• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Interiors Addict

Heart Your Home

@interiorsaddict on Instagram   @interiorsaddict on Facebook   @interiorsaddict on Pinterest  
Subscribe
  • Job Board
  • About
  • Before & Afters
  • RENO ADDICT
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Kids Rooms
  • Bedrooms
  • Living Room
  • Shopping
  • Expert Tips
  • Recipes
  • Parenting
  • Travel
Interiors Addict
  • Job Board
  • About
    • Our Story

      Australia’s largest interior design, styling and renovation blog for the everyday Aussie. By former journalist and magazine editor Jen Bishop, the original interiors addict!
      READ MORE

      We’re big on Instagram!
      @interiorsaddict

      • About
      • Contact Interiors Addict
      • Work with Interiors Addict
      • Advertise / Find a job in Interiors
      • Press
    • Get Your Free Ebook

      This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • By Room
    • Browse by Room

      Where you can search for all our posts about a specific room. Only interested in kitchens and bathrooms? We got you!

      • Kitchens
      • Bathrooms
      • Kids Rooms
      • Bedrooms
      • Living Room
      • Home Office
      • Dining
      • Laundry
      • Outdoor & Exteriors
      • Renting
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • Before & Afters
    • Before & Afters

      Who doesn’t LOVE a good before & after? If you want to be inspired by the whole reno process, and not just the shiny photos at the end, this is the place for you!

      View Articles

      • Before & Afters
      • Jen’s reno
      • Real Renos
      • RENO ADDICT
    • IMG_0235Kerb appeal: 3-bedder given fresh new look for retirees
    • 129A9914-EditSomething out of nothing: reading nook created in roof space
  • Reno Addict
    • RENO ADDICT

      Looking for reno inspo? Find it all here, from other people’s projects to the latest trends, tools and products, whether you’re DIY-ing or employing trades.

      View articles

      • Reno Products
      • The Block
      • DIY
      • Reno Trends
      • Before & Afters
      • Real Renos
    • Screenshot 2025-05-13 at 3.09.43 pmBeautiful backyard transformation brings Italy to Bondi
    • Interiros,Shots,Of,A,Modern,Living,Room,In,The,ForegroundBeaumont Tiles’ best ever hard flooring range is here
  • Shopping
    • Shopping

      Want to know where to buy the latest furniture, homewares, rugs, art and more? We’re always sharing our latest finds and telling you where you can buy them.

      View Articles

      • Furniture
      • Homewares
      • Art
      • Smart Home
      • Appliances
      • Reno Products
    • Copy of Cots GridWorld first fully customisable cot for the interiors addict mum
    • 250218_VZ_COCOREPUBLIC_s01_WIND_050This new Coco Republic collection is all about elevating basics
  • Inspiration
    • Inspiration

      While Jen’s a legitimate interiors addict, she’s no design professional, so she calls on an army of the country’s best to share their expertise with you. Be inspired by their stories too!

      View Articles

      • Decorating 101
      • Interviews
      • Expert Tips
      • Before & Afters
      • House Tours
      • Designers
      • Styling
      • Renovating
      • Real Renos
      • Covet my coffee table
    • HighRes Image 4 – 360KCX31Z9Q Woollahra Village House by Tobias Partners – Photography by Justin AlexanderInnovative new residential architecture in Houses Awards list
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle

      We’re mostly about the home but Jen also likes to share other things she thinks you’ll love, like food and travel.

      • Recipes
      • Travel
      • Parenting
    • Crispy egg noodles with seafood p. 116Foodie Friday: crispy egg noodles with seafood
    • 1293660_lifestyle Crossland Pearl GL-Porc Txt Rect 597×1195 UNI_Crossland_AMB 02_Living_PearlHow to bring your favourite travel destinations home
  • Jobs
    • Advertise on our job board
    • Job Board FAQs for advertisers

Addicted to the memory of Christmas: one reader’s story

By Guest Poster •

FacebookPinWhatsAppEmailTweet

By Kate Korber

It may sound completely clichéd, but Christmas is truly my favourite time of year. Each Christmas is like a new chapter in a story, a place where new memories are written and a time when we can reflect on the wonderful times we’ve had in the past. Decorating my home at Christmas is all about celebrating these wonderful times. From my childhood, to getting married, teaching children over the years and then having my own. You could say that I am addicted to celebrating the memory of Christmas.

IMG_6456

Whether you are a fan of decorating your home or not, Christmas truly comes to life if you embellish your home with ornaments and knick knacks that have meaning. It’s not about spending a great deal of money, or having the latest ‘on trend’ style. For me, a home comes to life at Christmas when you bring out the things that remind you of happy times gone by and the people you love. Filling my home with these wonderful keepsakes makes me feel eternally grateful for the blessings in my life, for the people around me, and for those who are no longer with us.

