Table of contents for December 2025 in HomeStyle

Welcome to your wonderfully festive December issue, filled with all the inspiration you need for a fantastic Christmas. The festivities start here! So pop on your favourite holiday tunes, pour yourself a glass of fizz and dive into the issue! First up, we're serving you this year's sparkliest decorating schemes with four different looks to choose from (p9). Next stop is an enchanting seasonal welcome, with wow-factor lighting and decor ideas for your porch, doorscape, hallway and guest bedroom (p18). Our Christmas story continues with this issue's stunning real homes - all dressed up for the season. From cover star Jessica's charming country-style new-build (p26) to Dale's modern-rustic Victorian house (p40) and Christmas superfan Sarah's maximalist family home with no less than four trees (p50) – you'll love getting to…

Create the wow factor Transforming your home into a festive wonderland starts with the front door. A simple, pre-lit wreath will bring understated festive styling – teaming it with an archway that wraps around your entrance will take your doorscape to the next level! For a modern look, a bauble arch in classic red, gold and green with a mix of matt and shiny finishes introduces a bold Christmas story that sets the tone perfectly for the decor that awaits inside. Add rustic style Decorate your front door with understated touches to tell the tale of a carefully curated, homespun Christmas. Dress a small Christmas tree at the front door with a few hanging decorations, echoing the colours and style of those inside. Placing a new door mat with a…

TOP TIP You could use a biased binding for the strip so you don't have to do all the folding YOU WILL NEED • 1.3m of at least 1.4m-wide striped cotton fabric • 2.4m of 90cm-wide medium-weight fusible interfacing • 1.2m of 90cm-wide wadding • iron • dressmaker's scissors • tape measure • tailor's chalk • sewing machine • thread • pins or sewing clips needle INSTRUCTIONS 1 From the striped fabric, cut two 120 x 40cm rectangles, two 120 x 30cm rectangles and a 120 x 8cm strip. From the interfacing, cut two 120 x 40cm rectangles, and two 120 x 30cm rectangles. From the wadding, cut two 120 x 40cm rectangles. 2 Use an iron to bond the rectangles of fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the…

A BIT ABOUT ME I'm Dale Ashelford, 33, @greenbankcottage, a PR manager, and I live here with my partner. WHERE I LIVE Our home is a three-bedroom semi-detached Victorian house just outside Glasgow in North Lanarkshire, which we bought in November 2023. WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE As a novice DIYer, I didn't want a place that needed a lot of building work, but I was happy to get stuck in reinstating the charm and character that had been ripped out of this house. HOW I MADE IT MY OWN I kept to a simple palette of soft neutrals and muted greens and then restored the natural beauty of the house by replacing Victorian fireplaces, adding panelling and choosing natural wood furniture and accessories. MY FAVOURITE PART It genuinely depends…

Gifts for HOMEBODIES Help them hibernate with these fab finds Hannah is HomeStyle's Style Editor – there's nothing she doesn't know about trends and savvy shopping HOMESTYLE LOVES! WALK ON THE WILD SIDE! Gifts for CREATIVE TYPES Whether they're artists or appreciate beautiful things, we have the ideal gift Tricia is HomeStyle's Creative Design Lead, our go-to for all things gorgeous with a keen eye for an artistic gift HOMESTYLE LOVES! ‘Whether your gift is for a keen crafter or a beginner, we have something for everyone’ A SWEET KEEPSAKE TO MAKE Gifts for CULTURE LOVERS A slice of the high life via music, art and stage-themed gifts Vicky is HomeStyle's Commissioning Editor, huge musicals fan and regular theatre-goer. THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME HOMESTYLE LOVES! ‘Grab your ticket to Christmas present success…

Christmas Day, that one time of year guaranteed to bring family and friends together under one roof. But for those of us who are designated the role of hosting, the pressure of making sure everything is ‘just so’ can often feel a little stressful. That's why we've rounded up top tips from our favourite celebs, expert hoteliers and Christmas party planners to help you ditch the stress, wow your guests, and enjoy your day. 1 Hack your tablescape ‘Impress Christmas guests with a striking yet simple and quick-to-accomplish table setting hack! Simply run a large garland of foliage down the centre and dress with items you have on hand, like baubles or fruit. This year, I'm inspired by romantasy novels and going for a medieval vibe, adding red berries and…

