and 2:30pm (one often with the whole design team). Then I might see my granddaughter, take the dog for a walk or…

SOPHIE ELLIS Production Editor 'We usually go for a golden angel. I have no idea where it's from, but my family have had it for as long as I can remember!' REBECCA MESSINA Digital Editor 'A classic sparkly star. We've got a bit of a Victorian vibe going on with our tree decorations and it matches perfectly' HANNAH TRIBE Staff Writer 'A tiny woollen Christ-mouse, wearing a dress and tiara. She's actually a decoration to go on the tree, but I put her on top' MICHELLE GRADY Homes Editor 'I've got a star adorned with little pearl beads – but maybe I'll have to relive childhood memories and get a fairy!'…

MONEY SAVING TIP Use up scraps of wrapping paper, left over after packaging up your presents, by turning them into paper chains. Cut the leftovers into strips and join them using tape. How to get the look • A palette of red, white and green will always give your home a Christmas vibe. Play around with the proportions of these colours to find a balance that suits your style. Lots of white with small touches of green and red will give a bright and snowy look, but going heavy on the green and adding pops of red and white will create a deeply dramatic feel. • Look out for decorations that have a vintage style. Stripes, stars and holly are classic designs that are worth searching for. These fail-safe pieces…

How to get the look • If you already have a green scheme in your home – and there's a high chance that you do, as it's been a trending shade this year – then this is the scheme for you. The colour palette for this look is centred around gorgeous greens with touches of warm, creamy beige and snowy white. • Take inspiration from the great outdoors when it comes to choosing your decorations: think pine cones, leaves and bare wood. Soft organic shapes like bobbles and bobbins add to the natural feel of this look, too. • Seek out simple, Scandi-inspired accessories, like stylised wooden trees and cute cottages to create the feel of a snow-covered winter wonderland. Adding DIY decorations, like paper chains and delicate angels (turn…

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A BIT ABOUT ME I'm Victoria Keyworth, 40, and I work for a furnishing store. I live with my husband Brad, 42, a gas tanker driving trainer, our two children, Ella, 14, and Noah, who is eight, and our pets, Alvin the dog and Woody and Wednesday, our cats. I'm at @boho_home on Instagram. WHERE I LIVE My home is a three-bedroom Victorian semi-detached house in New Holland, Lincolnshire. We moved in January 2020. WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE The whole house needed an overhaul so it was more a case of deciding on the schedule of works than the changes. But we really wanted to block up windows to add more wall space, create a dining area and replace the kitchen. HOW I MADE IT MY OWN Brad installed…

Now we're in the middle of the gloomy winter season, we're looking to brighter days ahead. Enter: colourful glassware. Reminiscent of summer getaways, use this joyful look to transform your tablescape. SCAN ME for more trending interior ideas at yourhomestyle.uk MISMATCH GLASSWARE IN A RAINBOW OF COLOURS FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT…

HOMESTYLE LOVES! SCAN ME for more interiors inspo at yourhomestyle.uk…

UNDER £10 FINISHING TOUCHES Arrange Christmas tree decorations on the table to continue the colour scheme around your home – choose sweet wrappers and candy canes for extra kitsch…

Combine woodland motifs with white and silver and add plenty of sparkle, for an enchanting scheme UNDER £5 LET IT SNOW Look out for snow -tipped decorations and frosted-effect glassware and foliage to create that wintry forest feel at each place setting…

We caught up with designer Caroline Gardner on page 121… 'A fairy that my daughter made when she was about six. There was a competition at her school and she won. It's got huge stitches and is the most gorgeous fairy!' 'A wire decoration that spells out our family surname,' says Sarah Trevor, who created this year's Christmas gift guide on page 84. 'I made it myself in a workshop and I'm really proud so I'm hoping it will become a family heirloom of sorts!' Lucy Whyld compiled our festive menu and scoured the supermarkets for our food guide on page 112… 'I'll pop my daughter's handmade, wonky, one-eyed angel on top of our tree. It gets a new “makeover” each year!'…

