The English Home Magazine asked interior designers, florists, bakers and homeware stylists for the personal ideas, professional tips and family rituals that make their Christmas perfect and we were thrilled to listed be amongst their number.

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''I like to bring the winter inside with masses of holly and yew, as much green as possible, and I like to keep that organic feel in the garland, so it’s not too pristine, keeping it asymmetrical and a bit mad. It really sets the stage and smells wonderful. I accent it with ribbon, fruit, or berries – whatever is in season.

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On the table, I generally will have a cloth from one of my new fabrics and masses of ribbon. Then it is laid out with my monogrammed mirror chargers and loads of candles. I like to have different sorts of candles – long dinner tapers, small votives flickering in coloured glass, church candles standing squat in silver bowls.

Sometimes we will hang a mobile – some sort of branch perhaps – over the table with glass globes with candles suspended from a fishing line like they’re floating in the air. I like the table to be the focal point. It’s all about entertaining and bringing everyone together, welcoming everyone to sit down, share a meal and celebrate.

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I usually pick the misshapen ugly tree that no one wants – I give her a name every year – and I fill the gaps with gold-sprayed holly and hydrangea to make her look fabulous. I always have a tree in a corner, so it doesn’t matter if there is an ugly side. And I hate the idea of an ugly tree going to waste having been cut down. Putting her in front of the mirror is a great trick as it means that you get double impact, giving depth to the room.

I like to fill the house with candles – pillars in every silver dish or salver I can lay my hands on and votives in cut glass tumblers on every surface. It gives such a lovely atmosphere on the cold dark days and calls everyone in.

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Read the article online

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Images courtesy of: The English Home Rachael Smith Jenny Rose Innes Simon Griffiths