Cornish Charm

Maggie and Mike Black love decorating their period home for the holidays, and enjoying gatherings with family and friends

- Katherine Sorrell

Maggie Black enjoys every minute of the time she spends choosing and putting up her Christmas decorations. ‘I keep some from year to year – they bring back so many happy memories – but I also like to add a few new ones to be fresh and a little on trend,’ she says. ‘I adore unwrapping my stash of decorations, deciding which ones will make the final cut.’

After more than 30 years in the property, Maggie and her husband Mike have an amicable arrangement: Maggie, a retired nurse, is in charge of the decorating while Mike, a local GP, does the gardening. ‘It works for us,’ says Maggie. ‘I’m never bored – I’m constantly tweaking things. The house is versatile and I have repainted it a lot over the years.’