In Pictures: Ten top designers create Christmas wreaths for charity

Ten of the country’s top interior design names – including Kit Kemp, Martin Brudinizki Design Studio, Taylor Howes Designs and David Collins Studio – have created one-off Christmas Wreaths to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Place2Be Interior Design Carol Concert – which takes place on Wednesday 4th December at St Marylebone Parish Church.

The wreaths are being raffled to raise funds for the children’s mental health charity. Tickets are £15-a-go via Justgiving; winners will be drawn on 26th November, with wreaths being delivered by 1st December – in good time for the festive season.

Created by the CEO of Taylor Howes Designs, Karen Howes with her husband Andrew, the annual carol concert has raised over £260,000 for the charity so far.

The Place2Be Wreaths Buy raffle tickets at www.justgiving.com/campaign/p2bwreathraffle2019

Martin Brudnizki Studio

Deck the halls with bows of holly, fala-dalala… “Inspired by Martin’s Scandinavian roots, the MBDS Christmas wreath incorporates traditional Scandinavian motifs and the colours and patterns used by the artist Carl Larsson. A team of patterned Dala horses – a traditional symbol for Sweden – gallop alongside folky red hearts whilst an oversized pussy bow is finished with free-flowing ribbons, all featuring traditional Scandinavian patterns like those found in in the interiors depicted by Larsson.”

Kit Kemp

Bark the Herald Angels Sing – “Our fun and whimsical Christmas Wreath embodies the Firmdale family. Timothy Turkey, Mr Fizz and Mr Puff are three members of our colourful Patchwork Toy collection adorning this festive wreath. The toys have been created from the offcuts and recycled fabrics used by Kit Kemp in her Firmdale design studio. Many of the fabrics used are from her own design collections. They are handmade in the UK and each is unique with a limited-edition number. The wreath is a one-off design and is suitable for indoor display.”

Taylor Howes

Feathers appear when Angels are near – “Inspired by childhood memories of placing the fairy on the Christmas tree and the much-recited Christmas carol “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”, the Taylor Howes wreath, created in collaboration with studio Aiveen Daly and designed by Taylor Howes’ Design Director, Georgina Wood, is a poignant reminder of the meaning behind Christmas time and those who are need of protection at this time of the year. Drawing inspiration from the worlds of art and jewellery, Georgina adds “Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a guiding star, a heavenly sign of a prophecy fulfilled long ago and the shining hope for humanity. There will be a star affixing the wreath to the door, which is reminiscent of Chanel’s Comète necklace and the entire piece is made of a multitude of feathers, inscribed with the lyrics of the much-loved Christmas Carol by Charles Wesley.” Angels throughout scripture have performed a guardian role of the vulnerable and those in need and this wreath is a symbol of the work Place2Be and its counsellors do in protecting, nurturing and encouraging young Children.”

David Collins Studio

“We have based this year’s concept on an ornate mirror that hung above the mantlepiece in David Collins’ living room. Rather than white, we plan to use a signature David Collin Studio blue. The actual frame will be crafted out of used takeaway coffee cups / lids, which we will collect from staff. This is intended to both raise awareness within our Studio about single-use plastic and encourage a more sustainable alternative for our morning coffees. The cups will be painted blue and fit together to replicate the undulating frame of David’s mirror, inspired by Giacometti.”

Katharine Pooley x Neil Strain

Taking inspiration from Katharine’s deep-rooted love of the countryside and wild outdoors, Katharine Pooley and Neill Strain Floral Couture have come together to create an elegant and sophisticated wreath encompassing a mix of foraged greenery and splashes of deep crimson. This year Katharine introduced an array of chickens to her outdoor home life in the Cotswolds, hence the nod to her feathery friends in the form of small smooth eggs. This traditional, festive wreath also includes pine, red berries, amaranthus, eucalyptus, skimmia rubella and pine cones finished with a luxurious satin bow.

LuxDeco x Wildwood London

The Toys Come Alive – “Channeling the spirit of Tchaikovsky’s quintessentially festive ballet ‘The Nutcracker’, the LuxDeco Wreath combines beautiful foliage by Wild Wood London with a variety of stunning LuxDeco ornaments including the Sugar Plum Fairy, Toy Soldiers and The Nutcracker himself. The LuxDeco Wreath is testament to Place2Be’s belief in the power of play to transform the lives of children and a reminder that, however broken we may feel, we can all be put back together again with the right support … just like the Nutcracker himself.”

KLC School of Design

“This decorative wreath is 400mm in diameter and has been created on behalf of the KLC School of Design for the Place2Be raffle as a reminder that Christmas is an opportunity for us all to celebrate life, love and togetherness. Professional upcycler Dominique Malacarne of Malphor is based in Oxford and has a background in graphic art although she now spends her time creating distinctive gothic style pieces of upcycled furniture and home accessories and is well-known for injecting symbolism into her work. Dominique is an Associate of the House of Upcycling, the UK and Ireland’s leading independent association for the support and elevation of standards and status of professional upcycling for interiors.”

Helen Amy Murray

“Not your typical wreath, on a disc rather than a ring, the artwork evokes the base of a spiralling pine cone frosted in snow. Fascinated by the geometry and Fibonacci sequence found in nature, Helen uses scallops, a theme of many of her artworks, to create concentric rings that increase in size until interrupted by an inner circle that reflects the scallops and reverses the flow of the relief. Additional lines through each scallop enhance the undulation of the surface. This piece will be the first artwork to feature this pattern, despite it being originally hand illustrated by Helen in 2015. Hand-sculpted in a white faux leather, with a super fine linear texture and subtle pearlized finish, the material reflects the luminescence of other light sources and enhances the sculptural relief. The piece has a diameter of approximately 430mm and up to 25mm depth and has a picture hook for installation on the reverse. Suitable for indoor display all year round, not just for Christmas.”

GP & J Baker

Festive Pheasant – “Inspired by a fabric and wallpaper design from the company’s Mulberry Home collection called “Game Birds”, the wreath will feature a painterly pheasant and be festooned with feathers, berries, pine cones & gilded wheat; and be hung from a customized bow created from a Mulberry Home passementerie design.”

Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour x Rob Van Helden

“Simplicity, colour and beauty is the key to Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour’s stylish wreath by florist Rob Van Helden. Creating an instant festive feeling at home, vibrant red ilex berries bring Christmas joy to the front door.”

Place2Be is a children’s mental health charity, founded in 1994 with a mission to improve the emotional wellbeing and prospects of children, their families and school communities across the UK by providing counselling, mental health support and expert training. Place2Be’s Royal patron is HRH The Duchess of Cambridge.

• www.justgiving.com/campaign/p2bwreathraffle2019
• www.place2be.org.uk/carolconcert

Main image: Wreath designers: Taylor Howes Designs, Kit Kemp, David Collins Studio, Martin Brudnizki Studio, Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, Katharine Pooley, KLC, Helen Amy Murray, LuxDeco and GP&J Baker.