Seasonal Scandi Spirit

Gemma's Interior style, in her Carlow home, is all about simplicity. However, at Christmas she is happy to loosen the rules for a bit of festive fun.

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For Gemma Purcell, Christmas is all about tradition, family, and the simple joy of being together.

Living in a home she and her husband designed themselves, she has created a space that perfectly reflects her personality: stylish yet practical, contemporary yet warm. At Christmas, the house comes alive with festive touches that bring out both her love of Scandinavian design and her desire to make the season magical for her children.

'Christmas in our house is all about the family,' Gemma explains. ‘The children's excitement sets the tone - their traditions, their decorations, their rituals. I like everything to look nice, of course, but it's about creating memories more than anything.’

Collaborating closely with architect John Delaney, Gemma and her husband, Martin, built their home in Co. Carlow on farmland that has been in her family for generations. 'The house took twenty-one months to build, we started work in February 2022 and moved in in November 2023,' explains Gemma. The house comprises a spacious open plan kitchen living dining area, a sitting room, office, a utility room, four bedrooms, two en-suites and a main bathroom. With a background in interiors, Gemma was keen to design a house that was stylish but functional, somewhere that would grow with their family. Her style mixes clean Scandinavian lines with mid-century modern touches and plenty of warmth from natural wood and layered textures.

At Christmas, this approach carries through in her decorations. She prefers a neutral palette with whites, silvers, and touches of greenery, but she isn't afraid to add a splash of colour through the children's decorations or a bold new piece each year.