Cocktails and Calm; Surviving Christmas with Kestrel style.
Finally, the Festive Season is upon us, and homes are filled with food, light, and visitors! Your fridge is groaning with delicious food, your freezer is jam packed with more and your drinks’ cabinet is never closed it seems. Christmas is the season of goodwill and merriment and here at Kestrel we have some top tips to survive the season, and ensure the feeling of bespoke luxury is carried through your entire home. So don’t get your tinsel in a tangle; put up your tree, put up your feet, and raise a glass of your favourite tipple.
It’s the most wine-derful time of the year!
No matter how fabulous a party is, everyone ends up in the kitchen at some point, but with a Kestrel kitchen, this is no bad thing! Wine racks and fridges feature in many of our clients’ bespoke kitchens and this will help keep the party going. No more hunting for the right bottle, or waiting for the correct temperature, simply pour and party. With built in larders, deep drawers and plenty of cupboards, you will have a clutter free kitchen in which to entertain. Our top tip is to put the mulled wine in the slow cooker on the low heat setting; the smell will add a festive scent to your home. When the guests have gone, and your kitchen is again yours, it is important to have to hand all you need to relax. Stock your freezer with basics such as milk; yes, milk can indeed be frozen and you will run out when the shops are closed and never at any other time. This time of year is ideal for batch cooking so when making a large meal such as a lasagne, freeze the extra in portions. You will be relieved that you did in the days after the initial Christmas rush when another roast turkey is not at all appealing. Nibbles and canapes are no longer a labour for the time pressed amongst us; there are some truly delicious options available in major retailers. Never be caught out by unexpected visitors again, simply open, cook and hide the box!
Feeling pine.
At some point, stress is inevitable over the festive season. The parties, dinners and seemingly endless shopping is enough to reduce anyone to sympathy for The Grinch. However, your bathroom can be a haven of tranquil luxury, a retreat from the noise and glitter of the outside world. Dig out those expensive candles and luxury bath salts and use them. Indulge in the calming warmth of this little indulgence, and resist the urge to check your emails. At Kestrel we design and build and then install bespoke furniture (as well as our beautiful kitchens) so even your bathroom can have some Kestrel magic.
The Snuggle is real.
Sleep is a precious pastime over Christmas and one that, if you have children, you are unlikely to really be able to indulge. Each party or occasion will demand its own outfit and you may well feel as if your bedroom is the last place in which you can relax. However, with bespoke fitted furniture you can store everything away, and free up the surfaces and floor, allowing an instant lift to your mood. Bring some serenity to your room with fresh flowers, scented candles or reed diffusers and always use good quality linen. No matter how exhausted you are, your bedroom can be your retreat.
But wait, there’s myrrh!
Deep cleaning, decluttering and deciding on new rooms can all wait until the New Year. We will have plenty of tips on starting 2020 as you mean to go on, but for now it is time to celebrate, to reconnect and relax. From all of us here at Kestrel, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
