In my opinion, there are two types of people in the world. Those who get Christmas planned, prepped, and sorted before October is even over. And those who begin to think about the festive season, say, about now.
I am firmly in the second camp, and whilst starting to think about the festive season in mid-November doesn’t in any way qualify as ‘last minute’, it does throw up one problem if you have guests coming to stay this Christmas and you don’t already have one of the best sofa beds in place.
Many sofa beds are made to order with long lead times. I’ve learnt during my time as Ideal Home’s Sleep and Sofa Bed Editor, that by now (mid-November), we’ve passed the cut-off point for ordering a new sofa bed that will arrive before Christmas at many retailers. Luckily, there *are* still places you can shop for quick delivery sofas and sofa beds right now; you just need to know where to look.
Swyft’s website also makes it very clear exactly when the delivery of each upholstery option is available from, so you know exactly what you’re getting before you shop.
This is in contrast to many retailers, where that info can be kept a little vague until *after* you’ve placed your order. And that’s pre-Christmas stress no one needs.
Swyft’s ‘Airforce Blue’ Model 08 sofa bed isn’t just on sale right now, it’s also available with *next-day* delivery. Plus, there are plenty more upholstery options with fast delivery options. You could be hosting faster than you can iron your guest bedding.
This bestselling sofa bed is available with delivery within seven days at John Lewis. Despite its compact footprint, it also offers a double bed-sized sleeping area that guests will appreciate.
Only need to sleep one guest at a time? Habitat’s stylish Roma chair bed is ideal and this bestselling burnt orange colourway can be delivered in time for Christmas if you shop soon.
If you’ve been wondering how the stars are styling their christmas trees, one trend in particular has been dominating A-list homes the past couple of years. It’s the minimalist, no-ornament tree, and no one is doing it better than Victoria Beckham.
We first spotted Victoria Beckham’s naked tree last year in her Dover Street store, and this year she’s bought it back once again with a subtle twist. Letting the tree do all the talking, the only embellishment to the greenery are soft, twinkling fairy lights, and green bows that blend into her foliage – and Victoria is not the only celebrity embracing this Christmas trend.
Stars such as Michelle Pfeiffer, Kourtney Kardashian and Jennifer Aniston have all embraced the minimalist tree trend in previous years. And if you want to embrace this Christmas tree decorating idea, I’ve asked interior design experts how we can achieve the same effortless, luxe look as the rich and famous.
Why are no-ornament trees trending?
This year, we have seen a growing trend for luxury-style Christmas. From the Après-Ski trend to the traditional Ralph Lauren Christmas, we’ve seen more and more brands dropping decor designed to make our homes feel a little more luxurious this festive season. But according to celebs like Victoria Beckham, less is always more.
To see Victoria’s tree, scroll through her Instagram carousel.
‘Celebrities often gravitate toward minimalist trees because they complement, rather than compete with their beautifully designed homes. When a space is already architecturally striking or curated to perfection, a pared-back tree allows the interior to shine,’ explains Lisa Hensby, founder and Creative Director of Lisa Hensby Design & Build Studio.
‘It comes down to one thing: restraint. When you strip away heavy ornamentation, you start to appreciate the beauty of the tree’s architecture. The branch spacing, the soft shimmer of warm lights, the texture of the needles. Suddenly, the tree becomes a design piece rather than a backdrop for decorations.
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‘Minimalism feels chic because it feels intentional. Every element has a purpose, and the simplicity is what makes the look feel elevated.’
This is exactly what Victoria Beckham does well. By opting for small, soft, warm lights, she is intentionally framing the beauty of her Christmas tree, rather than decorating it. This is again shown by her velvet green bows, which blend seamlessly into the tree, leaving the focus again on the greenery. And it is this intention that makes the tree look so effortlessly stylish.
How to get the look
‘The quality of your tree is integral to this look. If you’re opting for faux, high-end reusable options such as Balsam Hill’s Nordmann with its True Needle technology, are beautiful left lightly decorated or undecorated, thanks to its natural shape and beautifully nuanced shades of green. What’s more, with concealed wiring and warm, evenly distributed lighting, the overall glow feels seamless,’ says Whinnie Williams, Interior Designer and Trends Forecaster for Balsam Hill.
It’s true. To achieve this effortlessly polished look, we recommend investing in one of the best artificial Christmas trees. With all emphasis on foliage, the last thing you want is flimsy, sparse, plastic branches. Alternatively, you could also invest in a quality real tree for an authentic, real look. Lisa recommends opting for either a Nordmann Fir, Norway Spruce or Fraser Fir.
‘Choose a tree with great structure. Real or faux, go for one where the branch spacing is visible so the shape does most of the work. A slim tree can look just as stunning as a full one,’ she says.
‘Fluff the branches well. Spend time shaping them, especially when you are not using ornaments to hide gaps.
‘Layer your lighting. Two sets of lights work beautifully: one deep inside for depth and one loosely wrapped on the outside for gentle sparkle. Still minimal, still calm, but with lovely dimension.’
And if you’re someone who isn’t quite ready to say goodbye to all ornaments, don’t worry, Whinnie says you can still make it work for a minimalist tree.
‘Whether it’s a single oversized bow or a nostalgic nod to the retro-tinsel revival (38% of people are using it this year!) One curated detail can add a little personality and fun – it is Christmas after all!’ she says.
Shop the look
Habitat
Habitat 240 Gold Multifunction Led Christmas Tree Lights
For a minimalist tree, opt for warm lighting to create a cosy look that enhances the green of your tree.
John Lewis
John Lewis Giant Velvet Bow
A statement bow can finish the look off beautifully whilst adding a playful touch to your tree.
