Last minute christmas 4: speedy christmas accents!

Sometimes it is all in the details, a relief for those of us who just don't have the time to complete a large-scale makeover before Christmas. We have some speedy Christmas accents for you to think over – each of them small projects that will effectively take your décor from 'everyday' to 'fabulously festive' in no time at all! You might find it helpful to have some basic craft equipment at the ready; read through some of the ideas to see if any take your fancy – or better still, take the time to come up with your own show-stopping accessories.

• We love nothing more than customising home accessories for the festive season – it often works out cheaper to touch up cushions and the like than to buy brand new. On the subject of cushions, our first idea takes this home accessory to a whole new level! You could use any material – although we recommend silk that can be bought from a fabric wholesalers UK for a real sense of party glam. If you don't have time to purchase fabrics, consider using your partner's silk ties or scarves to carry out the project. Do choose a colour that matches your Christmas style, whether it be a classic red, gold or a jewel purple this year. Take two lengths of the fabric and wrap it around your cushion as you would when tying ribbon on a gift, creating a big bow on the front.You might want to secure this with a few hand stitches; finish the look with a small festive ornament at the centre of the bow – just make sure it is nothing breakable if the pillow is for lounging.
• All of those little fabric scraps that you have saved up for a rainy day; now is the time to let them shine! With all the interior design ideas we have discussed this year, there is a hope that some of you may have pulled off some home made crafts using your favourite fabrics. For example, I found some lovely green velvet at the bottom of my fabric basket – not enough to pull off any major project, but it makes a pretty accent tied into a bow around the lounge door knob! Later, some sprigs of holly were attached to the upper part of the bow on either side. You could follow this example, or use leftover fabric to create festive trims and bows around cheap table lamps, glitzy candlesticks, the backs of dining chairs or even vases.
• Give windows a magical look by using a light, white fabric such as voile and swag the material over the window frame; embellish the corners with some white satin bows and pretty green, silver or gold foliage. You can make this window scene even more magical with some white fairy lights come the evening.