Seasonal Decoration Mallorca
As a beautiful country home in Mallorca is prepared for Christmas, Jan Edwards learns the secrets of stylish seasonal decoration.
Many of us in Mallorca tend to do our entertaining outdoors, during the warmer months. But at Christmas – the most important time to share with family and friends – it’s the home’s interior that provides the backdrop for memorable festivities with loved ones. We might receive the gift of a little pleasant winter sunshine – perfect for a glass of cava on the terrace or balcony, or a post-lunch stroll – but there’s nothing quite like returning indoors to the warmth and comfort of a beautifully decorated home at this time of year.
Visitors to this particular home in the glorious countryside close to the Tramuntana are in for a real treat this Christmas. The festive welcome begins at the entrance to the house, where each of the two large traditional metal-studded wooden doors has been dressed with an understated wreath. A small reindeer, fashioned from twigs, stands each side of the doorway, alongside traditional poinsettia nestling in old terracotta pots. Already, it’s obvious that something magical awaits inside: a home that’s been specially prepared for Christmas by designer Klas Käll of Palma-based Rialto Living, using a selection of decorations he’s brought from the store.
The initial welcome for visitors is important, believes Klas: "It sets the scene for a warm festive occasion." The home’s large square hall is where arriving guests will shed their coats – and the first thing they’ll see is the beautifully decorated Christmas tree, surrounded by wrapped presents, which has pride of place at the centre of the room. What better welcome? Klas chose a high quality artificial tree, because real ones can be rather poor here, and has dressed it in an understated way. It’s dotted with tiny white lights, and hanging decorations include hearts, small candy-striped walking sticks and spotted toadstools – all made of felt – and white lambswool snowballs.
The colour scheme he’s chosen for this home is red, white and green - the traditional colours of Christmas: "Decide on a colour scheme and follow it throughout," advises Klas. The result is a cohesive and stylish look. He favours natural materials, such as wood, felt and wool, for decorative items: "I don’t like to use anything too flashy or glittery. Good quality decorations in traditional materials will become favourites, brought out year after year."
Nature makes a valuable contribution to Klas’s scheme: he’s used branches laden with red berries, pine cones, small white cyclamen plants and, of course, traditional poinsettia, sourced from Klaus Reich of Cuatro Rosas. The budget-conscious might choose key decorative items from this renowned Palma florist and, in other parts of the home, use some of the bounty to be found in the garden or countryside.
Fruits and spices make excellent – and fragrant – decorations. In the sitting room, where a log fire crackles in the hearth, oranges studded with cloves gently infuse the warm air with a spicy citrus fragrance. Oranges can also be hung from ribbons in front of windows, although here Klas has chosen some hanging gold stars, which will catch any winter sunlight. Red apples are also a perfect complement to his traditional Christmas colour scheme. And for an easy festive pot pourri, combine cinnamon sticks, cloves and star anise and place in a warm room.
A folded cosy blanket sits on several chairs and the sofas. Not only do these provide accents of festive colour, they also offer the promise of extra snuggly warmth. Decorative and functional, they’d make an excellent Christmas gift – particularly for an older person – on an island where draughts and dampness can make the temperature seem a lot chillier than the thermometer indicates.
The dining table is the second most important decorative centrepiece – after the tree – as it’s where time will be spent enjoying traditional festive dishes. Here, Klas has set red linen place mats directly onto the richly-hued wooden table, complemented by red crockery. Each place setting is decorated with a small wooden Christmas tree; there are nightlights in red glass holders, and small silver pots containing Swedish white moss. An elegant marble cheese or cake stand laden with cookies or sweets becomes a decoration in its own right. Above the table, the splendid light fitting is dressed with candles .
Christmas is a time to bring out and use any special treasures, such as beautiful crystal glasses, silverware and any family heirlooms that have graced the tables of previous generations. This, after all, is a time for nostalgia and fond memories.
Even the dining chairs look festive: Klas has tied onto each one a small branch of pine, using ribbon attached to a small cardboard cut-out of a fir tree.
As the final ribbon is tied, I wander through each room, admiring seasonlal decorations from Nordic and other European countries, and influences from America. Klas Käll’s gorgeous festive scheme feels as cosmopolitan as this island, and Christmas – with its message of peace and goodwill to all mankind – seems a highly appropriate time to embrace some of the traditions of other countries. We wish you a Merry Christmas.
Styled by Rialto Living
C/ Sant Feliu 3c, 07012 Palma, www.rialtoliving.com
Some decoration items by Cuatro Rosas
C/ Sant Feliu 4, 07012 Palma, Tel: 971 72 42 32
Photos: Thomas Baar
