Inspired Interiors 5: Festive Cheer

Published: 01/12/2016

Welcome to the fifth episode of Inspired Interiors. If you’re new to the series then basically we take a Tiger Sheds building and decorate it with a stunning interior decor scheme! This month we hope to inspire you by transforming a Tiger Sunlit Chalet into Festive Cheer!

The chosen product which we will decorate this month is The Tiger Sunlit Chalet.

Why we chose this product. We chose the 8x10 Tiger Sunlit Chalet for this decor scheme as we think it has a traditional, 'Christmassy Grotto' feel about it. As we wanted even more of a Christmas Grotto look we also upgraded the building to loglap cladding, which gives the effect of actual logs stacked on top of each other, so a beautiful look for Christmas. You can see the loglap cladding in our exterior concept image below.

Mood board for this month’s Interior Decor Scheme.

Brief description: Our inspiration for this festive decor scheme comes from traditional log cabins which you may find in The Swiss Alps and German Christmas Markets. As we just love how cosy and traditional these cabins look, especially in their winter surroundings! So we've tried to adapt the look of these cabins for both our exterior and interior design schemes. As for the Christmas decorations, we've gone for mostly traditional items but with added novelty pieces to keep it fun.

The Sunlit Chalet decorated using ‘Festive Cheer’.

How Festive Cheer is designed to please all the senses: Visual: There's no doubt that this decor scheme will make you feel warm, festive and cheerful. Even before you enter the building you will feel 'Christmassy', as the exterior looks like something from a winter wonderland with the loglap cladding and roof overhang which is just asking for snow! Although we've used an artificial tree and wreath in our concept image, if you would be OK with the upkeep, it would be a great idea to embed live plants into your Christmas decor. We spoke with plant experts from Monrovia regarding adding live plants to your Christmas decor, they said; ''We love the idea of weaving live plants into your holiday decor, especially since the idea of chopping a tree down only to toss it out a few weeks later just doesn’t sit right with us. You could create a winter wonderland effect by adding plants such as conifers, dogwoods, and grasses, which capture frost and ensures you’ll have something to look at between the glory of fall foliage and the glittery glam of a coat of snow.'' Touch: During the festive period, generally, all you want to do is snuggle, relax and enjoy your festive surroundings. That's why we've added a cosy blanket into our Festive Cheer concept image so you can stay warm in your Grotto. Not to mention those modern armchairs, which not only add a more contemporary touch to the room but will also be really comfortable to sit and relax in. Smell: There are many smells which remind us of Christmas... cinnamon, gingerbread and fresh pine cone! And there are many ways in which you can bring these smells into your garden building, such as with candles (always under supervision), Christmas decorations made from pine cones or festive room sprays. Christmas for a lot of people is also a really nostalgic time of year, so consider what smells remind you of Christmas from when you were younger and try to recreate them in your space somehow. We spoke with Interior Designer Allison Grimes regarding creating festive smells in a room, she says; ''Nothing beats the scent of gingerbread cookies or eggnog to emulate that Christmas feel.'' Taste: Christmas time is the perfect excuse to indulge in delicious food and tasty treats without feeling guilty! Whilst relaxing inside your festive garden building you could enjoy some mince pies or a lovely piece of chocolate yule log, plus, you can keep your treats well away from prying eyes! It's also becoming increasingly more popular to make edible Christmas decorations! Experts from Real California Milk suggests some ideas for edible Christmas decor; ''Deck the halls with edible decor. A cheese wreath multitasks as a crowd pleasing display and an appetizer. Tip: Make the bow from phyllo dough and add candied cranberries for color. Or, wow guests with the new gingerbread house, snow globes. Craft a memorable dessert that will be talked about well into the new year with a winter wonderland of snow globes made from food.'' Sound: Around the festive period everywhere feels a lot busier. So it's nice to find some time for yourself, to simply relax and have a moment away from it all. Your festive garden building can be the perfect environment for that, as it's away from the house but not too far that you need to commute. It will be quiet and calm so you can just enjoy some much needed 'me' time.