Style idea Wood is ideal for a kitchen island as it can be painted if you ever want to update ‘My kitchen brings me so much joy, especially at this time of year’ 3 OF A KIND… BAKING DISHES GORGEOUS SHIMMER EFFECT LET'S CELEBRATE!…

HOMESTYLE LOVES!…

TOP TIP OSB is an engineered wood made from compressed layers of wood strands YOU WILL NEED • 9 x 606 x 1829mm sheet of general purpose OSB 3 • tape measure • pencil • jigsaw •sandpaper • selection of leftover paints or tester pots • paintbrush • artist's paintbrush • hot glue gun and glue sticks • gold metallic paint • 6 plastic bottle tops • 1.5m gold braid • 16 x 4 x 1000mm pine half round beading • A3 stiffened felt sheet in Black • A4 stiffened felt sheet in White • scissors INSTRUCTIONS 1 To make the base for the Nutcracker figure, cut a 40 x 150cm rectangle of OSB. For the gold adornment on the hat, cut a piece of OSB measuring 20 x 12cm…

GET IN THE FESTIVE SPIRIT!…

1 AVOID OVERSPENDING Ebony Cropper is a money-saving expert at Money Wellness, helping consumers take control of their finances with practical, achievable advice. ‘The festive season can be a minefield for overspending. Between presents, food, Christmas decorations, parties, and unexpected treats, it's easy for budgets to spiral. Add social pressure, sales, and last-minute emergencies, and the stress can mount quickly. The key to enjoying Christmas without financial worry is planning like a pro. Break your spending into categories, such as presents, food and drink, decorations, experiences, and charitable giving. Assign a realistic budget to each, then track every pound you spend. Using a free online budgeting tool, or even your phone, can prevent nasty surprises and keep you in control. Think creatively about savings. Secret Santa or group gifting cuts costs, and…

Set the scene for festive feasting the easy way with help from Laurie Davidson (@lifeofaninteriorstylist). We asked Laurie to spill her tablescaping secrets, from knowing where to start to how to add the finishing touches, and discovered that even the most complicated designs can be broken down into seven manageable steps. Here's how to get a showstopping look at home… 1 Choose your theme Your very first step (to be done well in advance) is to decide on the theme you'd like for your Christmas table this year. What colours would you like? Do you want it to feel traditional or modern, playful or minimal? Are you after something maximalist or with a more country-style vibe? Maybe you'd like to tie it in with the look of your Christmas decorations in…

Declutter key areas Before you even pick up a mop or vacuum, start with a clear-out. Decluttering instantly makes your space feel tidier and more inviting, and it also creates room for Christmas gifts, decorations, and all the extras the season brings. Focus on the areas your guests will use the most, such as hallways, the kitchen and living room, guest bedrooms, and bathrooms. Use the storage space usually taken up by your decorations (like your loft or underbed storage) to temporarily store non-essential items. To prevent burnout, use the ‘15-minute timer’ rule: focus on one small area, such as a drawer, shelf, or a section of your wardrobe, for just 15 minutes. You'll be surprised how much you can do in short bursts. You can also try sorting into…

Get a Sophie Allport mug when you subscribe p38 Lincoln-born Sophie Allport knew from an early age that she wanted to do something creative, and after studying graphic design and illustration, she worked as a freelance illustrator. When she was invited to a country fair as a demonstrator and people were trying to buy her unfinished artwork, she decided she needed something to sell at the show. She made up some cards, and that's where it all began. She joined forces with her brother, Jem, and in 2007 launched her eponymous business selling homewares and accessories. From fond memories of her first Christmas collection in 2015 to sharing 2025's Cosy Christmas, Mistletoe and Red Gingham designs, Sophie tells HomeStyle about her festive favourites, her go-to decorating style, and why more…

