Christmas has arrived at Surrenden Manor

And, just like that, it’s December - again. I don’t know about you, but my mind is always blown when I get that first whiff of Christmas each year. As a child, Christmas would take forever to come around. As an adult, it feels like it’s every couple of months. The years just go by so quickly. Even this year. The year of national lockdowns, facemasks, essential shops and baking banana bread until it comes out of our ears. So with that in mind, this year, our team at Collins Bespoke have welcomed Christmas with open arms.

We’re all pretty disappointed that we won’t be having our usual Christmas party, where Gemma owns the dance floor and Tom gets chatted up by prosecco-fueled primary school teachers!

Nevertheless, we have a lot to be happy about here. This year saw the completion of our new Surrenden Manor Showroom and what a success it has been. The decorations have gone straight up and we’re ready to celebrate - however we can!

Let’s deck the halls, shall we? If we can’t go out as normal, let’s embrace the festivities from the comfort of our own homes (or showroom!)

If you’re in need of a little Christmas styling inspiration, here’s how we’ve decorated Surrenden Manor this year…

Sprigs and Garlands - Plain Shaker

When it comes to decorating and styling for Christmas, it’s a good idea to take inspiration from something that’s already in your home - even if it’s just a colour. Our plain Shaker cabinetry is dressed with the most gorgeous Armac Martin handles, finished in a burnished brass. So, naturally, this was the inspiration for this room.

So, let’s start with the tree. I think next year we are going to go bigger. The bigger the better in my opinion. But, this little cracker is still pretty and just as lovely. The baubles are a mix of different brassy and copper shades, which I think look elegant but also quite quirky and cool. It was important to make sure that the tree didn’t look to bling. I mean, I love a bit of bling at Christmas but this beautiful room needed a tree that echoes the rustic country vibes. I had the idea of adding faux eucalyptus and ivy to the tree, which I think works really well. Normally, the eucalyptus sits in a jug on the window sill, but after deciding to put this on tree, I swapped that for a more festive evergreen/mistletoe sprig - doesn’t it look pretty?

The tops of the cabinetry and boot room shelf have also been decorated with sprigs and green garlands - understated and simple and complementing the space so well. Nothing too fancy. Just really, really pretty. Just like the handcrafted cabinetry.

Silver and Sparkly - Beaded-Shaker

Contrasting from the simplicity of the plain Shaker, we knew that our Beaded kitchen needed a little more glamour and that using silver was definitely the way to go! The mantle is dressed with a traditional garland which I have ‘zhuzhed-up’ by adding silver baubles and sparkly tinsel. I love the idea of using baubles as accessories, I really don’t think they are just for the tree. With that in mind, in front of the luxurious antique mirror splash back, I have made a glam display using baubles and chunky glitter candles. I think this is the perfect balance of decoration for this area of the kitchen - a hint of style and Christmas glitz, without going OTT.

We have a really lovely bunch of faux peonies that sit on our island all year round. So, instead of swapping them for something more festive, I decided to simply add some silver pinecones to the vase. We receive so many compliments for our worktop choices in here - Caeserstone’s Frosty Carrina and Statuario Nuvo, and the sparkles of the decorations really do enhance how pristine and beautiful they are!

Of course, the tree is dressed with silver, whites and sparkles too, which work really well with the blue shades of cabinetry! Just a tad more pzazz in here, to reflect the more intricate cabinetry style.

Berries and Baubles - Distinguished Collection

This kitchen always has so many mixed reviews from our customers. Some absolutely love it. Others prefer the more traditional Shaker styles. It’s great, because it means our designers have succeeded in creating three completely different kitchen styles and we really welcome divided opinions. Our Distinguished display is rather quirky, and whilst it is modern by design, it really does have a retro feeling about it too.

When it came to deciding what decorations to put in here, sticking with that retro/vintage theme was key. I wanted to use the traditional Christmas reds and greens and golds to make the space pop with colour. I thought a chunkier garland would work well in here, and I added multi-coloured baubles and red pine cones and berries - tying in the bauble theme throughout the showroom. I popped in a few traditional accessories and added my own festive touches to items we already had on display.

Table Styling Ideas

Sticking with that vintage 60s theme, check this out…

It’s kind of twee, but I love it.

Or, how about something a little more classic…

And, don’t forget you can add baubles anywhere - not just the tree!

Let’s really embrace Christmas this year. No scrooges allowed!

And, if a new bespoke kitchen is on your list for next year, then keep your eyes peeled for our next blog too: Making Christmas easier with a Collins Bespoke Kitchen…

Crisi x

01233 822595

crisi@collinsbespoke.com