Styling Inspiration: Christmas Chic

It’s no secret that 2020 has been a long, hard slog for most of us, and for that reason many of us are choosing to decorate for the Christmas season earlier than usual this year.

All across social media, the Christmas trees are up, the fairy lights have been strung and the garlands cover every surface… but how should you extend the festive décor to your garden retreat?

We reached out to Interior Designer and Stylist Justin Coakley who uses his garden studio as his workspace to give us some tips on how to best dress our garden rooms for Christmas.

Chosen by the Evening Standard as one of the top 20 interiors Instagram accounts, Justin has worked with brands such as John Lewis, H&M Home and Molton Brown.

Hi Justin! Can you tell us a bit about yourself…

I’m Justin from @design_at_nineteen and I started my Instagram page as a way of documenting the renovation journey of our terraced home in London.

I come from an interiors background and have always had a passion for interiors and all things design led.

I use my Garden Studio as my office at home; it’s the ideal space as it gives me a chance to be in a quite zone without the distractions of the house. The fact that it’s nestled at the bottom of our garden makes it even more pleasurable!

How have you styled your Garden Studio for Christmas?

It’s been a dream having the Garden Studio to decorate all Christmassy as well as the house! I’ve (of course!) stuck with my monochrome colour palette and styled with a minimalist Scandinavian theme. As it’s my office when I’m working from home, I wanted it to feel festive without being cluttered or feeling over-done.

How can we replicate the same look in our garden room at home?

• Try to favour using natural materials. I have a real miniature Christmas tree as I love the pine scent it gives off and it sits so well next to the timber of the walls
• Paper decorations are a more sustainable approach to decorating. I buy a lot of my paper decorations online and have a selection from different places, mainly H&M Home and WestElm. I got the large honeycomb balls I’ve used in the garden studio from Rockett St George
• A poinsettia is classic Christmas décor, but using a white one instead of the traditional red helps to keep things monochrome as well as bringing the outside in
• I’ve created a shelf garland by using a faux pine stair garland and adding some fairy lights. You can do similar with foraged branches and cuttings from the garden too
• Always finish the look with tea light candles and fairy lights – they add to the ambience and the warm glow helps to make your garden retreat feel cosy

How will you be spending Christmas this year? (Restrictions permitting!)

This year we’ll be spending it with my family! It will be the first Christmas I’ll be spending with my family in 5 years – we normally go away at that time of year (last year we spent it in Budapest), but this year with all the restrictions we will be staying home and making it magical.

What tunes do you like to listen to while wrapping presents?

In order to get into the festive mood I like to listen to all the classics so I just put on a Christmas playlist – whatever I can find online!

What are your favourite films to get you feeling Christmassy?

I would say my all-time two favourite Christmas films have to be Home Alone and The Holiday

Favourite festive food?

My favourite festive foods have got to be mince pies and pigs in blankets!

Favourite Christmas tipple?

I would have to say it would be an Old Fashioned or Espresso Martini cocktail 

What would you most like to gift to your Garden Studio? 

At this point in time, I would love to give my Garden Studio some window coverings as a gift!

Favourite place to visit at Christmas time?

This would definitely have to be central London at Christmas time. I love going up to London city centre to see all the Christmas lights – it helps to get into the festive spirit! This year I’ll be booking an electric cab to go and see them all.

Do you have any Christmas traditions?

I would say my one Christmas tradition is getting cosy and wrapping all the last-minute Christmas presents­

To see more images of Justin’s stylish Garden Office and beautiful home, find him on Instagram here.