This season is the perfect time for embracing your inner child. Relive your memories of Christmases past with a playful retro design, or pick up a quirky bauble that'll simply make people laugh – a T-Rex on skates? Ideal! HAVE A FAIRYTALE CHRISTMAS SCAN ME for more trending interior ideas at yourhomestyle.uk…

How to get the look • Rooms that already have dark walls are the perfect pairing for this glittering scheme. These strong colours create shadows that make the metallic elements seem to shine even brighter. If your room isn't a similar shade of blue to the decorations shown here, pop in a few items that match your walls so that the scheme looks pulled together with designer depth. • Choose accessories that feature stars and moons. Look out for celebratory pieces, too, like Champagne bottles, starbursts and tiny cocktail glasses. Combining these two themes gives the effect of the best party you've ever been to – ideal for getting your guests in the spirit! • Don't be afraid to break style rules and mix up your metallics! Create a blend…

A BIT ABOUT ME I'm Louise Mair, 54, a visual merchandiser and stylist. I live here with my husband, Charles, 56. You can follow me on Instagram @thevintageroom. WHERE I LIVE Our home is a four-bedroom detached house in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was built around 22 years ago – we've lived here for 18 years. WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE The colour schemes – everything was painted in dark reds, yellows and purples, and I'm very much into softer pastel shades as I find them a lot more soothing. HOW I MADE IT MY OWN I refreshed and softened the colour palette throughout the house and introduced lots of pattern and playful elements. MY FAVOURITE PART I love decorating my home for Christmas and having guests over to…

TOP TIP Add small battery fairy and tea lights inside the cloches, as well as dotted around your display, to give it a cosy glow YOU WILL NEED • glass bell cloches in various sizes • decorative log slices • pencil • hot glue gun • selection of bottle brush Christmas trees • selection of festive ornaments, such as mini chalets, toy cars • selection of decorative toadstools • bag of artificial snow • decorative ribbon • scissors • battery-powered wire lights • cake stand INSTRUCTIONS 1 Place a bell cloche centrally on top of a decorative log slice. Lightly draw around the circumference of the bell cloche with a pencil, before removing it from the log slice. Use this pencil guide to make sure that when you position your…

HOMESTYLE LOVES! ADD A SUBTLE GLOW style idea Combine faux fur with jute for a cool contrast SCAN ME for more interiors inspo at yourhomestyle.uk…

A BIT ABOUT ME I'm Hayley Birch, 35, a day service officer for people with learning disabilities. I live with my husband Chris, 34, who works for a local brewery, and our son, Vincent, one. You can see more of my home on Instagram @walbirchmansion. WHERE I LIVE My home is a two-bedroom end terrace house in Hull, where we've lived since August 2018. WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE The bland magnolia walls had to go, but we made the mistake of going down the grey route first before we finally found our colourful style. HOW I MADE IT MY OWN I've used monochrome stripes and chevrons teamed with rich, bold paint colours. There are lots of prints inspired by films and music dotted about the house, as well as…

Hang garlands around a door frame or arch TOP TIP Experiment with other painting techniques, such as marbling or stencils, to create different patterns and effects YOU WILL NEED • 5 sheets of A2 plain paper • tape measure • pencil • scissors • poster or acrylic paint • paintbrush • darning needle • florist's wire • wire cutters • glue stick • paperclips or sewing clips INSTRUCTIONS 1 To make each fan, first measure and cut a piece of paper 15×45cm. 2 To create the ombré effect, paint a 5cm-wide band of a pale colour, such as yellow, along one long edge of the paper. Next, paint a 5cm-wide band of a mid-tone colour, such as orange, across the centre of the paper, softly feathering the edges where it joins…

