Simple, Scandinavian-inspired Christmas decorations (+ giveaway!) with Cox & Cox

[Advertisement – this is a paid partnership with Cox & Cox, but all words and opinions are my own]

I know it’s only November, but there’s a distinct chill in the air and I can’t help getting a little bit excited about the approaching festive season. This year is going to be particularly special as we’ll be hosting Christmas for the first time, and I can’t wait to start decorating the house ready for the arrival of family and friends.

I’ve never been one for flashy, throw-away Christmas paraphernalia, and I much prefer to use understated decorations that reflect the calm, minimalist look of our home. So, I was very pleased to discover the beautifully simple Scandinavian collection from online homeware boutique Cox & Cox, and I’ve teamed up with them to show how you can use it to create two distinct festive looks.

I styled the first look in our living room. It’s where we’ll be gathering for cosy evenings with wine, cheese and board games, so I wanted to create a snug and cocooning feel. Candlelight is key, so I started by placing lots of candles on the mantlepiece and then arranged sprigs of fresh foliage loosely around them to build up a festive display. I also hung some beautiful grey and white knitted stockings over the hearth and, because Christmas should always involve a touch of whimsey (even when you’re 35!), I added a trio of house-shaped tea-light lanterns.

To ramp up the cosiness, I also selected a velvet cushion and sheepskin for my Cox & Cox rattan cone chair, which is one of my favourite places to curl up with a cuppa and a good book. The mug is also from Cox & Cox and is the perfect size for festive hot chocolate or warming mulled wine.

I styled the second look in our dining room. This is a much brighter, airier space, so here I opted for a sleeker, more contemporary scheme using Cox & Cox’s wooden Scandi tree. It’s made from FSC-certified spruce and makes an eye-catching alternative to traditional trees if you want something a bit different (or you want to avoid having endless needles to vacuum up!). I also think it would make a great choice for children’s bedrooms, and after Christmas it’s easy to disassemble and pack away until next year.

To decorate the tree, I mixed touches of blush pink and taupe in amongst greys and whites carried over from the living room. Cox & Cox has a beautiful range of hand-painted glass baubles with just the right amount of sparkle, and I chose dove-grey, Ikat and speckled ombre designs which I know I’ll treasure for years to come.

The finishing touch in both rooms was striking grey and white marbled wrapping paper, which works brilliantly with either scheme. I paired it with natural grey twine, but it would look equally good with sumptuous velvet ribbon tied into voluptuous bows.

So, there you have it – two different takes on simple, Scandinavian-inspired Christmas decorations, without any tacky tinsel in sight! If you want to recreate either of them in your own home, Cox & Cox is kindly giving away a £100 voucher to put towards any of its festive ranges or homeware collections. To enter, just head to this Instagram image and follow the instructions. The giveaway is open until midnight UK time on Tuesday 13^th November and the winner will be announced on my Instagram feed the day afterwards. Good luck!

All photography by Abi Dare