Seasonally gathered berries, cones and foliage create a stunning wreath, which will double up as a table centrepiece on Christmas day
And we mean literally. When it comes to dressing your house in festive finery, nature is all you need, says interior stylist Maria Le Mesurier
Dressing our house for Christmas begins and ends with greenery – it is the root of inspiration for both my home and work,’ says interior stylist Maria Le Mesurier. Her love of a simple, natural look, she says, has given her West Sussex home a ‘quiet, reflective ambience that, with five children aged three to 17, is calming and practical’.
Indeed, the 17th-century former stable block Maria shares with husband Paul, co-founder of their furniture business WoodEdit, has become synonymous with sculptural branches of seasonal foliage that feature heavily all year round. ‘At Christmas, I love to supersize the look, with enormous fallen boughs of silver birch – gathered from the surrounding woodland and entwined with twinkly fairy lights – dotted throughout the house.’ Displayed alongside Maria’s always copious foliage, the look is dramatic yet stylishly pared back.
A lush tree and fairy lights give the hallway the festive factor, while three-year-old rocky watches over the presents – beautifully wrapped in brown paper with a sprig of fragrant rosemary
Throughout the family’s welcoming home, textural touches enhance the natural aesthetic: raw linen in warm shades; basketry and Italian ceramics that add decorative appeal. Not to mention the wooden furniture handcrafted by Paul that lends a timeless, minimalist vibe. ‘For us, Christmas is all about embracing time out together as a family: long walks, relaxed suppers, cosy fires and, for the adults, always a festive Aperol spritz. Sometimes it’s about the little things. For us less is always definitely more.’
Cake, nuts, crackers… and a huge bough of silver birch brings Christmas to the kitchen. The table is by woodedit.co.uk. For a similar stove, try klarstein.co.uk
A splash of Christmas colour is a must… who’s for a Champagne Aperol Spritz? Meanwhile, nuts look cracking in real sea-shell ‘bowls’
Muted hues and an elegant ochre bed canopy in daughter Dolly’s bedroom create an enchanting retreat. For similar try scandiborn.co.uk
Time to get cosy in front of the fire… and festive foliage, which Maria made using Thuja branches and twine. ‘To create a display, don’t think too hard,’ she says. ‘Just keep balancing the branches until they fill the space.’ The woven-grass animal heads are from Woodedit.co.uk
Getting toasty: in the courtyard, the children – youngest rocky, Pearl, 15, Gio, 12, and Dolly, seven, (Alfred, 17, is making hot chocolate) – gather to melt marshmallows
Visit woodedit.co.uk or follow Maria @marialemesurier
Get the look
Pendant light, £155, pooky.com, Garland, £18, maisonsdumonde.com, Wreath, £86, selfridges.com, Plant, £70 with basket, thelittlebotanical.com, Candle holder, £35, toa.st, Salad bowl, £51, nordicnest.com, Throw, £79, trouva.com, Stove, £1,095, everhot.co.uk, Dining table and benches, £1,099, barkerandstonehouse.co.uk, Sofa, £2,165, loaf.com, Planter, £16.50, oliverbonas.com, Basket, £60, laredoute.co.uk