A BIT ABOUT ME I'm Jessica Cunningham, a nurse. I live here with my husband, Colm, our son, who's three, and our poodle, Gloria. I share more of my home on Instagram @peoniesandpoodles. WHERE I LIVE Our home is a four-bedroom, detached new-build in County Cork, built in 2007. We moved here in 2019. WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE The house was half finished and needed a lot of work to make it liveable. It also needed character, so that was my challenge. HOW I MADE IT MY OWN I gave the house a cosy farmhouse style, choosing soft colours, panelling, and florals, to make every room feel warm, lived-in, and full of charm. MY FAVOURITE PART I love the kitchen, it's such a bright space and gets natural daylight…

A BIT ABOUT ME I'm Sarah Jackson, 41, a stay-at-home mum, @panelsandpicturerails, and I live with my husband Kristian, 35, a retail project manager, and our two children, Will, 11, and Flo, five. WHERE I LIVE Our home is a late Edwardian four-bedroom detached house in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, and we moved here in September 2017. WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE The hallway was brimming with original features and I wanted to inject that charm into the rest of the house, while giving every space a touch of our fun family personality. HOW I MADE IT MY OWN After initially making a few mistakes, I leant into the period of the house and went for a traditional-style kitchen and bathroom, chose rich paint colours, and filled the rooms with quirky finds…

TOP TIP You can use any colour of metallic spray paint to create this look, like gold, silver or even copper, just choose your favourite to complement your scheme YOU WILL NEED • dust sheet • selection of faux foliage stems • rose gold spray paint • spray adhesive • biodegradable gold glitter • florist's stub wire • sharp scissors • grapevine wreath base • wire cutters INSTRUCTIONS 1 Before you start work, protect your work surface with a dust sheet, and ideally work outside or in a well-ventilated room. Lay the sprigs of faux foliage on your work surface and apply two coats of rose gold spray paint, working in slow, sweeping strokes and allowing the paint to dry thoroughly between coats. 2 Next, lightly apply a thin mist…

Matisse-inspired Christmas bowls Turn plain wooden bowls into colourful Christmas serving dishes METHOD Ensure your wooden bowls are clean and dry. Paint each bowl in two base coats of your chosen Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Once dry, download Annie's templates at anniesloan.com/inspiration-all, and use the colour palette shown to inspire your decorative pattern painting. For these designs, Annie used five main Chalk Paint colours: Tyrian Plum, Florence, Capri Pink, Original and a 50:50 mix of Capri Pink and Original. She added highlights in Arles and Antibes Green and a touch of Metal Leaf in Imitation Gold. Seal your design with a coat of Chalk Paint Matt Lacquer. Project by Annie Sloan, anniesloan.com Refreshing room spray Cleaning experts Purdy & Figg worked with their in-house aromatherapist Margaret Karlinski to create this…

About me I'm Griselda Soames, 52, owner of boutique biscuit company, @enchantingbakes, and I live with my husband John, 51, who runs Echo14, a smart home technology business, and our two teenage daughters. Our home is a detached 1920s house in Twickenham. Style idea Choose a statement wallpaper then build a scheme around it TOTAL £14,612 My problem kitchen Previously the kitchen didn't flow, the work area with the sink and dishwasher was very cramped, and it was bland with no personality. Also, the layout didn't take advantage of the lovely views to the garden, and it really wasn't working as a place to entertain, which I love to do. How I made it work We wanted to create a joyful space that worked for us as a family. We…

CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1 Fanatic, 5 Cutlass, 9 Right, 10 Mocktails, 11 Opt, 12 Rinse, 13 Arena, 14 Graft, 16 Driven, 18 Scenic, 19 Apron, 22 Novel, 24 Snout, 26 Air, 27 Ballerina, 29 Naive, 30 Glencoe, 31 Rickety. DOWN: 1 Furlong, 2 Negotiate, 3 Tutor, 4 Cement, 5 Cycle, 6 Tit, 7 Alive, 8 Sustain, 13 Aorta, 15 Trial, 17 Versatile, 18 Sandbag, 20 Nursery, 21 Mohair, 23 Value, 24 Spine, 25 Tonic, 28 Etc. MYSTERY WORD: MISTLETOE WORD SCRAMBLE There are more than 50 well-known words – anything over 25 is excellent! SUDOKU…