insideKENT Magazine Issue 81 - December 2018 | Page 111

INTERIORS
A COSY CHRISTMAS cont.
DO-IT-YOURSELF DESIGN
MAKE A GREENERY GARLAND
Something that always looks gorgeous and
Christmassy without being over the top sparkly
(which, although lovely, isn’t how everyone
wants to decorate their home) is a garland
made of greenery that you can find quite easily
in the local countryside; perhaps it’s even in
your garden. Not only does it look great, it’s
easy to make. Here’s how:
Take a length of rope (it needs to be at least as
long as your fireplace, although add a little
more length if you want to add some loops to
finish it off) and attach a variety of seasonal
greenery to it using gardener’s twine. Make
sure the entire rope is covered, and that’s it!
Holly leaves and branches, ivy, myrtle, pussy
willow and all kind of berries will look perfect.
You can even add some artificial leaves in
with the natural ones, or jazz the whole thing
up with some glitter. Why not make it a truly
Christmassy decoration and add baubles too?
To decorate your fireplace with your garland
you can either lay it across the mantlepiece
or use hooks to let it fall across the front. Just
remember not to let it get too close to the heat
and flames!
PAPER GARLANDS
or understated as you want. They can also be
something that the whole family can enjoy
making together, offering up a lovely
Christmas holiday activity that will keep the
little ones’ minds off the big day for at least a
short while.
You can buy ready-made garlands that you
simply need to decorate or colour, or even
design one to have custom made if you prefer.
Or you can take strips of colourful (or coloured)
paper such as leftover wrapping paper and
twist it around a rope or piece of string that
will stretch across your mantlepiece.
Paper garlands can look just as beautiful as
the natural ones we’ve already mentioned,
and the beauty of these is they can be as lively
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