Tired of tinsel but not sure what look to go for? Christmas is the time to get creative and give your home some sparkle. Two top design teams tell us what’s at the cutting edge this season and how they make sure their homes look their festive best.

Interiors bloggers from South London, David White and Mark Russell are the design duo behind Forward Features

Describe your style at Christmas 
“We’re fairly restrained, but a tad eclectic. We don’t build our decorating scheme around the tree and instead like to explore our flat’s other existing features and give all the nooks and crannies a bit of love. We’ve been known to include wildcard elements like gold painted features and - of course - heaps of fairy lights!”
How do you get the look?
“It’s all about making it cosy - but it’s not just about how it looks. Other elements like scent play a massive part with classic festive scents of pine and cinnamon. For the overall look, we’re a fan of layering. Cushion upon cushions, with textured throws allow us to switch up our look dependent on how we feel. We like to adorn mantelpieces with festive displays; faux garlands are draped across bookshelves and clear vases filled with baubles sit on coffee tables, little alternative touches for when you don’t have a tree.”
 
Do you prefer treasured items you’ve owned for years or like to buy new each season?
 “We started our own tradition a couple of years ago with some kitsch decorations from one of our old local haunts, Lola & Sidney in Tooting. Both vintage from the 1950s, we’ve got a slightly odd- looking angel and a glitter-covered turtle, which we couldn’t pass up and although a bit zany, we love. These have travelled with us and make an appearance each year.”
What colours will be big this winter?
 “We’re predicting a lot of darker jewel tones. Think e Quality Street colours - emerald greens and regal purples - with the classic golds and maybe even a hint of blue. Texture is always so important for us, and you can’t go wrong with cosy mohair and intricate William Morris-esque patterns to add depth.” 
 
How do you dress your table?  
“This year, our Christmas inspiration is all around a retro 1970’s theme. Think Boogie Nights meets Boney M. We’re getting more lavish with our decorations and centrepieces are becoming more common. There’s also a bit of a culinary shift back to sharing food from platters, so it’s all about the placemats and you can’t go wrong with a bit of glitz and glamour. Think opulent golds or silvers, met with dark toned crockery to really give it the wow factor.”

(Amara Glacial Set of 4 Disco Balls)

Interiors blogger Melanie Lissack is also a design and colour consultant  

Describe your style at Christmas 
“I can't imagine myself ever having a Scandi, minimalist Christmas! I'm very much 'all-in' when it comes to Xmas, but I do tend to prefer the traditional with a contemporary twist. I'm very much the person who decorates the tree with clip- on peacock and pheasant decorations.”
How do you get the look?
“I’m not one for plastic, you have to embrace natural materials to create cosy, inviting Christmas decor. The door wreath is my thing. I never buy them, they are ridiculously expensive, and it is actually really easy to make one yourself. I make mine with dried hydrangea heads and orange slices, while I cover the fireplace with eucalyptus, holly and pine cones from Epping Forest. Get yourself on Pinterest and down Hobbycraft and you’ll be amazed at what you can create with some foliage and a glue gun.”
Do you prefer treasured items you’ve owned for years or like to buy new each season?
“Every year I love to visit London’s large department stores to pick a couple of new favourite tree decorations to add to my collection. I only buy 2-3 per year and I have to love them. Each year I unpack them it brings back floods of memories of each Christmas gone by. My favourite places to shop for tree decorations are M&S & John Lewis. I think they do great decorations at a reasonable price.” 
What colours will be big this winter?
“There is a massive move away from dark decor and people are embracing more confident neutral colours: whites with hints of pink and grey, which provide a great backdrop to deep browns, oranges and pinks. I think there has been a bit of a shift and people are over the whole 'kitsch Xmas' look. Instead, I expect the most popular Xmas looks to be more contemporary and stylish.”
How do you dress your table?  
“As per the move away from dark décor, I think table decor will be light and neutral. Use white hydrangea heads with a touch of gold. For inexpensive table décor, edible gold leaf and spray paint is your best friend. Buy cheap conference pears from the supermarket, spray them white and dip the stalk in gold glitter for cheap table décor with that extra edge.”