UNDER £4 SAVVY STYLING Get crafty and create decorations using colourful felt or wool. A simple pom pom garland or felt table top tree would make a joyful table centrepiece…

WIN A PRIZE! Sponsored by… Kwai Feh A huge congratulations to the winners of this month's #myHShome, you've each won a bottle of Kwai Feh Lychee Liqueur, worth £26.50. This deliciously sweet and velvety smooth liqueur is flavoured with the distinctive character of lychee fruits. It can be added to classic cocktails – like daiquiris and mojitos to give them a little something extra or enjoyed neat. For more ideas, check out the recipes at kwaifeh.com bright and bold @chateauchatto My style is a mix of colourful and modern with vintage, antique decor. I love statement colours to be mixed with natural and earthy tones. Pretty much every room in the house is a sun trap and I like to make the most of it by making lots of cosy…

LUXE MARBLE TOP MATCHING DINNER SET 'Creating a good space to entertain is important to me' SCAN ME for more interiors inspo at your homestyle.uk 3 OF A KIND… CABINET HANDLES…

Biomass products manager at stovax.com Managing director of ukradiators.com General manager at wundagroup.com Director of technical services at worcester-bosch.co.uk Q What fuel is best for a wood-burning stove? Mike Coke, biomass products manager for Stovax Heating, says… It's essential to only burn good-quality wood. If the wood is wet or high in moisture content, such as freshly felled timber, much of the energy created by the fire is wasted on boiling the water within the wood, rather than heating the room. Burning wet wood results in poor combustion, increased emissions, and the production of tar deposits, which can damage a flue and increase the risk of chimney fires. Pallet, painted wood or timber that has been in any way chemically treated (such as decking or fences) must never be burnt…

Caffeine fix Hosting a big crowd this festive season? Then Cuisinart's new filter coffee maker is sure to make after-dinner coffees that much easier. The largecapacity glass carafe can hold between 12 to 18 cups, yet with slimline proportions it sits beautifully on the countertop, taking up little space. We love that you can program the machine at the start of the evening and choose exactly when to serve and enjoy. This is ideal when hosting overnight guests, too, as the freshly brewed coffee will be ready and waiting for them in the morning, and can be kept warm for 40 minutes. This model is available in Matt Black or White to suit your kitchen scheme. If you like to make foodie gifts, you'll love these great-value baking accessories –…

'TIS THE SEASON! FUSS-FREE FEAST Christmas dinner on the table in 60 minutes, with all the trimmings? Yes, this Christmas wish can come true! The folks at M&S have created a new festive feast for four to help take the stress out of the kitchen on the big day. For £45 you can enjoy a slow-cooked turkey joint, with pork and cranberry stuffing, roasties, Chantenay carrots, braised red cabbage and “ultimate” turkey gravy. Sounds like a gamechanger to us! BAO WOW! We love nothing more than a seasonal spin on our foodie favourites, so we'll be jingling all the way to Morrisons to stock up on these adorable bao buns. The fluffy, steamed, bite-sized treats are packed with a sweet and tangy hoisin mushroom filling and hand decorated with a…

Festive arecipes Roast turkey crown with chestnut, pear and bacon stuffing PREPARATION TIME 30 minutes, plus resting COOKING TIME 2 hours SERVES 6-8 INGREDIENTS For the stuffing ● 6 small shallots, peeled and quartered ● 2 large pears, peeled, cored and cut into chunks ● 75g bacon lardons or thick rashers, diced ● 30g fresh parsley, woody stems discarded ● 2 tsp thyme leaves ● 1 tsp rosemary leaves ● 75g butter, plus extra for greasing ● 225g fresh breadcrumbs (white or brown) ● 225g cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped ● salt and freshly ground black pepper ● 1 egg, beaten For the turkey crown ● 1 tbsp thyme leaves, chopped ● 75g butter, softened ● 1 lemon, zested and juiced (reserve the lemon halves) ● 2kg free-range turkey crown ●…