John Lewis
John Lewis Cotswold Potted Pre-Lit Christmas Tree, 7ft
This is Ideal Home‘s best-rated artifical Christmas tree. Our reviewer said it was one of the most realistic artificial Christmas trees she’d ever seen or touched.
‘Stripping back the decorations encourages a focus on form, texture, and light, highlighting the quality of the tree. It’s this quiet confidence that gives a minimalist festive set-up a chic, editorial look,’ concludes Whinnie.
Would you try this stripped-back look this Christmas?
Something has shifted in the air in the last couple of weeks and Christmas is officially right around the corner, which of course means that decorating is about to begin – if you haven’t started already. This tension rod garland hack went viral two years ago, and it still remains one of the best Christmas decor hacks we’ve seen, especially in a kitchen.
Kitchens can be tricky to decorate as you want Christmas decor that doesn’t get in the way of your surfaces and practical cooking areas, which is why decorating doorways and windows with a garland is one of the most clever ways to spruce up your space for the festive season.
It’s so good, in fact, that Amazon sold out of tension rods when the hack first gained popularity, so you’ll want to move fast before the same happens.
(Image credit: Future/Heather Young)
While we’re all for adding one of the best artificial Christmas trees to your kitchen to embrace the full festive spirit, sometimes it’s not feasible to make room for one. Decking every doorway in garlands, however, helps to extend the Christmas cheer through to every room in your home.
Whether you live in a period property with high ceilings that make it difficult to attach a garland or a rental where you can’t use nails, this DIY Christmas decor hack uses only a tension rod and artificial garland, making it affordable and easy to put up and take down.
Jen Rothbury, otherwise known as interior blogger @crack_the_shutters, featured the viral DIY garland hack on her page, showing how you can recreate it in a doorway.
This year, however, we’ve been inspired by a twist on the trend that takes it from a doorway to a window. Our windows don’t get much love when it comes to festive decorating, but it’s a clever way of adding decor to the inside and outside of your home, as it can be seen from the exterior.
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Ideal Home’s Editor-in-Chief, Heather Young, gave this garland hack a try last year in her kitchen window and plans to recreate it again for the festive season in 2025, as shown above.
It helps to frame a window pane, making a kitchen feel warmer and more inviting, even if the weather outside is frightful. It’s super easy to make yourself too, all you need are a few supplies that you can shop below.
Shopping list
Weldun Extendable Curtain Tension Rod
This white tension rod will blend well into white walls, in case your garland doesn’t completely cover it.
100 Led Battery Operated Cluster String Lights
Wrap some battery powered fairy lights around the garland to add a twinkle come the evening.
Cox & Cox
Scandi Pine Garland
This artificial Scandi garland is so chic and will look authentic in your kitchen.
This hack shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to complete and can be as affordable as you want it to be, so it’s definitely one to give a try on the run up to Christmas.
Kelly Dawson is a writer, editor, and media consultant. Her writing has appeared in almost every major American design publication, most notably as a longtime contributor to Architectural Digest and Dwell, and she’s also been published in places like The New York Times, AFAR,…read more
Would you ever buy a rotating Christmas tree? This is probably a question you wouldn’t have expected to be asking yourself this festive period. But as Marks & Spencer just launched their first ever rotating Christmas tree, this is absolutely something you can do. But better be quick and snap one up now as the M&S 6ft Pre-Lit Grand Fir Rotating Christmas Tree is already selling incredibly fast.
With Christmas only a month away, many have already put up their best Christmas trees and decorations or are planning on doing so this weekend. But if you have yet to do that or haven’t got the perfect tree yet, the rotating M&S tree might be the perfect thing to bring the festive season to life.
M&S
6ft Pre-Lit Grand Fir Rotating Christmas Tree
On top of the rotating function, this 6ft tree also comes pre-lit with 350 LED bulbs. And the bushy look makes the tree look very realistic, too. With a £260 RRP, it’s a solid mid range Christmas tree design.
Vivo Technologies
360° Rotating Christmas Tree Stand
Alternatively, if you already have your perfect Christmas tree at home, you can turn it into a rotating one by investing in a revolving tree stand like this one from Amazon. With over 300 bought in the last month, it’s clearly a popular one.
John Lewis
LED Rotating Glass Tree, H39cm
Or if you want to add a little of movement and drama to your home’s Christmas decor, you can opt for this mini rotating glass tree which also lights up from within. Measuring just under 40 centimetres, you can bring any sideboard, mantelpiece or coffee table to life.
And that’s coming from someone that was sceptical at first. When I first heard about this new Christmas tree idea, I wasn’t convinced – but the more I think about it and as I got an interior stylist’s opinion on it too, the more I like it. The main selling point? There’s no back of the tree anymore as the revolving motion shows all angles of the tree. So it’s the perfect opportunity to display all of your beautiful Christmas decorations evenly all over the tree.
‘A rotating Christmas tree can be a brilliant showstopper, especially if you love decorating all sides and want every bauble to earn its keep,’ says Alex Stubbs, Flitch interior stylist. ‘One clear advantage is that the whole tree becomes part of the display. It’s also great for households that collect unusual or heirloom decorations, as the movement naturally draws attention to detail.’
(Image credit: M&S)
Of course, just like anything, there are downsides to getting a rotating Christmas tree, too. ‘On the downside, they require more floor space, a nearby plug socket and a steadier hand when decorating, since uneven weight can make them wobble,’ Alex at Flitch says.
And it’s likely not the best small living room Christmas tree idea either. ‘I tend to recommend them for larger living rooms or open-plan spaces where the tree can be seen from multiple angles,’ Alex explains.
But if you have the space and are a fan of a theatrical look that is sure to impress your guests, I can’t recommend this M&S rotating tree enough.
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