Light up your life

Shoparound:Decorating the home for Christmas needs interior and exterior ideas that are fashion forward yet still festive.

"Outdoor lighting is now as important as how your home looks on the inside. Multi- coloured lights are a no no," says fashion and interiors designer Ciaran Sweeney.

Stick to one colour scheme, be it traditional white lighting or the new winter blue that gives an ice white glow, is his advice

Indoors, Christmas trees should feature lots of texture. At Atlantic Homecare, feathered baubles offer a glitzy take on that most festive of feathered friends, the robin red breast. Price €8 for three.

Big trees need impactful accessories and the store offers super-sized ovids, €16, that are a cheap chic take on a Missioni Michaelmas.

Tree tops will thank you for garnishing them with the ice cool hues of Avoca's seven point star with central diamanté inset €2.50.

Diamanté and pearls is a decorating theme at the store. Its Gisela Graham crystal tree, €189.95, paired with pearl and bead garlands, €18.95 per length, offers a clean, simple silhouette.

Stylist Graham Cruz has been seduced by Floque real pine trees which feature fake cotton snow. These are free-standing and prices start at €27.40 from The Flower Man in the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre.

"I'm going to dress the tree with glass crystal mini chandeliers, €65 each, from Brown Thomas and lots of white light."

Dressing the table for dinner is another essential element of your interior. "Christmas dinner is the most important meal of the year," says floral designer James Bailie. "You eat with your eyes. Silver, white and black is this year's tabletop palette."

Festive solutions include low-rise centrepieces with white avalanche roses set in glass balls, surrounded by Spanish moss, eucalyptus leaves and a garland of white feathers. Fake snow on wood and other white flowers, such as freesia and lilies, are other centrepiece options. Bailie's designs will be available to buy at this year's Dublin Docklands Christmas Fair, which opens on December 12th. Prices from €20.

Stateside, nearly 20 years after his death, the selling of Andy Warhol, the brand, is a huge seasonal theme. Take a leaf out of the shameless self-promoter's book and indulge in your own interpretation of a pop-art Christmas. Start by investing in some of the artwork on sale at Very Famous People, which is on show at 4 Dame Lane, until December 14th. It features an exhibition of portraits by Andy Warhol, Banksy, Bono, Canvas D, Face Dolk, Obey, Jamie Reid, James Cauty, Stanley Donwood, Nick Walker and Will St Leger. Works from €70 unframed.