IMG_6451

The focal point of my home at Christmas is (surprise, surprise), the tree. We always get a real tree as there is nothing like the smell of pine to warm your heart. Each year, I bring out my collection of baubles, stars and ornaments that remind me of great adventures, cherished moments and people who have been in my life. Whether it be handmade stars from Bryant Park in New York, purchased on our honeymoon, glass birds from my late Granny’s tree or ornaments given to me by students I have taught, they all mean something and bring so much joy. A sentimental favourite would have to be a silver baby carriage, given to me by a parent to celebrate the impending birth of my daughter Ella two years ago. Some people might think it’s tacky, but the handmade ornaments made by my daughter sit proudly on the shelf, and I hope they do for many years to come.

IMG_6490

This year will by my son Hudson’s first Christmas. To celebrate, a personalised stocking has been made to hang on our new mantle, along with the rest of our family (including our dog, Lloyd). When I was young, I made stockings for my entire family that still hang on my parents’ mantle today. Each time I look at these stockings, I remember what it was like to find them filled with presents as a child on Christmas morning. I can’t wait for my own children to do the same.

Recently, my Nanna gave me her vintage nativity set, one that she has had since the 1960s. It will be the first year that it sits underneath my tree, but it will forever remind me of the many years it stood under hers. Advent calendars adorn the walls for my children to open each day in December, a flashback to my own childhood when we would argue over whose turn it was to open the paper door. A tin Santa sits on my side table, a present from my sister and a reminder of the time when I first moved out of home and decorated my own home for the first time.

IMG_6478

Many find it overwhelming to choose a theme, colour and style for their home at Christmas. I prefer to keep it simple. Fresh flowers and lit candles bring the house alive. Each year, I bring out the old and sentimental decorations, but also add a few new friends to the collection. This year, Ella helped me choose a few new ornaments to hang on our tree. Each element, whether old or new, has meaning. For me, this is a simple way to bring love into my home and keep the Christmas memory alive, especially as our children get older and learn about this joyous time of year. There is nothing like a home filled with wonderful reminders of happy times past and Christmas for me is my chance to do just that.

–Kate Korber is a primary school teacher and mum of two who blogs at Happy Ella After.

FacebookPinWhatsAppEmailTweet

December 22, 2014

Primary Sidebar

Popular This Week

  • Australian bathroom standards: dimensions explained by an expert

  • Innovative new residential architecture in Houses Awards list

  • This new Coco Republic collection is all about elevating basics

  • Our top picks from Satara’s stunning and biggest collection yet

  • Beaumont Tiles’ best ever hard flooring range is here

Follow us on Instagram

This small backyard makeover is NEXT LEVEL. @jone This small backyard makeover is NEXT LEVEL.

@jonesandco_ founder Jennifer Jones wanted an Italian vibe for her North Bondi semi and wow did @landart_home_garden_beyond deliver her vision. And then some!

Comment 'Positano' for the link to read all about it, including the antique terracotta Italian roof tiles around the curved pool, firepit, olive and lemon trees and lavender!🪻 Chef's kiss👌🏼

Size is NOT everything!

#smallpool #smallpools #smallbackyard #firepitdesign #smallgardenideas #crazypaving
Swipe for the rear of this gorgeous Woollahra home Swipe for the rear of this gorgeous Woollahra home. Heaven!

It's a finalist in the Houses Awards 2025. Head to the blog via link in bio/stories to see more of the shortlist. There's some absolute BEAUTIES.

Project by @tobiaspartners 📸 @justinalexanderphoto

#housesawards #housesawards2025 #woollahravillage #woollahra #woollahrahomes #australianarchitecture #australianarchitect
To celebrate @sataraliving's beautiful and biggest To celebrate @sataraliving's beautiful and biggest ever new collection we're giving away a $500 voucher! Comment 'satara' for the link to the easy entry form and more info on this everyday luxury range!

This giveaway is in no way associated with or endorsed by Meta.

#australianfurniture #australianfurniture #australianinteriors #relaxedluxury
I always LOVE a new IKEA STOCKHOLM (widely known a I always LOVE a new IKEA STOCKHOLM (widely known as the IKEA best of) collection and 2025 is in Australian stores NOW.

I'm getting that floor lamp at a minimum.

Karin Gustavsson, creative leader for STOCKHOLM, IKEA Sweden, said: “The purpose of the STOCKHOLM collections has always been to prove that high quality doesn’t need to come at an intimidating cost. We have worked to create a no-compromise kind of collection where every piece tells a story."

