The tacky Christmas decor that makes your home look CHEAP: Experts reveal the popular staples that are OUT - but this very surprising hand-knitted item is a must-have

As the countdown to the large time begins, galore of america can't hold to get into the festive tone and enactment up our Christmas decorations.

But successful our enthusiasm, we mightiness beryllium blameworthy of coming up with something, well, tacky – a feast of agleam lights and clashing colours.

'The festive play is simply a clip wherever it's casual to marque decor mistakes that instantly cheapen your home,' says Chloe Barrow, interiors adept astatine Laura James furniture. 'The decorations you propulsion retired of the loft each twelvemonth tin rapidly go outdated and determination are galore accepted tropes that present shriek 'noughties Christmas' alternatively of elegant modern-day festivities.'

Of course, you whitethorn not attraction – and wherefore should you? It's Christmas, aft all. But if you do, past travel our usher to make a genuinely stylish Christmas – and observe whether your decorations are tastefully posh oregon positively tacky.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

TACKY: Avoid cheap, brightly-lit wintertime wonderland displays. Inflatable snowmen and reindeer are an implicit no-no, arsenic are illuminated sleighs and capable lights to bring down the National Grid.

'Other signs of tackiness see a integrative wreath, model stickers with snowfall oregon Christmas characters,' says Kate Conrad, proprietor and interiors adept astatine luxury homeware retailer Madison & Mayfair.

Once inside, the archetypal signs of tacky decor see stockings with names connected them positioned by a fake fireplace, Dairy Milk advent calendars and the dependable of Michael Buble's Christmas medium playing connected loop.

POSH: Less is more. Think cautiously curated lights wrapped elegantly astir a azygous spot of foliage, tasteful homemade wreaths connected the beforehand doorway and roaring existent fires erstwhile you measurement inside. Hanging connected the wall, amidst constricted decorations, volition beryllium a hand-knitted advent calendar containing tiny gifts and artisan chocolate. Posh takes effort – adjacent if it looks effortless.

THE SMELL

TACKY: Scented candles – peculiarly immoderate 'seasonal' oregon constricted variation varieties. Wax and synthesised mulled vino is simply a atrocious combination. Ditto festive aerial freshener.

POSH: Woody, earthy but ne'er overwhelming. Breathe successful to inhale the citrusy tang drifting from homemade dried-out oranges artfully curved astir the lintels of the lounge.

THE ALL-IMPORTANT TREE

TACKY: Where to start? This volition beryllium ample – no, huge. And careless of size, it volition beryllium made of the finest artificial fir (which tin inactive outgo a beauteous penny) with dozens of gigantic presents wrapped successful mismatched, brightly-coloured insubstantial underneath it.

POSH: However tiny the tree, it volition beryllium existent and accepted – whether it's a small wooden, Scandi-style bushlet oregon a darling tiny histrion giving disconnected the grassy scent of pine. What's more, the existent woody is biodegradable, helps the farmers and fights clime change. Good upper-class causes. Many posh homeowners program to works their Christmas histrion determination connected their property successful the caller year.

TREE ADORNMENTS

TACKY: Bright shiny multicoloured ribbons, bows and baubles, baubles, baubles. All interspaced with integrative decorations bearing cliched slogans and a naughty Santa to equilibrium each the cocoa angels and cutesy-eyed Xmas Disney chocs. The fairy volition look similar the drunken mate that Barbie kicked retired aft going excessively dense connected the Babycham.

POSH: Tree ornaments volition beryllium spare and successful elemental tones specified arsenic white, golden oregon silver. Baubles volition beryllium successful plush velvet and hung successful threes, sixes, oregon twelves to make stylish definition. The histrion volition beryllium crowned with a classical five-pointed prima possibly finished successful a shimmering metallic hue. There volition beryllium nary fairies. Only 1 oregon 2 gifts volition beryllium placed tastefully nether the tree.

COLOUR COORDINATION

TACKY: Green and red. Everywhere. Or conscionable an detonation of eye-ball aching colour 'foiled multi-coloured garlands that widen passim your surviving space, intensely coloured Christmas rugs that clash heavy with your location are besides offenders,' says Melissa Denham, Interior Design Expert astatine Hammonds Fitted Furniture.

POSH: Gaudy shades of reddish and greenish are replaced by blase (but sparkly) neutrals. 'Think shimmering golds and silvers, brushed whites and copper tones,' says Melissa. Chloe Barrow points retired that reddish and greenish tin beryllium posh if restrained. 'Using greenish arsenic a base, dotting heavy reddish around, and sharing the abstraction with either silver, golden oregon achromatic to equilibrium retired the dense Christmas colours.'

LIGHTING

TACKY: Essentially thing that brings connected a headache. 'Christmas decorations that are excessively agleam and overwhelming, specified arsenic fairy lights of aggregate colours. Think large colours similar flashing reds, greens, oregon blues, arsenic these tin look engaged oregon overwhelming – arsenic good arsenic tacky,' says interiors adept Liv Conlon who runs ThePropertyStagers.co.uk. Equally violative is thing mechanical/that moves and needs plugging in/charging, lights projected onto walls.

POSH: The fig 1 regularisation is that the lighting is truthful brushed you`re much apt to request a torch than a brace of sunglasses. High-end illuminated decorations are each astir brushed achromatic oregon lukewarm fairy lights, strung with precision, adds Liv Conlon.

ORNAMENTS

TACKY: Any ample standout ornaments connected fireplaces – and this extends to the full pantomime cast. Namely Santa Clauses, elves, and snowmen. Basically, thing which looks similar it was nicked from the Christmas show successful your section buying centre.

POSH: Tasteful pieces, made from materials specified arsenic glass, metallic oregon wood successful muted tones oregon metallics. 'These make a cohesive and blase look,' says Liv Conlon. Wooden stars, tiny conifer cones and homemade advent calendars featuring artisan cocoa each spell astute and tasteful.

WALL DECORATIONS

TACKY: First they're everywhere, crammed into each nook and cranny which has country oregon space. 'Think sparkly decorations specified arsenic tinsel, and inexpensive decorations and baubles crafted from mediocre prime materials,' says Melissa Denham.

POSH: These volition beryllium constricted to 1 tinsel-free room, say, the lounge. 'Foliage garlands crossed mantle pieces and lush eucalyptus wreaths look lively and beauteous arsenic good arsenic adding immoderate festive scent to your home,' says Melissa.

TABLE SETTING

TACKY: Look, it saves connected the washing up, but thing disposable conscionable won't do. 'A insubstantial tablecloth, Christmas spot covers and over-the-top decor similar array confetti tin instantly look tacky,' says Kate Conrad. The aforesaid is existent of festive plates and mugs ('Have a yummy Christmas') and wherever to commencement connected the elf and reindeer plan seat covers...

POSH: There'll beryllium an awesome candle-lit centrepiece and elegant crackers connected a cloth array runner for a much blase finish. It's each successful the textures with accessories made from high-quality materials similar velvet, silk, oregon wool. 'These materials are tactile and connection a interaction of glamour,' explains Alice Whitehead, Head of Product astatine Just Fabrics. Chairs simply request to beryllium comfortable, stylish and simple. No Christmas cushions successful sight. If covers are used, they'll beryllium successful a neutral velvet.