Home for Christmas

CHRISTMAS is less than two weeks away, but don't fret if you haven't got any boughs of holly to deck your halls with. Just follow these tips from the experts.

Tay Hui Min

Senior merchandising manager

Robinsons

WHEN it comes to decorating for the festive season, we have three top tips:

Having a lit-up Christmas tree, regardless of whether it is a fresh or artificial one, will instantly add a dash of festivity to any space. Replace cushion covers with festive colours, such as red, green, gold and/or silver. This is a simple yet effective way to bring the Christmas vibe into a room. Also, placing candles and other statement pieces such as tableware and glittery accessories will add a touch of festive glitter.

'A live tree has an aroma that will make you and your family truly feel that Christmas has arrived. The essence will fill your home and warm your heart in a way that an artificial tree can never do.'

Nikki Hunt,

founder of interior design firm

Design Intervention

WHAT better way to usher in the Christmas spirit than by filling your home with the smell of it? A live tree has an aroma that will make you and your family truly feel that Christmas has arrived.

The essence will fill your home and warm your heart in a way that an artificial tree can never do. If this is your first time decorating a live tree, here are some useful tips. Don't be afraid to trim the tree. I always trim alternate layers of leaves to allow space for the ornaments to hang. The ornaments need space to shine and too dense leaves laden with ornaments will look messy and unkempt. Get the clippers out and trim alternate layers to allow space for the ornaments to hang down.

The Christmas lights must be wrapped all around the tree before you start to hang the ornaments. Make sure you push the lights close to the stem. This way the tree will glow evenly and from within, setting off the ornaments to best effect.

Christel Bongco

Interior designer

Ikea Tampines

DECOR items can be anything found at home - simply upcycle them with some lights and a bit of sparkle to jazz up the look for the festive season.

If space is tight, opt for space-saving creative alternatives such as the Vinter 2014 Fabric, which you can easily place on the wall to infuse your home with the festive spirit instantly.

An interesting way to add festive cheer to any home is to use leftover Christmas baubles and decorations, and turn them into interesting works of art to dress up your walls. You can use these to form your own Christmas tree on the wall, and make it the talk of the party. And instead of using the classic table setting, try using festive goodies as edible placeholders and table decor.

Christelle Vaillant

Creative director

Tangs

FOR holiday decorating, it is always good to go with a colour that is neutral, but still festive. For example, gold is always elegant and stylish, and allows for longevity and adaptability. You can pair gold with different accent colours such as ruby red, sapphire blue or royal purple in different parts of your home, or even over different seasons or years, so you can build a beautiful decor collection piece by piece. It is also a colour that comes in different themes - you can find gold decorations in many styles, so you can probably find something to suit every home.

Nothing adds to your decorations more than festive scents. I find it really completes your theme and provides a wonderful atmosphere for family and friends to enjoy. Candles are always popular for Christmas, but if you prefer something cleaner and flame-free, you can buy scented ornaments, like those from Scentsicles, in fir, pine, cinnamon and berry. Hang them on your Christmas tree, wreaths, garlands, or just place them around your home to enjoy. The best thing is that you can control the subtlety of the fragrance simply by increasing or decreasing the number used - go all out during a theme party, or use a few in your Christmas tree to make it smell just like a real tree.

Helene Denaiffe

Founder of online home decor store

StyloDeco

FOR my Christmas decor at home this year, I'll use black-and-white paper stars as well as white, grey and pink paper ornaments from Danish brand, House Doctor.

They are made of high-quality paper, and you can play with the different colours and sizes of the stars. Display the paper stars on a console or even on the floor. Or hang them from the ceiling using a translucent nylon wire. Place them at different heights in order to give an impression of volume and depth like a 3D piece of artwork.

You can even customise the plain black and white paper stars by pasting colourful/patterned paper or masking tape on them. If so, choose your paper/masking tape, cut them into stars, polka dots, or any other shape, and paste on the paper star.

As for the paper ornaments, hang the smaller ones on your Christmas tree and display the bigger ones on your dining table for instance - they make for very festive-looking decor. All paper stars and ornaments come folded, which means they take little space in your cupboard all year long. Just unfold them when the Christmas season arrives.

Club 21 spokesman

THE trick is to think Christmas festivities but without going over the top. Apart from a tree, simply placing Christmas-related ornaments in your home can evoke a festive spirit. Music is also another way to set a celebratory mood.

Can't decide whether to go with red and green, or non-traditional colours such as pinks and purples? Then go with white, which is safe but always trendy.

White seems to be a recurrent trend with Christmas as it reminds us of snow and the proverbial White Christmas. Animal-themed ornaments, especially those of birds, also feature largely in our Christmas collection this year.