A folklore living room at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas

This room set is inspired by storytelling from days gone by and for me, that's easy to see. It's a room that draws on the traditional reds and greens of Christmas but with a modern slant. It combines rustic with style and screams Christmas doesn't it?  I think there's also a touch of Scandi-style for good measure too.

A coffee table and a christmas tree in the corner  in this room set at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas

There are elements of this room I love, the neutral background which looks grey in my pictures is a paint colour called Celestial Blue and provides the perfect backdrop for the bright berry red sofa.

The black framed coffee table and open shelf unit were also favourites, which will no doubt shock MOH as I won't let him have a coffee table in our current living room. I don't dispute how useful the right coffee table would be, but I'm not budging on the fact that it will turn our space into an obstacle course. 

The frame of the table is simple isn't it, and it reminded me that I still need to buy some square metal tubing to repair our gazebo which suffered from pooling rain damage in the summer.  Another one for the to do list. 

The wood burner and black metal coffee table  in this room set at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas

I also like how the simple framed table is decorated with eucalyptus and pine.  Pine I've used to decorate our house before, but not eucalyptus and it's something that's on my list for this year.  It also reminded me I still need to buy some square metal tubing to repair our gazebo which suffered from pooling rain damage in the summer.  Another one for the to do list - and funny how you get those reminders when you least expect them isn't it?

A matching open shelf unit and standard lamp  in this room set at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas

We have a teak open shelf unit - well less open than this one - and if I'm honest when I looked at this one I was full of admiration and envy all at the same time.  The plan was for ours to look equally as stylish, but in reality it rarely is and often becomes a home for bills, important stuff and all manner of things.  Luckily we have some doors on ours so a quick tidy (aka shoving things behind the doors) can make it feel super stylish pretty quickly again. Unless you really are a no clutter kind of person I'd always recommend getting some closed space on an open unit, if you can!

A tree and a berry red sofa in this folklore themed room set at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas

No living room room set for Christmas would be complete without a tree would it? Infact I suspect many of us feel the same about our own living rooms. This year I'm contemplating having the tree in our conservatory as with six adults in our house I think the large tree may just prove one thing too many. The challenge will be of course to make our living space equally as festive without the tree, I have a plan starting to form and we'll see if I can pull it off.

The final element of this room I loved was these tiles. The pattern, their texture and how they're used on the floor and the wall to create a practical zone around the log burner.  They're ceramic but are called pressed pantina steel tiles and have that aged look that works so well here, the copper edging really does add the finishing touch.

A cosy armchair in front of the wood burner  in this room set at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas
Stepping back to get the whole view of this room set at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas

So what do you think? Is the festive folklore style room for you?

A Ski Lodge bedroom at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas

Now doesn't this look a calming bedroom?  It's inspired by boutique-style wood cabins and while there's plenty of wood it's not overdone and has avoided that sauna look!  It looks the perfect place to snuggle and hibernate in. 

I'd never considered rustic wood, dusky pink and silver together, but I think it looks great. I'm also a fan of that headboard shelf as you've probably already noticed I am keen on having stuff around me. While I admire the minimalist approach, it's not really for me. 

A comfy looking haven in this room set at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas

It definitely has a feeling of luxury - I can't decide if that's the tea tray on the bed, the many luxurious throws or just the fact that it looks like a place I'd want to spend some time in.  Of course, like even the best hotel bedrooms, once we've arrived it never quite looks as pretty...

It also feels a bit decadent to have a Christmas tree in a bedroom. I know it was the Ideal Home Show at Christmas, and it is a pretty tree, but is that really a thing?

A tallboy and a Christmas tree too  in this room set at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas

I am a fan of the stars, and of that drawer unit though - it's the simple, clean and unfussy lines that appeal. And stars? Well stars are just good aren't they?  I need some more in my life, or more accurately in my decor...

throws and wraps make for a comfy look  in this room set at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas
 
a look at the bedside tables  in this room set at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas

I'm wondering when I can move in?  Who's joining me?!

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Baubles, Reindeers and more at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas

67,024 visitors attended the Ideal Home Show at Christmas and Eat and Drink Festival 2017 and I was one of them. Even though it felt like they might all be there on the same day as me, that number was spread over the four days. The show was smaller than the Ideal Home Show that's held each March/April but it was well worth a look round. I even left with my first Christmas present bought, and I wasn't expecting that.

