Winter Arch is the quiet one this year. A tall arch wrapped in eucalyptus, olive and fir, seating beneath it, sage and cream ornaments, and white painted wood behind. No red, no gold, nothing that shouts.
It’s the set most likely to give you the picture you actually hang up, so it’s worth a bit of thought about what everyone wears.
Colours that belong here
Cream, sage, stone, soft grey, oatmeal and dusty pink. Camel and warm taupe work beautifully too. Anything in that family will sit comfortably against the greenery without competing with it.
But don’t go too pale
The background is white, the chair is pale wicker and there’s a sheepskin on it. If everybody wears cream from head to toe, you’ll blend into the set rather than stand out from it. Keep the palette soft, but give me something with a bit of depth in it somewhere, whether that’s a sage jumper, a stone cardigan or a pair of dark jeans.
Texture over pattern
This set rewards fabric rather than print. Cable knit, cord, linen, ribbed cotton and soft wool all photograph beautifully. Busy patterns fight the garland, and strong red pulls the eye straight off everybody’s face.
Plan for the whole family
Of the four sets, this is the one that suits everyone being in the picture. The chair gives you somewhere to sit and the arch frames a group rather than a single child. It also works well for a baby who can sit up but isn’t walking, since there’s nothing to climb.
Coordinated, not matching
Choose one colour and let everyone wear a different version of it. A sage jumper, a stone dress and a cream cardigan will always look better together than three identical outfits.
If you’re not sure, send me a picture of what you’re planning and I’ll tell you honestly whether it’ll work.
