Holiday Decorating: Natural Looks From Down Under

Many Australians honor Christmas Day with a long, relaxing lunch outdoors. Adelaide stylist Rebekah Cichero is lucky enough to have her own shop, One Small Room, to glean treasures from as she sets the Christmas table on her deck. “We don’t all live on the beach,” she says, “but we use our decks, our verandas, the parks and the outback to enjoy the weather and celebrate with family and friends.”

In decorating her table, tree, entrance and more, Cichero uses handmade decorations, garlands and native flowers — simple but effective signs that it’s Christmas in Australia. “I have looked to nature for organic forms and a muted color palette inspired by the pink-toned bark of gum trees, with pops of color for festive fun,” she says. “A touch of red signifies Christmas, but it doesn’t have to be the focus. I have used it sparingly in a neutral palette for a fresh take on the festive season.”

Al Fresco Table Decorating

Whether you’re hosting your in-laws or a small gathering of friends, Cichero says, “decide on the theme and think through every detail and how it will work in your space.” The designer, shown here, is sticking this year with a nature-inspired motif that takes its cues from local plants.

“Consider the furniture, the cutlery, the cups, the decorations, and then start with a color in mind,” she says. “Build the look around that, but remember to have fun with it and don’t always stick with what might ‘be tradition.’”

Floral throw: Flower Patch, Pony Rider; stools: steel base and tasmanian oak top, Tri450 stool, Hunt Furniture; metal stool: Tolix, 1000 Chairs; trestle table, bench: One Small Room; flowers: Fleurs de Nadia


The colors on the table were inspired by the soft pinks and greens of Australian gum trees. The pink oil bottle and sage-green ceramic bowl are fun, handmade additions. The overall look is tied together with native flowers and a hand-crocheted garland; the bouquet is made up of pittosporum branches and tropical gingers.


Cichero recommends creating an inspiration board (or you can even create an ideabook) when designing your tabletop to stay on track.

Plates: Charmain Hearder; flowers: smokebush, Fleurs de Nadia; oil bottle: Deb Jones, JamFactory; garland: crocheted cotton, Crayon Chick; condiments dish: Charmain Hearder; cutting board: Ahno in celery pine and black walnut, Sands Made


Cichero asked her local bakery to supply gingerbread reindeer for her Christmas table, which add small but effective spots of red, taste great and are fun for the kids.

Gingerbread reindeer: Red Door Bakery; plates: Charmain Hearder; gray cup: Facet, The Mod Collective


Cichero adds sparkle to her festive table setting with materials that are translucent or reflect light.

Ceramic Christmas tree: Paper Boat Press, One Small Room; flowers: Fleurs de Nadia


The centerpiece is adorned with small decorations, like this ceramic star, tying together the seasonal motif.

Ceramic star: Paper Boat Press, One Small Room


The colors in the oil bottle and tablecloth were all inspired by native Australian flora, such as the ginger flower in the centerpiece.


When setting her table, Cichero likes to mix old and new things. Vintage crystal glasses and silver cutlery are paired with locally made ceramic cups and plates.

Ceramic cups: Facet, The Mod Collective


Decorating the Front Door

Cichero created this wreath herself with lengths of ivy and native Australian flowers sourced from her favorite florist, Fleurs de Nadia, which also helped plan the design. Small ceramic tags that say “Merry Christmas” hang from the wreath, which adds a welcoming and festive note to the entry.

Ceramic tags: Paper Boat Press, One Small Room


How to Make a Natural Holiday Wreath

1. Twist about five pieces of grapevine or ivy and weave them in and out to create a round shape.
2. Secure the vine ends with twine or ribbon.
3. Weave flowers, leaves, nuts, pinecones, holly and ribbon in and out to cover the vine base; make the look as full as desired. Tie pieces on with twine or ribbon.
4. Tie decorations to the top of the wreath with ribbon, so that they hang into the center. Personalize the wreath with ribbon, ornaments, figurines, ceramic or paper gift tags, or a chalkboard for messages.

Tips: Vary the lengths of vine according to how large you want the wreath. If your lengths are short, join them by overlapping them and tying with twine.

Choose flora that will dry well and last for several weeks. (Cichero found that native plants worked well.)

Hang a chalkboard in the center and let children write messages to Santa.

Flowers: Fleurs de Nadia; ceramic tags: Paper Boat Press, One Small Room


Cichero’s dog, Chico, soaks up some sunshine in the home’s front entrance.


If you don’t have time to make a wreath, hang a simple branch of native flowers or nuts and leave a chalkboard greeting to Santa.

Make your own chalkboard paint


Decorating the Living Area

When designing a space, Cichero likes to start by creating a color palette or utilizing existing pieces. “Work out how best to present a focus piece,” she says. “How everything else works with that can be a good starting point — color, balance, size and shape all come into play, as does how the room will be used every day.”

Here a gum tree branch acts as a rustic Christmas tree in Cichero’s living area. Since the room does not have a traditional mantel, the stylist festooned a nearby storage unit with Australian flowers and decorations in shades of pink and green.

Rug: Marigold, Armadillo & Co.; cushion: Bambi Daze, Pony Rider, One Small Room; wrapping paper: Bespoke Letterpress; paper decorations: Australiana, Polli; garland: crocheted cotton, Crayon Chick, One Small Room


Cichero used potted native flora to set the color palette for this living room vignette, adding sparkling glass ornaments in the same rich tones and colors.

Ceramic pot: Charmain Hearder; glass paperweight: Llewelyn Ash, JamFactory; turf paperweight: Danielle Rickaby, JamFactory; Australian landscape painting: Rory, Industrial Revolution, One Small Room


Cichero’s love of natural and locally sourced materials shows in her choice of wrapping paper, which is recycled and obtained from regional paper makers.

Wrapping paper: Bespoke Letterpress; gift tag: Printspace, One Small Room; flowers: Fleurs de Nadia


In keeping with the handmade theme, gum nuts from Cichero’s backyard are paired with Australiana watercolor decorations on the rustic Christmas tree.

Paper decorations: Australiana, Polli, One Small Room


Decorating a Child’s Bedroom

Cichero adds some holiday spirit to her sons’ bedroom by hanging a colorful garland on the deer head above the fireplace and embellishing the mantel with a stocking.

Throw: MotorCycles Only, Ponyrider; dog toy: Bertie, Fiona Dalton, The Drapery; painting (top left): Laura Wills; deer head: Made590; stocking: Ikea; stool: red steel base with Tasmanian oak top, Tri450 stool, Hunt Furniture; quilt cover: Skipping Boy, Sprout Design; vintage clock, Danish vintage beds: One Small Room



Bambi continues the deer theme in the children’s bedroom and adds to the Christmas atmosphere. The pinks and greens used to decorate the other areas of the house extend into the bedroom.

Bambi: Made590; garland: polyhedrons, Messagemark, One Small Room

More: Browse 100-plus holiday decorating ideas

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