A shoppable Christmas scheme of antique metallics and low-key glimmer
Swapping traditional baubles and tinsel for decorations made of tin, a garland fashioned from spoons and metallic trimmings, Ruth Sleightholme and Remy Mishon offer an alternative take on Christmas sparkle.
While there's an undeniable pleasure in the brash, glittery school of Christmas decorations, for this year's festive shoppable scheme, our decoration team chose to focus on a different kind of metallic: the weightier, antique finish of bronze, brass and tin. With plenty of shine and low-key glimmer, this scheme represents the very opposite of the season's usual throwaway sparkle.
Christopher Horwood1/6- ‘Lichen’ paint, £49.50 for 2.5 litres matt emulsion, from Farrow & Ball.
- ‘The Illuminated Herbarium’ framed paper flowers, £1,068, from Sophie Coryndon.
- Hairy-Edged Strike’ wool and linen wall hanging, £2,100, from Nest Design.
- Regency buff-painted and parcel-gilt chaise longue, £6,000, from Lorfords.
- Similar console table, oak ‘Upton’ (linen gray), £1,495, from Oka.
- Brass ‘Golden Floral Wreath’ (large), €87,50, from Bungalow.
- Antique French wood flower baskets, £3,900 a pair, from Hilary Batstone.
- Glass ‘Roman Vase in Straw II’, by Michael Ruh, £580, from The New Craftsmen.
- Paper crowns, ‘Winter Butterfly’, ‘Oak Leaf ’ and ‘The Jewelled Birds Crown’, by Denise Allen, £36 for set of 4 (3 shown), from The Shop Floor Project.
- ‘Pink Rim in Fancy Oval’ ceramic platter, by Katrin Moye, £220, from Townhouse Spitalfields.
- ‘Murano Glasses’, £1,100, for set of 6 with carafe; and ‘Tall Bohemian Smoke Glasses’, £210 for 6; all from Petersham Nurseries.
- Crackers from kits, £45 for 6, from Inq.
Christopher Horwood2/6- ‘Lichen’ paint, as before, from Farrow & Ball. ‘Coral’ wooden mirror, from £2,200, from Marianna Kennedy.
- ‘Sweet Alyssum’ spoon garland, £18,000, from Ann Carrington. Tin decorations, ‘Hand Mirrors’, from £13.50 each; and ‘Stars’, £5 each; all from RE.
- Similar chairs, Napoleon III armchairs, £1,200, a pair, from Nikki Page Antiques.
- Firescreen in ‘Linara’ (crème anglaise), cotton/linen, £42 a metre, from Romo; with motif in ‘Ruby Slippers’ acrylic cord, £3.25 a metre, from VV Rouleaux.
- Similar wood and leather trunk, £395, from Fontaine Decorative.
- Brass ‘Flower Candlestick’, £80, from Jess Wheeler. Candles, by Ester & Erik, £11.50 a pair, from The Conran Shop.
- ‘Small Bohemian Smoke Glasses’, £180 for 6, from Petersham Nurseries.
- Norway spruce tree, £80 for 10ft, from Magic of Foresters.
- LED fairy lights, £12.99 for 10 metres, from Lights4Fun.
- Tin milagros decorations, from £2.50 each, from RE. Glass baubles, from £16.50 for 4; and ‘Ometti Round’, £18.50 for 4; all from Nkuku.
Christopher Horwood3/6- ‘Lichen’ paint, as before. Antique Venetian mirror, £5,400, from Hilary Batstone.
- Bronze and embroidered linen ‘Voyager’s Chair’, £28,000, from Cox London.
- Tree, as before. Vintage brass and wood planter, by Rodolfo Dubarry £1,250, from Hilary Batstone.
- Tablecloth in ‘Base Cloth’ (sand), linen, £120 a metre, from Soane; with motif in ‘Ruby Slippers’ cord, as before.
- ‘Alga’ bronze candle holders, by Osanna Visconti, from £1,062 each, from The Invisible Collection. Candles, as before.
- ‘Signe’ cutlery, £37 for set for 2 (8 pieces), from Petersham Nurseries.
- ‘Small Bohemian Smoke Glass’, as before.
- Presents in ‘Screen-Printed Chrysanthemum’ paper, £9.99 a sheet, from Liberty; parchment-lined foil, £4.49 a 10-metre roll, from Lakeland; ‘Kraft’ brown paper, £3.50 a 5-metre roll, from Paperchase; and ‘Linara’ (harissa), cotton/linen, as before.
- Present trims, ‘Beige Net Lace Trim’ (brown), £2 a metre; ‘Gold Tissue Fabric Trim with Mirrors’, £3 a yard; both by KnicKnackNook.
- ‘Shampion Gold Indian Bridal Tassel Trim’, £13 for 4.5 metres; ‘Indian Antique Gold Mirror Pearl Appliqués’, £8 for 10; both by LillyMittalFashions.
- ‘Gold Star Iron on Patch’, by DotToDotHaberdashery, £1.40; ‘Evil Eye Appliqué’, by ExquisiteaccentsGB, £8 a pair; all from Etsy.
- ‘French Double Welting’ (gold), cotton/viscose, £11.50 a metre, from Samuel & Sons.
- ‘Clear Sequin Motif ’, £22, from VV Rouleaux.
- Fairy lights, as before.