Check it out on the blog now via link in bio and stories.

Don't hang around as these pieces always sell out fast.

#ikeastockholm #ikeastockholm2025 #ikeaaustralia #ikeahack
Building new isn't the only way to get a climate f Building new isn't the only way to get a climate friendly home. CSIRO research indicates that over half of the houses Australians will live in by 2050 already exist today. And those homes — from our 1950s weatherboards to mid-century gems — offer one of the most exciting opportunities to slash emissions, cut energy bills, and reimagine home design for a low-carbon future.

Welcome to the rise of retrofit culture: a movement that’s proving you don’t need to knock down to level up.

We're having this discussion on the blog today and sharing examples of two older homes given new, more sustainable, leases on life.

Head over via link in bio and stories.

Love to know your view on knockdown rebuild vs. Renovating older homes and what you have done and why in the comments!

@reneworgau

#sustainablehousing #sustainablehome #sustainablelivingaustralia #climatefriendlyhome #passivhaus #passivhausdesign
Swipe for the before! You won't believe it! This Swipe for the before! You won't believe it!

This upcycle started with a freebie off Marketplace and with some vision, elbow grease and chalk paint, became a beautiful shelving solution for Home Beautiful stylist @style_by_lucy 

Lucy's a bit of a Marketplace pro and she even found the Samsung Frame TV on there 😯

Tell us about your best marketplace finds in the comments?

All the details of how she did this including paint colour on the blog now, via link in bio and stories.

#upcyclefurniture #upcyledfurniture #upcycledsideboard #marketplacefinds
A year in, this reluctant soccer mum has realised A year in, this reluctant soccer mum has realised 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em'!

So, as I start thinking about the boys going into separate rooms later this year, I've been researching non-ugly soccer-themed linen, rugs, art, wallpaper and more for Seb's room, which I'll be as happy with as he will! 

Head to the blog via link in bio/stories for all the details and links to buy. My favourite is the wallpaper mural from @oliveetoriel 

#soccermom⚽️ #footballbedroom #boysbedroomideas #kidsroomart #kidsroomstyling #kidsroomwallpaper
We have 5 copies of @murdochbooks' new The Baker's We have 5 copies of @murdochbooks' new The Baker's Book to give away featuring this delicious (swipe) delicious honey joy slice recipe  by @misstrixiedrinkstea 

Comment 'joy' to get the recipe and the competition entry form.

Happy #iafoodiefriday🥳🍰

#honeyjoy #honeyjoys #australianbaking #australiancake #newcookbooks #recipebooks #bakinginspo
Set off on a spontaneous trip to Balmoral despite Set off on a spontaneous trip to Balmoral despite it being dreary and grey because the kids wanted the beach (and it's our favourite). Then BOOM! The weather decided to turn it ON 🙌🏼☀️

Thought about trading in our house for an apartment as we often do 😜 and reminisced about our Lower North Shore days pre-parenthood. Sigh.

Wouldn't change our lot though 🥰
Follow on Instagram
Visit Jen's profile on Pinterest.

Get Your Free Ebook

Ebook cover

Never miss the latest renovating and interiors products, news and inspo again! Sign up for our newsletter and we'll send you the best bits from the blog, direct to your inbox. Plus you'll get our latest eBook: Just One Thing To Elevate Your Interior, featuring Australia's top design talent.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

About Guest Poster

If you have high quality, original, relevant content to share, we might be interested in publishing your guest post on Interiors Addict. Please email [email protected] with your submissions.

More Recent Posts

World first fully customisable cot for the interiors addict mum

Foodie Friday: crispy egg noodles with seafood

Luxe look on a lean budget: a property stylist’s tips

Beautiful backyard transformation brings Italy to Bondi

This new Coco Republic collection is all about elevating basics

How to bring your favourite travel destinations home

Wrap yourself in subtle luxury with Baya’s cosy new collection

Innovative new residential architecture in Houses Awards list

Melissa Penfold on creating wonder and surprise in our homes

Promo Area

Footer

Interiors Addict

Interiors Addict

  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Jen
  • Press
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy

Browse

  • RENO ADDICT
  • Jen’s Reno
  • House Tours
  • Real Renos
  • Interviews
  • Styling
  • Designers
  • Bedrooms
  • Covet My Coffee Table
  • Expert Tips
  • The Block
  • Art
  • Furniture
  • Recipes

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RENO ADDICT

Copyright © 2011–2025 Addicted Media Pty Ltd
Website care by ClickWP · Log in