Deck the halls

The hallway is often an overlooked space when it comes to decorating for Christmas.

Beautifully lit trees and splendid garlands lend themselves to main living areas, while pared-back, boutique hotel touches are reserved for guest bedrooms and bathrooms.

But large or small, they’re the most used spaces – the first your guests will see – and so creating a welcoming hallway filled with Christmas cheer sets the tone for the holidays.

Circle of life

An evergreen wreath hung from a beautifully-painted front door is the most welcome sight.

They symbolise the circle of life, the seasons moving from winter to spring, summer through autumn.

The Ancient Greeks hung one from their lover’s door, to symbolise devotion, while the wreaths of today represent the Christian traditions of eternal life and rebirth.

It’s easier than you think to make your own. Read our simple step-by-step guide here.

Stairway to heaven

Stairs can be one of the most show-stopping places to arrange Christmas decorations – height to draw the eye upwards, steps to fill with twinkling lights and spindles to bring order and structure in amongst all the greenery. 

Wind a garland around the handrail, in and out of the spindles – click here to make your own using our simple step-by-step guide – and immediately bring the outdoors in.

Real spruce wired with woodland treasures – think ivy, pine cones and berries – will fill your whole home with heavenly scent.

And tiny battery-powered fairy lights – there are plenty of subtle metallics to choose from in our Gift Shop – will add magic and sparkle.

Make sure there’s enough room between the twists to hold the handrail, and ensure it’s not so bushy that you have to ascend and descend sideways.

Let there be light

Stairs are a great place to introduce low lighting – pretty pools of light for Christmas, or on a gloomy winter afternoon.

On each tread, place tea lights or small church candles in petite hurricane lanterns, lighting the way to bed on Christmas Eve.

If space allows, place them on the opposite side of the stairs to the garland.

Frosted and vintage glass baubles – you’ll find plenty of stunning examples in our Neptune store-in-store and Gift Shop – hanging from the handrail will reflect the flickering candlelight and create a starry feel in your hallway.

Kiss me quick

Tie a huge bunch of mistletoe with red, green or gold velvet ribbon – we have plenty in our Neptune store-in-store – and hang from the ceiling.

Just make sure there are enough berries to last the season, and your guests – tradition dictates we remove one for every kiss.

Turning tables

A console table is the obvious starting point for your Christmas hallway scheme.

We love Neptune’s Arundel console, made from solid oak – blurring the lines between the natural world and life indoors.

Hurricane lanterns of different heights, lit with subtle cream, plum or dark green pillar candles, create an ethereal atmosphere, day and night.

Among them, arrange sprigs of spruce, mistletoe, holly and ivy from the garden and add tealights in metallic votives – there’s a huge range in our Gift Shop.

Wire in fir cones and weave in subtle fairy lights for a magical glow, prop up a wreath against the wall and pile the lower shelves with beautifully-wrapped gifts.

And on top, try pretty ceramic decorations like Castleton houses or white ceramic stars or Christmas trees.

Below stairs

If it’s not boxed in and home to the vacuum or the final resting place of the log basket, utilise the space under the stairs with a real tree.

Compact for smaller spaces, bigger for taller rooms, dress the branches along the same theme as your main tree for continuity and style.

Or, make a bolder statement with a totally different look – think bright colours, metallics or subtle neutrals. And at its foot, place small gifts, generously tied with ribbon, for your party guests.

Sitting pretty

While you won’t want to compromise the seating space on your hallway bench – particularly when it’s time to pull on boots for those Boxing Day walks – you can wind greenery around the base of the spindles on the arm, or run a small garland along the back of the seat.

Place hurricane lamps either side and light pillar candles to create a focal point.

Ready for more Christmas inspiration? 

In our Journal, you’ll find top tips on how to create the perfect guest bedroom, ways to decorate your Christmas table and how to style every room in your home.