Mostly because I'm either a last minute kind of girl, or an online shopper, but when I saw this gift I was sold, but more of that another day. Today it's another festive post, and yes I know it's still November, but I've a steady supply of Christmas posts to share with you, and let's be honest there'll be no use to you in the week before Christmas will they?

My favourite part of the show this weekend was the decorations section and wandering around spotting the trends - for me, it's reindeers, twigs fashioned into trees, cardholders and more and place holders, you read it here first...  I also couldn't help but fall a little bit in love with this army of silver Santas, and each seemed to have its own personality and were full of charm. 

SILVER SANTAS WITH PERSONALITY

I loved these decorations sitting down waiting for Christmas to arrive, and if I had a mantelpiece I'm pretty sure these would be on it, mainly because they just make me smile. I imagine them springing into action, sprinkling their Christmas magic as it draws closer. In fact I wouldn't have been surprised to have seen one of them with a cuppa...

SITTING AROUND WAITING FOR CHRISTMAS TO ARRIVE

And then there were the juggling - or are they waving? - Santas - this stall was a hit for me and I had to move on quickly.  It was popular with everyone else too, and having little patience for queues was a bit of a godsend for my purse, and helped me avoid the usual questions from MOH. He stayed home and spent his time making our Christmas puddings, time well spent and I'm looking forward to tasting those.

WAVING OR JUGGLING - YOU DECIDE

WAVING OR JUGGLING - YOU DECIDE

Reindeers were a plenty too, and this cheeky wooden chappie was my favourite. Clearly wooden decorations aren't new, but there was something about this one that gave it a more modern feel. 

A WOODEN REINDEER WITH CHARACTER

A WOODEN REINDEER WITH CHARACTER

I've already mentioned wood and that was another theme I saw repeatedly through the show, these small festive message trees were popular.

WHAT'S THAT YOU SAY, TREE?

WHAT'S THAT YOU SAY, TREE?

These garden ornaments reminded me of my agapanthus seed heads and sputniks at the same time, gorgeous aren't they?

THESE REMINDED ME OF MY AGAPANTHUS SEEDHEADS

THESE REMINDED ME OF MY AGAPANTHUS SEEDHEADS

We've already seen feathered birds in an earlier post and they were evident at Olympia too, this time in twinkly twiggy trees, which I would love to have as part of our decorations. But even I know that without a loft to store them in they're not practical, but maybe one day.

TWINKLY TREES AND MORE FEATHERS

TWINKLY TREES AND MORE FEATHERS

The other thing I saw lots of was placeholders, maybe because we're hosting Christmas dinner this year, I noticed more of them than ever before. I was torn between a traditional wreath and a more modern bauble. I've an idea of how I can bring some of our garden onto our dining table and so I'm holding out for those, and will share how they turn out here nearer to the big day, as I'm hoping they'll be easy to do, as well as effective.

A WREATH OR..

A WREATH OR..

BAUBLES - WHICH WOULD YOU GO FOR?

BAUBLES - WHICH WOULD YOU GO FOR?

There were plenty of elves around the show, they're not for me, but I'd happily have this star - and I think it could be a year round thing, not just for Christmas, don't you?

LOVE THE STAR, LESS SURE ABOUT THAT ELF

One stall had faux Christmas trees of every size, including Christmas tree bunting, which I was very tempted by - complete with LED lights and a gingham bow the only thing putting me off was having to carry it home, perhaps I should have brought MOH along after all.

FAUX CHRISTMAS TREES OF EVERY SIZE at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas

These jars complete with candles - LED or otherwise- looked great, and while they're probably not aimed just at carol singers, that's what they reminded me of - pretty aren't they?

DECORATED MASON JARS FOR CHRISTMAS at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas

So there's my pick of the decorations at the show this year, what do you think? Would your resolve have been weakened? 

Next week I've got photos of the Christmas room sets to share, and you know how much I love a room set, don't you?!

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* This post is with thanks to the Ideal Home Show who provided me with entry to the show free of charge, but as usual all views are my own.