- Glass pine cone, £8; and mushroom, £10; both from Raj Tent Club.
- Tin milagros decorations, as before.
- Glass baubles, as before.
Christopher Horwood4/6- ‘Savage Ground’ paint, £49.50 for 2.5 litres matt emulsion; woodwork in ‘Lichen’ paint, £67 for 2.5 litres estate eggshell; both from Farrow & Ball.
- Stars in silver-backed card, £1.50 for 4 sheets, from Hobbycraft.
- Silvered and lacquered metal chairs, by Joy de Rohan Chabot, £5,881 a pair, from Guinevere.
- ‘Italian Aluminium Candlestick’, £5.95, from RE.
- ‘Maple Stick’ candle (beeswax), $34 a pair, from Reed Smythe.
- Present in parchment-lined foil, £4.49 a 10-metre roll, from Lakeland; with gold metallic jumbo ric-rac, £10.95 a metre, from VV Rouleaux.
- Handmade tin decorations, from £12 each, from The Shop Floor Project.
Christopher Horwood5/6- ‘Lichen’ paint, as before. ‘Gilded Tile’ jesmonite and gold leaf artworks (from top), ‘Chevron’, £864; ‘Ham House’ and ‘Wilton Vine’, both £960 each; and ‘Ottoman Stripe’, £1,680; all from Sophie Coryndon.
- Similar four-poster, ‘Chamberlayne’ tulipwood bed, £16,800 from Max Rollitt.
- Similar bed hangings, cotton ‘Vintage Transylvanian Embroidered Panel’, from £160, from Parna.
- Similar cupboard, early-19th-century English mahogany cabinet, £2,900 a pair, from Brownrigg.
- Italian 19th-century wood chair, £9,291, from 1st Dibs.
- Linen bedding (salmon and chalk), from £49 for a pillowcase, from Larusi.
- Cotton quilt, by Basshu, £246, from Couverture & The Garbstore.
- Cashmere blanket (burgundy), £1,980, from Rose Uniacke.
- Cushion, ‘Indian Flower’ (brown), by Jasper by Michael S Smith, hemp, £264 a metre, from Jamb; and ‘Base Cloth’ (sand), linen, £120 a metre, from Soane; with ‘French Piping’ (army green), cotton/viscose, £13 a metre, from Samuel & Sons.
- ‘Tulip’ wooden lamp (black), £550 including shade, from Marianna Kennedy; with card stars, as before.
- Paper-chain kits, £22 for 10 metres; ‘Pomegranate Monkey’ tin decoration, £12; paper ‘The Jewelled Birds Crown’, by Denise Allen, £36 for 4; all from The Shop Floor Project.
- ‘Silver Leaf Platter’, £250, from Sister By Studio Ashby.
- Presents in parchment-lined foil, as before; ‘Screen-Printed Chrysanthemum’ paper, £9.99 a sheet, from Liberty; ‘Kraft’ brown paper, £3.50 a 5-metre roll, from Paperchase; and ‘Linara’ (harissa), cotton/linen, £42 a metre, from Romo.
- Present trims in hopsack ribbon (postbox red), 85p a metre, from VV Rouleaux.
- ‘Indian Gold Tassels Latkan’, £5 each; and ‘Gold Fabric Trim with Mirrors’, £3 a metre; all by KnicKnackNook; ‘Shampion Gold Indian Bridal Tassel Trim’, £13 for 4.5 metres; and ‘Indian Gold Mirror Pearl Appliqués’, £8 for 10; both by LillyMittalFashions; ‘Evil Eye Appliqué’, by ExquisiteaccentsGB, £8 a pair; all from Etsy
Christopher Horwood6/6- Art Nouveau oak and brass tabernacle box, £1,950, from Foster & Gane.
- Metal crown (antique bronze), £25, from Petersham Nurseries. Presents wrapped in ‘Kraft’ brown paper, £3.50 a 5-metre roll, from Paperchase; parchment-lined foil, £4.49 a 10-metre roll, from Lakeland; and ‘Screen-Printed Chrysanthemum’ paper, £9.99 a sheet, from Liberty.
- Present trims in gold metallic jumbo ric-rac, £10.95 a metre; gold metallic tassel, £18.95; both from VV Rouleaux.
- ‘French Double Welting’ (gold), cotton/viscose, £11.50 a metre; 5/8” French grosgrain (sand), cotton/viscose, £8 a metre; both from Samuel & Sons. ‘Gold Tissue Fabric Trim with Mirrors’, by KnickNackNook, £3 a metre; ‘Indian Antique Gold Finish Rhinestone Real Mirror Pearl Appliqués’, by LillyMittalFashions, £8 for 10; and ‘Evil Eye Beaded Patch Crystal and Beads Embellished Appliqué’, by ExquisiteaccentsGB, £8 a pair; all from Etsy.
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Back to TopRuth joined House & Garden in 2010, having graduated from Newcastle University - where she edited the student magazine and literary review - and after a summer internship at The Week. Rising through the ranks to Style Director, she has been producing and art directing House & Garden’s lead decoration ... Read More
Following a career as a visual merchandiser for seven years, Rémy gained a City & Guilds qualification in Interior Design whilst selling vintage clothes and antiques at markets around Sussex. She joined House & Garden in 2019, having previously interned at the magazine with the decoration team. Follow her at ... Read More
