What Delia Lachance’s holiday editorial taught me about the trends shaping the season

As a young journalist who obsessively flips through lifestyle magazines, I have grown used to the fact that very little can truly surprise me. Still, when another holiday season began, I thought that maybe some trend would manage to inspire me. And… nothing. Not a single ornament, direction or idea encouraged me to bring the holidays into my home.

Then I came across Delia Lachance’s editorial on Christmas decor and realized that until then I had not even scratched the surface of what holiday luxury can really be. Delia Lachance is the founder of Westwing, one of the most influential European platforms for interiors and design, known for her distinctive blend of modern minimalism, warmth and understated luxury, and her guide quickly became my only true source of inspiration. I read it, closed my laptop and within a few hours found myself rearranging my apartment as if I had just stepped into her Westwing studio. After that came a shopping spree that had never been more beautiful, intentional and freeing.

Burgundy is the color of the season and a new aesthetic philosophy

Delia highlights burgundy. For her, this color is not just a trendy shade but carries a sense of history. It is the color of velvet in Renaissance portraits, the color of aged wine in French homes, a refined hue that never looks like it is desperately seeking attention. On the table, on the Christmas tree or on elegant ribbons, burgundy brings a gorgeous depth to any arrangement, she explains. When I followed her advice and paired everything with earthy tones and champagne hues, my apartment gained something that many modern interiors lack for the first time: quiet luxury. That muted, elegant atmosphere that makes every object feel purposeful, weighty and valuable. A good choice of colors creates a good mood.

Mix and match at the table

The Christmas table is the heart of the celebration for me, that is where I spend the best moments, Delia says, and I would add that it is the heart of the entire home. I always believed that a perfectly set table meant a full set of matching plates, symmetrically folded napkins and identical candles. But Delia’s approach to table setting made me surrender to it. Perhaps because it resembles the arrangements I see at contemporary design exhibitions, a thoughtful blend of eras, textures and functional objects. When it comes to the table, Delia describes it as a mix of classic elements and modern accents that create a warm, inviting and stylish look, festive but never overwhelming. I realised that a good table does not need to be mathematically precise. Its role is to reveal our intuitive side, add a sense of drama and serve an almost narrative purpose. In short, let your table say something about you and about the people who sit at it.

Marble, a material with cultural weight

I must admit, I never thought of marble as a “holiday” material. But Delia convinced me otherwise. Marble gives decor a calm, luxurious character. A small bowl filled with ornaments, fruit or walnuts is one of my favourite quick December decorations, she explains. I bought a small marble bowl and filled it with ornaments in burgundy tones. It became the detail that makes everyone who walks into my apartment say, This looks lovely. Marble is strong and perhaps that is why it evokes a sense of ultimate luxury. It is a material that carries the history of entire civilizations. When it comes to holiday decoration, I realised that it speaks of permanence and continuity, and with it you simply cannot go overboard.

The place where everything begins

The holidays begin at your front door, Delia says, offering a decorating tip. In the hallway I bring in fresh branches, fir, warm lighting and create a harmonious transition and a welcome that immediately gives the home a festive character. I decorated my entrance the same way. I added a small tree, a rattan wreath inspired by hers and fresh fir branches that spread that unmistakable December scent. For the first time, my apartment smells like the holidays and not just perfume and coffee. The feeling when you step into a space that instantly calms you is a kind of luxury you cannot buy.

Two trees, two sides of an aesthetic

And finally comes her boldest suggestion, two Christmas trees. One of my favourite traditions is having two Christmas trees. It might sound a little extravagant, but it creates perfect balance. One tree stays elegant and restrained, it sets the tone for the entire home. The other is just for the children, colorful, playful, full of fun shapes and figures. Children can decorate it themselves and their joy while doing so is simply priceless, Delia explains. I thought that might be too much for me. But I tried it anyway. The first tree is elegant, in tones that suit my home. The second is completely colorful, carefree and childlike. Full of holiday cheer. There are no children in my home, but I am here, a girl who finally stopped being afraid to be honest and who has become real, playful and true to herself this year. That is how I realized that luxury does not need to be strictly controlled. On the contrary, sometimes what you need most is this, to allow yourself to play.

Courtesy of Westwing