December 2017 – Issue 270

From everyone here at Ireland’s Homes Interiors & Living Magazine, I would like to wish you all a very festive welcome to our December issue, which is packed with lots of Christmas inspiration. This year has truly flown past, but isn’t that always the way? I can hardly believe that we are already bringing our holiday decorations down from the loft and getting the Christmas trees up and underway. It is a labour of love, to have your home suitably decked for the festive season and arranging through all the ornaments and decorations that you have collected over the years, and finding a place for new additions. It is all worth it though. This issue we have lots of festive ideas for you to ponder. To start you off, we have our regular Homestyle feature, which has become a homage to festive accessories and winter wonders. In our main features we have your table settings sorted with lots of inspiration for Christmas day dining. We look at all styles of decoration, with options for classic, and contemporary homes, for your tree and the rest of your home.

Scandi style has been at the forefront this year, so we look at ways to create a Scandi styled Christmas within your home. At this time of year, we get into the Christmas spirit by indulging in more beverages than usual, with family and friends calling in, and with that we cover the resurgence of the drinks trolley and how it has become a statement within a room, as well as serving a function. Of course, what would Christmas be without giving something special to those we care about, but it isn’t always easy to know what to buy; hopefully our gift guide will help you out, as we cover men, women, children and even gifts for pets. No matter what though, remember that its the thought always counts!

Our home owners this issue style their homes for Christmas in different ways, but each one brings their own kind of festive cheer. In Ballymena we visit Colin and Ruth in their unique, self-build where they have a contemporary styled Christmas home, with creative touches of DIY décor throughout. in Helen’s Bay, Veronica and Bryn show us their beautiful home that is steeped in history, which they have styled in a complementary manor with fresh foliage. In County Wicklow, Erin and Anthony have gone for a simplistic Christmas style in their contemporary home that has pops of colour throughout. And last but by no means least, we visit Rosefield Farm Guest House in Monaghan where Liz and Wilfie have gone for the Christmas classic approach for their guests to enjoy. You could also be in with a chance of winning a two night stay at Rosefield Farm Guest House if you enter our readers competition!

Continuing with our wintery theme, our destination abroad is Alaska, where you can be at one with nature and have a unique winter experience, and closer to home we take a look at some Christmas escapes around Ireland. Our cookery this issue offers four festive recipes for you to try at home, from Tanya’s Christmas by Tanya Burr. If you have a home, or know someone who has a home, that you would like to see featured in 2018 contact our editorial team on 028 9147 3979 or editorial@ihil.net