5 Ways to Create a Winter Wonderland Orangery this Christmas

'tis the season to be jolly – get inspired with these stylish and elegant festive decoration ideas.

Christmas is a time for us all to reconnect with family and friends. Whether you’re hosting the big day itself or expecting guests throughout the festive period, a multi-functional orangery provides plenty of space to welcome all to your home. To help you on your way to making this Christmas the best yet, we’ve gone back through some of our festive photoshoots to bring you a little inspiration for Christmas decoration ideas.

1. Festive Candles

When creating your own winter wonderland, be sure to add some festive scents into the mix. Our sense of smell is a powerful tool to unlock a million memories, particularly over the Christmas period. This is down to our ‘limbic system’, a part of the brain responsible for controlling mood, memory, behaviors and emotion. Like the fresh morning scent of pine to remind us of Christmas mornings when the kids are excitedly opening gifts from Santa, or the smell of mulled wine to bring back those fond memories of nan and grandad dancing merrily in front of the fireplace.

By finding your favourite festive candles, each year you can make sure you have one handy to fill the room with memories of Christmas, as well as creating a soft festive ambience from the glow of each flame. We opt for candles such as Winter by The White Company, which is a firm favourite that returns year-on-year. With spicy cinnamon, warming cloves, and zesty orange, the slow burn of this candle will release a traditional Christmas fragrance for guaranteed nostalgia.

2. Add Layers of Winter Foliage

Christmas is all about feeling cosy and warm indoors, but we still want to enjoy nature and all that it has to offer at this time of year. So as you head out on your morning winter walks with the dog, take some secateurs and a hessian bag to start foraging for a few sprigs of evergreen foliage, winter berries and fallen twigs from vacated birds nests. These are ideal for not only a natural homemade wreath but also for other Christmas decoration ideas such as table decorations, vases and mantel decoration.

This example from Neptune adds beautiful textural interest and brings a subtle wintery feel to your home. As we spend more time inside, having those touches of nature is sure to put a smile on everyone’s face.

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3. A Festive Wreath

Reignite your festive spirit every time you return home with a fragrant wreath hung upon your entrance door. These can be easily assembled at home with florist foam rings, natural rattan bases or moss rings, or can alternatively be bought from your nearest florist. A festive wreath is the perfect welcome home throughout December, as seen below on one of our very own Westbury entrance doors. It’s also a great way to welcome your guests will a little taste of what’s to come inside…

4. ’tis The Season for Indulging

As a collective group of foodies, we’d be lying if we said we weren’t excited by all the food available over the Christmas period. If there’s any time of year for indulging in some of your favourites – it’s Christmas. Consider making a spectacle of it and displaying your food on the table ahead of your guest’s arrival, allowing them to help themselves and feel at home.

Charcuterie or cheese boards make excellent foodie displays; allowing them to warm to room temperature reveals their true delicious flavours! For those with a sweet tooth amongst us, stacked mince pies or an extravagantly decorated Christmas cake are equally as enticing.

5. It’s All About the Tree

Finally, perhaps the most important element to any Christmas interior is that jaw-dropping Christmas Tree. It is sure to become the main focal point within the room, particularly in an orangery or garden room where the high ceilings or pitched roof lantern welcomes a tall, extravagant tree. The larger the tree, the brighter the glow of delicate fairy lights and the twinkle of glossy glass baubles.