How to make a festive feature out of your firewood

Roaring fires, a cosy den and a rustic wall stocked with hunks of log - already you're feeling Christmassy and we haven't even mentioned the tree.

Firewood displays lend a country feel to any home and at
Christmas time they can prove especially festive with a couple of merry tweaks.

Sticking out of wicker baskets or laced beyond cascading card displays, here are a few simple ways to hijack a dull display and create a festive showstopper.

Think simple with your thicket

A firewood display is an easy cheat to create a luxurious room without the hassle. Here, the statement allows the owners to keep the rest of the room minimal, including the Christmas decorations. Strings of delicate ivy are lazily laced over the mirror and the décor is finished with a few springs of mistletoe that ensure this room is ready for some reindeer visitors.

Add décor to your wicker

Baskets are a great way to store logwood all year round.
They keep logs looking tidy and are very dashing. Up the ante at Christmas by threading tartan ribbon between crimson Christmas berries and wooded conifer cones to make the display extra special. Strategically placing presents around the firewood also creates a festive focal point.

Compliment rich colours

For a really cosy feel in living room this Christmas, pair chunks of rugged timber with a rich colour like this indigo scheme. The shade of blue compliments the tarnished tones of the wood that are wedged under the open fire. To keep the natural theme flowing, cover your tree with simple accessories and add a cone mantelpiece decoration.

A wooded wallpaper forest

If you don't have a real fire or any wood kicking about but you still love the earthy richness of a log pile up, then experiment with wallpaper. Decorate the rest of the room with cosy features, like these deer and fox embroidered cushions and keep the colour scheme neutral to let the wallpaper do the talking.

Tumble your cards in front of your timber

It's that time again when the post box is inundated with red envelopes and glittery goods but so often people get stuck on where to put them. Display your cards on candy cane-like ribbons by securing them with tiny wooden pegs and let them hang in front of a log wall to create a decorative focal point.

Stack them high in an alcove

For practical reasons, it's strategic to stack your logwood next to your fire. Wedging it into alcoves, like in this entangled forest display, gives a gorgeous feature to a relaxed room. This living space complements the tones of the timber by including exposed brick, a roaring fire, honeyed chest table and bronzed mirror.

Give a warm welcome

Greet your guests from the cold with a warm and welcoming hallway. Take out the shoes and coats and pick up some logwood for a wintery display that adds colour and depth to an otherwise sparse hallway. The festive feature will instantly have guests thinking they stepped straight into a chalet.

Create a festive feast

The dining room is often the room that occupies most of your time on Christmas Day. Whether you're hosting a banquet for the whole family or milling around with nibbles and cocktails, it is nice to add a Christmassy feel to the dining room. Try a simple fire wood display in a corner, barren fireplace or alcove for a festive feast.