[Ad] Minimalist Christmas hosting with natural fragrance brand VERDEN

This month I had a bit of a career highlight – together with natural fragrance brand VERDEN, I hosted a seasonal gathering for 20 people in the intimate setting of my own home in south east London. A big step for an introvert like me, I even gave a speech!

It was the perfect chance to celebrate all the hard work I had put into the extension and bring friends together to mark the start of the festive season. For me, hosting in the winter months is all about enjoying the little moments together and creating a feeling of warmth and cosiness. It was really such a delight to see the space filled with conversation, laughter and cheer – under the twinkle of candlelight and the scent of fresh, green foliage.

If you’re not familiar – VERDEN is a natural fragrance brand founded by Charlotte Semler and Arabella Preston, the same duo behind skincare brand Votary. The name VERDEN comes from the Danish word, meaning ‘the world’ or ‘the earth’. The idea for the brand came when Charlotte returned to her childhood beach house in Denmark after decades away, cementing the realisation of just what a role nature can play in helping us to foster our own happiness and sense of wellbeing. The soft blue tone of the horizon even inspired the bespoke colour of the brand’s packaging.

[Ad – this is a paid partnership with VERDEN]

Minimalist Christmas hosting
I really identified with this idea of reconnecting with nature and creating an interior space that can help ground you. It was something that was very much on my mind when I designed the extension – I wanted to create a light-filled, tactile space that would bring the outside in. That comes from the connection with the greenery of the garden, the soothing neutral tones and the soft, cork flooring that feels warm underfoot. I really brought that out with the styling for the event – hanging a branch over the dining table and arranging a wild centrepiece down the middle of the dining table.

I also really believe in designing for all the senses. And I think scent is also so much a part of creating a home – setting the scene and creating a warm, welcoming ambience. Scent can be really evocative, recalling memories or reminding you of a favourite place, and I love that VERDEN connects scent to emotion.

In the winter months, when the trees are bare and look a little sad, and when the skies are grey and leaden, I like to recreate moments from nature in my home. I love filling vases with huge sculptural branches and seasonal foliage, whether its fir, pine, eucalyptus or something I’ve picked up from a walk in my local park. I think at this time of year I’m also drawn to smokey, forest-inspired scents, with notes of cedar and pine, such as VERDEN’s Herbanum and Arborealist scents. Together with the wild greenery, VERDEN’s scented candles created a really immersive environment inspired by nature, that hit you as soon as you entered into the warmth of the house.

 

I think when it comes to minimalist Christmas hosting, it’s all about the little details. You want people to feel like they’re special. And you want to also put them instantly at ease. That starts with the scent that greets them at the front door and ends with the memories they leave with.

For this event, my kitchen island greeted guests with coffee, cinnamon buns, yoghurt and homemade granola for breakfast. Then each place setting is important – I reused the handmade linen napkins I sewed for my wedding and hand wrote place names. I also ran sprigs of English eucalyptus down the table and dotted some tea lights in amongst the foliage to give a cosy glow.

 

I’m so grateful to Charlotte and Arabella for letting me host an event with them in my home. Often these types of events can be held in impersonal restaurants and event spaces, but it made such a difference to gather in a real home. I’m not really a natural host and tend to shy away from big events, but it really gave me such an uplifting feeling afterwards and reminded me of why it’s more important than ever to come together and celebrate the small moments – whether that’s an inspiring conversation with a friend; the moment at the end of the day when you can finally sit down, relax and light a candle; or the warmth of a cup of coffee and a cinnamon bun. It even made me want to host more! Who would have thought…