Australia’s favourite Birds are back with BIGGER home transformations, BOLDER extensions, BREATHTAKING new builds and hundreds of new tips. Their brand new book is called Three Birds Renovations: Dream Home How-To, and it’s a visual feast overflowing with ideas and inspiration from Three Birds projects in glorious detail.
Today, the Three Birds are on the blog with an extract from Dream Home How-To on how to decorate for Christmas, complete with tips, tricks and hacks. If you’ve ever wanted to make your own Christmas wreath, read on …
Have an easy, breezy Christmas
Around the same time our northern hemisphere friends begin stocking up on Santa sweaters and woolly socks, we start rolling out the rosé for a summery Chrissy celebration. There are SO many ways to celebrate Christmas Day Down Under – everyone has their own take on it. Whether your family spends it picnicking at the beach, around the table for a traditional lunch or in the backyard enjoying casual canapés, chances are your home will be playing host to a holiday gathering or two – and maybe some house guests. You’ll want it looking its festive best.
But understandably, decorating for Christmas can be tough to get right. Especially as many of us grew up in homes where clashing colours on the Christmas tree were all the rage, and there was no such thing as too much tinsel. If tinsel is no longer your jam and you’re looking for some serious decorating inspo, you’ll love this chapter.
We’re partial to a gold, silver and white Christmas theme, which lends itself beautifully to a sunny OR snowy Christmas. We’re going to show you how to create an incredible festive feeling in your home while also keeping things stylish, simple and relaxed – just how the holidays should be. We’ve also got a sackful of hacks to help you save cash for all of those other things on the Christmas list. Let’s deck those halls.
Holiday hack DIY wreath
There’s something so welcoming about seeing a big, beautiful wreath (or several) hanging on a front door or on the walls. With a little DIY energy, you can whip up a wreath that suits your style in a matter of minutes.
You’ll need:
A wire wreath and tie wire – you can get both from a garden shop, hardware store or Kmart.
A faux garland from a home shop + a few pretty stems from garden plants, such as eucalyptus or magnolia.
Some pine cones or other decorative natural touches (faux berries would also look amazing).
Here’s how you do it:
Wrap the garland around the wire wreath,and attach it using tie wire. Keep going until you have good coverage, and then cut away any bits you don’t need.
Tie in the individual stems until you get a look you like.
Tie in a few pine cones or other decorative elements.
Hang up and admire your creation!
Hot tip:
For a more authentic wreath, go all natural by using real greenery instead of the faux garland. It won’t last longer than the Christmas season, but that doesn’t matter. Pull off the greenery when the day is done, and save the wire wreath and ties for next year!
We’re dreaming of a white Christmas
For a natural, beachy Christmas look, keep it simple. We’ve gone with all white shells, coral and candles of varying heights and shapes layered over a narrow white table runner. Sand-coloured placemats, gorgeous glasses, stacked plates and gold cutlery finish the look.
Holiday hack DIY wrapping
Not only is this wrapping as cheap as chips (tick), but it’s also a great way to introduce neutral tones – or whatever colour theme you’re going for – under the tree.
You’ll need:
Craft paper
Linen or raffia
Some hand-picked greenery or dried flowers from the garden.
Here’s how you do it:
Wrap your gifts in craft paper.
Tear the linen or raffia into 50 mm strips to create a raw edge, and then tie the strips around the wrapped gifts.
Tuck a sprig of greenery or a dried flower under the bow.
Pile those pretty pressies under the tree!
Holiday hack hanging floral arrangement
Most people forget to look up when they’re decorating a dining setting for a special occasion, but what a missed opportunity! Feast your eyes on the floral fantasy hanging over the table here. It brings a celestial feeling and is practically a piece of art – one that looks a million bucks. It’s a great holiday hack, and one that’s not too tricky to put together. Bon’s sons helped her make this one.
You’ll need:
A ladder towel rail. We got this one from IKEA, but lots of home stores have them. If you’ve already got one in your bathroom or bedroom, hijack it for the holidays and make this hack even cheaper!
Mixture of foliage: faux + dried + real from the garden. We used dried palm leaves and pampas grass for their dramatic shape and interest.
Plant ties and plastic ties – you’ll need a few packets, as there’s a lot going on here.
Rope for hanging the ladder.
Here’s how you do it:
Lay the ladder flat on the ground.
Tie the plants to one side of the ladder, starting with the largest and most architectural pieces of foliage.
Keep going until you’re happy with how it’s looking and you can’t see any of the ladder through the plants.
Loop the rope around the ladder and then tie it securely – decorated side down – to the pergola, centred above the table.
Enjoy your meal underneath this glorious creation!
Hot tip
Pile crushed ice into a giant clamshell, and you’ve got yourself one stunning serving platter. Bring on the shellfish!
—Images and text from Three Birds Renovations: Dream Home How-To by Bonnie Hindmarsh, Erin Cayless and Lana Taylor, photography by Monique Easton © Monique Easton. Murdoch Books RRP $39.99.
Three Birds Renovations
Dream Home How-To
Australia's favourite Birds are back with BIGGER home transformations, BOLDER extensions, BREATHTAKING new builds and hundreds of new tips.
Jam-packed with reno goodness, this book is a visual feast overflowing with ideas and inspiration from Three Birds projects in glorious detail, including their most ambitious new build to date...
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