Three ideas to style your Christmas in July 'do

This combination of chilly weather and fully booked restaurants is making us want to round up a few friends for dinner at home rather than head out. It's July, it's cold, so why not whip out the Mariah Carey Xmas tunes and go all out with a southern hemisphere version “Xmas in July” theme?!

We’ve come up with three simple styling ideas using all local, seasonal flowers that you can easily create yourself at home or with the help of your local florist.

1. "Mod-Oz"

Mod-oz doesn't have to be just for food - it can be for flowers too! Celebrate with a wintry mix of natives and other flowers to brighten the table, in a modern, but still festive, style.

Palette: Earthy rusts, ivory, and silvery green.

Suggested Flowers and Foliages: Burgundy and gold kangaroo paw, eucalyptus, white wax flower, flannel flower, giant candle banksias, white king proteas, white japonica blossom, natural grasses, and rust and ivory cymbidium orchids.

Other Styling Elements: Oatmeal linen tablecloth, ceramic and earthenware vases and vessels or vintage bottles, naked beeswax candles.

Step 1: Set the scene

Music: Tin Lids

Atmosphere: Outdoor firepit

Smell: Leg of lamb on the Webber and Eucalyptus wreath on the door.

Image Source: Floreat

Step 2: Set the table

Keep it natural but still festive with a beautiful oatmeal linen tablecloth, and pop some beautiful natural beeswax candles on the table.

Step 3: Set the florals

Lay blossom branches along the centre of the table, and place earthy ceramic and earthen ware vases, pots and bowls, or vintage coloured glass, between the branches with a mix of festive but natural coloured natives, such as kangaroo paws, banksias, white king proteas and flannel flowers, eucalyptus. Mix it up with beautiful cymbidium orchids and go foraging for some natural grasses.

Image Source - Cox Richardson Architects

Image Source : Floreat

Image Source: Pinterest

Step 2: To finish, place a gold bon bon from good old Target or K-Mart on the place setting.

2. Nordic inspired Xmas

Scandinavian Interiors are often simply styled with a minimalistic approach using neutral tones, clean lines and natural woody materials, with minimal florals.

Palette: silvery greens, woody elements and whites

Flowers and foliage: Spruce branches, pine cones, and clean white flowers such as cyclamen and white magnolia, .

Other styling elements: White table cloth, LOTS of candles in glass holders.

Step 1: Set the Scene

Music: Abba Christmas Album

Atmosphere: Simple and understated - hang a bunch of silvery spruce upside down on your door with a natural off white ribbon casually draping down.

Image Source: Pinterest

Smell: Pickle the Herring and warm up the Schnapps

Step 2: Set the table

For your table, first place as many candles as you can get your hands on in clear glass candle holders or simple candlesticks, on a crisp white table cloth (preferably linen).

Image Source: Pinterest

Step 3: Set the Flowers

Drape generous spruce branches throughout, dotted with woody pine cones.

Image Source: Pinterest

In between the branches, add a sprinkling of simple, silvery white flowers such as white cyclamen or flowering magnolia in a single vase in the centre or split up among bud vases of varying heights.

Image Source: https://bobedre.dk/jul/saadan-reddes-dugen

Step 4: The finishing touches

A little wreath made of spruce to go around the white linen napkin!

Image Source: Pinterest

3. Warm and rich, traditional Christmas

The northern hemisphere Christmas brings images to mind of warm fires and mulled wine. Warm up the dinner table with rich textures and delicious, comforting food, flowers, and decorations. Put a modern, classy spin on the traditional red, green and gold, with warm pinks and burgundy.

Palette: Warm, rich colours like deep pink, red, and Burgundy, and deep greens.

Flowers and foliages: Deep pink magnolia, Burgundy and gold cymbidium orchids, deep red roses, anemones, and embellish with figs, pomegranates and black grapes.

Other styling elements: Crystal glassware, gold candlesticks.

Step 1: Set the mood

Music: Put Frank on the stereo

Atmosphere: Light the open fire

Smell: Pop the mulled wine on the stove and glaze the ham.

Step 2: Set the Table

Set the crystal glassware and gold candlesticks on a white damask tablecloth.

Step 3: Set the Florals

Set lots of beautiful wintry blooms in little crystal bud vases all along the table, or abundant arrangements overflowing from large crystal or silver bowls.