We sat down with the original interior styling icon Chyka to get her tips on creating a colourful bedroom for the holidays ahead of her style workshop in Melbourne.
Chyka really needs no introduction, if you’ve been out to a party in Australia in the last couple of decades and it looked awesome, one of Chykas companies was probably behind it.
1. It’s well and truly the silly season. What trends are you loving for Christmas entertaining this year?
Christmas to me is all about celebrating with family and friends. It’s about making your house look festive and happy and decorating to suit your style of home. Every year I like to add to my collection of Christmas decorations which are fairly traditional. This is a nice way to add something new to your look .For Christmas this year I’m embracing the pale pink and nude tones. I think they work beautifully with pretty much any other colour and as I like to include wrapping paper to my table settings in the same theme, I think this is going to look gorgeous. I’m not really into trends as to me it’s all about making your home look the best it can be, so therefore it needs to match your existing décor. Have fun with decorating and include as many rooms as you can!!
2. We’re thrilled to be part of your Christmas styling master class, as you serve up some tips on creating a colourful and fun kids bedroom for Christmas. What are your three (or however many you want to give!) tips?
I love Christmas, it’s not just about decorating a tree but about including the whole home. The kids bedroom is such a fun place to decorate; changing the bedlinen to something that’s bright, bold and fun with a touch of Christmas is a great starting point and it makes your child feel extra special going to sleep . I like the idea of incorporating a little tree into your Childs room that can be decorated just with the toys in their play box, fun festive and happy or with colourful twinkling lights. The night before Christmas morning I love the idea of making up a fun box with some Christmas pyjamas, a special Christmas book to read before bedtime and even a cute pair of reindeer ears. I think it’s really important to have fun and allow your kids to have some creative input. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune and can be as simple as making colourful paper chains.
3. This time of year can be hectic from a work and social perspective. What are your tips for surviving and thriving?
The most important thing to survive Christmas is to be organised. For me that means writing out lists and knowing what I need to do in the days and weeks to the lead up. Buying enough Christmas wrapping paper, tape and cards and putting them together in one area so it makes it easy for everyone to find the wrapping box is the first step for me.
For me I always -
Set the table the day before, have all gifts wrapped a week before,
organise the food and menu the week before.
Having music on a playlist ready to go, making sure you’ve got plenty to drink,
ice, glasses so everyone can help themselves.
Being organised just makes life easier and allows you to have the fun you deserve to have plus it means there are no last minute surprises of something being forgotten
4. Do you have a bedtime ritual?
Yes I do - I always have a shower before I go to sleep, cleanse and tone my face, brush my hair and moisturise my body. I jump into bed and always read a couple of pages of my book. My phone is switched off and I allow myself some time to settle my mind and to have a really peaceful sleep. This to me is really important as we all lead busy lives and sometimes we need to allow ourselves time to unwind.