Christmas Ready Home with Emma Britton
It’s almost that time of year again – with festive hosting and entertaining nearly upon us, let us arm you with the best ideas to get a Christmas ready home. Including easy and affordable styling ideas, the best small business buys and hosting hacks to wow your guests with.
Scroll to see Emma’s simple and sustainable tips for festive tables and hosting, featuring her signature decorative glassware and homewares, all available in Emma’s online shop. So, let’s get your home ready for Christmas, fuss-free!
Christmas Ready Home Styling Ideas with Emma Britton Decorative Glass Designer
The Entryway
Never to be overlooked, decorated doorways and entrance halls create a really inviting space for guests to come into. Fairy lights are a great way to add ambience and instant Christmas sparkle, especially to darker hallways. Emma loves Paper Starlights too for hanging over windows or from ceiling beams and picture hooks.
Alternatively, create simple garlands from from found foliage to adorn sideboards and windowsills. Ivy and holly work particularly well on their own and are especially festive. Don’t forget a wreath.
The Dining Room
Emma’s favourite! Tablecloths and runners are the simplest way to change up your tablescape. For a sophisticated yet practical look, go for a dark cloth. Or for something a bit more rustic and relaxed, choose brown paper. A great option for those with children too; let them decorate their place settings with pens keep them occupied throughout dinner.
Continue your foliage garlands down the centre of the table for a quick and effective centrepiece that’s easily manipulated around lots of pans and dishes. Then, add height with different vessels of stems for rhythm and interest. Emma’s Silver Birch Vase is great for a central focal point, but jam jars or old bottles work well for scattering around. You could spray found twigs with metallic paint for a more glitzy look, or keep them textural for an organic aesthetic.
Play with lighting to create ambience. Tea lights are lovely for their practicality, but taper candles add drama and a touch of vintage glam to any table. We love The Great British Bee Co’s beeswax dinner candles for their gorgeous colour and subtle scent. But, if real candles aren’t your thing, LED candles or battery powered fairy lights work just as well.
The Home Bar
Make sure your glassware is gleaming! Polish to perfection by holding each glass over a jug of freshly boiled water for a few seconds to fill with steam. Then, gently wipe away with a cotton tea towel. If you’re hosting a dinner party, definitely do this job ahead of time.
It’s good to prepare a selection of drinks to serve to your guests. Use carafes for pre-chilling water in the fridge or decanting red wine. Add a christmassy twist to drinks with ice set with cranberries and rosemary. For a non-alcoholic option, Drinks Kitchen Aperitifs are really versatile and definitely delicious. Founder Alli shared some ideas for best enjoying their sophisticated softs with us in this post.
It goes without saying to make sure you’re stocked up on all your essential glassware too! Wine glasses, water tumblers and carafes are must have for table settings. Add a set of etched champagne flutes if you’re celebrating with a crowd. Silver Birch is Emma’s timeless decorative glassware collection, or try the Exotic Floral collection for crystal glassware.
Guest Rooms
If you’ve got guests staying over, Emma’s Mini Carafe & Glass Sets are a brilliant addition to bedside tables in guest rooms. The little tumbler fits on top of the carafe, keeping the water fresh. These make a lovely all-in-one gift too.
We hope that these Christmas ready home tips make your hosting life a little easier and wow your guests this Christmas. If you liked this content, do sign up to Emma’s newsletter list, full of ideas with lifestyle inspiration and occasional offers.