How to create a Victorian-style Christmas

Marry rich tones of red with hints of gold and plenty of candlelight for an enveloping ambience that’s warm and inviting. Finish with boughs of fresh foliage for a joyful look that’s fit for the festive season

Walls painted in ‘Pugin Red’ eggshell from Dulux Heritage collection, £31.38 per 2.5l, Dulux; Lady Caroline Hill attributed to Mary M Pearson c1836 printed onto canvas 600 x 900mm, £185, Surface View; Red dining candles, £9 per pack of 12, Shearer Candles; faux red amaryllis, £4.10 per stem, Decoflora.

More Christmas inspiration: 

• How to decorate with gold this Christmas
• The best wreaths for your front door
• 6 stylish ways to dress your festive table
• How to decorate with William Morris this Christmas
• How to use antique Christmas decorations

Turn your dessert table into a wow-factor display using elegant serveware, decorations and vases filled with blooms in rich jewel shades. Set your delicacies at varying heights to create an eye-catching and tantalising effect

Macaron tower, made to order from £50, The Crow Kitchen; Fresh flowers, from £2.99 per bunch, from a selection at Longacres Garden Centre; Cakes, from £1.30 each, Gail’s Bakery; Glacé fruits, £30 for a 400g box; glass petit four Christmas decorations, £10 each; cranberry and orange Christmas fruit cake, £14.95, all Fortnum & Mason.

Layer your spare bed with linen, throws and cushions in shades of crimson, white and gold. Antique lace, velvet and a canopy made from boughs of natural foliage produce a welcoming festive haven for your guests to withdraw to

‘Rose’ plush velvet double bed frame, £945, Button & Sprung.

Taking cues from a traditional Victorian Christmas, with a little nod to France, lay the table with crimson plates and serving dishes. Complete the decorations with a festive runner, fresh foliage and candles along the centre to throw a soft glow and create a mellow atmosphere

‘Winter’s Scene’ 6in plate, £9.25; ‘Winter’s Scene’ open veg dish, £46; ‘Winter’s Scene’ covered sugar pot, £28.50, all Spode; Red dining candles, £9 for a pack of 12, Shearer Candles. ‘The Nutcrackers’ Christmas crackers, £60 for a set of six, Fortnum & Mason. Present wrapped in ‘Vintage Peacocks in Red’ paper, £2 per sheet, Paper Tree Nook. Ribbons, from £3 for a 5m roll, Hobbycraft.

Bring floral touches into your home to enhance your winter decor, whether you’re designing a centrepiece for your Christmas table or a display for your hallway. Mix greenery from the garden with plenty of scarlet blooms – here, we’ve mixed a few faux amaryllis along with freshly cut roses

Tablecloth made from ‘Halte De Chasse’ (B1744001), in ‘Fond Rouge’, £160.80 per m, Pierre Frey; Fresh flowers, from £2.99 per bunch, from a selection at Longacres Garden Centre.