Aisling Nugent of Instagram account @vintagehillcork shares her stress-free tips for creating some Christmas cheer in your home
The pressure to transform your home in to a winter wonderland can be overwhelming. It can feel like Christmas isn’t complete without a decadent haul of new decorations, which is, often quite literally rubbish.
Aisling Nugent is one of Ireland’s favourite interiors influencers, with her account @vintagehillcork. Here, she shares five tips for adding Christmas cheer to your home without breaking the bank.
Take stock
It’s difficult to remember what Christmas decorations you have from year to year, so always look through what you have before going shopping for more. Don’t feel under pressure to use everything that you have – pick out the pieces that you really love and focus on building a scheme around that. Deciding on the look that you want to achieve before hitting the shops will reduce the likelihood of impulse buying and ensure a more harmonized festive look.
Start with a wreath
Decorate the key focal points in your home – the front door, mantelpiece, dining table and stairs. A faux wreath or garland can be easily updated from year to year by adding in new foliage, berries, baubles, or ribbons. Use a mix of faux and real greenery in order to add scent, texture and that all important touch of authenticity. To give your wreath or garland a real lift add some fairy lights which can also be placed in lanterns, hurricane lamps or glass bowls to bring some festive cheer to often forgotten about spaces such as windowsills, shelves, and coffee tables.
Think beyond things
Christmas vibes are not just created visually – a kitchen filled with the aroma of freshly baked mince pies or warm mulled wine is so evocative – if it smells like Christmas, it is Christmas! Christmas candles are a wonderful option for replicating such fragrances and Homesense have a fabulous selection of quality candles and diffusers at great prices, perfect for filling your home with that festive scent you love.
Festive feels
It is certainly better value to have an artificial tree you can use year after year. There’s nothing more Christmassy than the welcoming smell of a real fir tree and this is definitely the number one drawback of having an artificial tree. However, with a little bit of cheeky subterfuge you can still fill your home with that lovely seasonal perfume by hanging scented decorations on your tree and incorporating them into faux wreaths and garlands around your home. After all, sometimes you’ve got to fake it ‘til you make it!
Cosy accessories
Swapping over your cushions and throws for a festive alternative is a quick, easy, and effective way of introducing some cosy Christmas vibes into your home. Homesense get in new deliveries of home accessories every day, so it’s always worth a visit in to see if there’s a cosy cushion or a throw you’ll treasure waiting for you in store.
There’s no right or wrong when it comes to festive decorating. Everyone has their own version of Christmas, so go with the scheme that brings you and your family joy and creates an atmosphere of cheer, something we all need this year more than ever before!
