A minimalist Christmas with a cosy Nordic feel

A minimalist Christmas – what does that mean to me? For me, it means adding just the right dose of festivity, glow and sparkle to make my home cosy for winter. It’s a bit of a bleak season and it makes sense that we might want to decorate our homes to help us through the darker days and evenings. Candles, fresh greenery and familiar forms all help to create a seasonal sanctuary that can help boost our mood.

As with anything I add into my home, I take a simple approach. Having lots of decorations just makes me feel stressed that there’s too much clutter and ‘stuff’. And come January I can’t wait to rip it all down and start the year with a fresh slate. Most of the time we don’t even have a Christmas tree at all. It’s a bit tricky to know where to place a big one in a tight Victorian terraced house. Instead, bit by bit, I like to add little festive touches – from homemade garlands to minimalist wreaths.

You might not recognise this as my home, but this is our temporary home while we add an extension to our house in London. We’re very lucky to have this beautiful space to escape the dirt, dust and builders. We’ve bought a few bits of furniture from home, along with a few decorations, to help it feel homely for the few months that we’re there. It doesn’t take much to style a space and make it inviting – you just need a few key bits, a piece of art, a few books, and lots and lots of candles. I love this Tulip-style table that I bought years ago on eBay, it really creates a lovely focal point in the corner of the space. The console table is a planter by Ferm Living and the wooden chairs by HAY help bring some warmth. If in doubt, I always say add a rug for instant cosiness.

All images Cate St Hill

Each year, it’s always such a joy bringing the Christmas decorations out of their box and discovering old favourites. Ever since I was a child we had a rule that we could only add one decoration each year. It always gave that one decoration special meaning.

This year I think we will just have a small potted Christmas tree (one of Sainsbury’s £10 ones), which I might just decorate with fairy lights for that minimalist Christmas look. I love these paper concertina trees – they look so simple yet so effective. Get a couple of different sizes and cluster together for maximum impact. They also fold down to nothing so perfect for storing away for another year!

Here’s my pick of the best minimalist Christmas decorations – you can shop the post below or over on LTK (contains affiliate links)
1. Ferm Living Christmas baubles, £21 for a set of four, Trouva
2. Paper tree, £10, Arket
3. Glittery garland, £14.99, H&M Home
4. Beaded garland, £10, Marks & Spencer
5. Black wooden tree Christmas bunting, £8, Trouva
6. Watt & Veke Leah paper star, £59, Arket

What do you think of my minimalist Christmas?