A Traditional Christmas at Gayle's Bowral Farmhouse

Step inside Gayle's Southern Highlands home, transformed for our Traditional Christmas Collection.

When Gayle invited us back to her beautiful Bowral farmhouse to photograph our Traditional Christmas Collection, we knew it was the perfect setting.

Having worked with Gayle the previous year to furnish and style her home, our Alfresco Emporium team returned to layer festive colour, decorations and twinkling lights over the timeless interiors we'd originally created.

With its magnificent timber beams, classic furniture and warm country charm, the farmhouse came to life with traditional reds and greens, statement nutcrackers and beautiful rattan bells.

And with Gayle's well-known love of Christmas, we couldn't have asked for a better host.

A Farmhouse Christmas Transformation

Alfresco Emporium: Gayle, it's lovely to see you again and shoot our Christmas collection in your home. What do you think of the transformation?

Gayle: "I absolutely love what you've done. All the bright colours, the lights. It just makes the house feel so festive, magical and warm."

Gayle's farmhouse provides the perfect backdrop for Alfresco Emporium's Traditional Christmas Collection.

Gayle's Favourite Christmas Decorations

Alfresco Emporium: What's your favourite piece from the collection?

Gayle: "That's a difficult question because I like Christmas, and there's several pieces that are my favourite. I'd probably go with a toss-up between the nutcrackers and the big rattan bells."

The natural texture of the rattan bells complements the farmhouse aesthetic, while the decorative nutcrackers add a playful, traditional touch.

Statement nutcrackers and rattan bells are among Gayle's favourite Christmas decorations.

A Christmas Tree for Every Room

Alfresco Emporium: Do you have favourite colours you normally use for Christmas?

Gayle: "I used to be quite traditional, but as the years have gone by, I've started to branch out a little bit more."

Alfresco Emporium: Do you decorate a lot for Christmas?

Gayle: "If you asked anyone in my family, they would probably say far too much!

I absolutely love decorating to entertain family and friends at Christmas time. I put up multiple trees and lots of decorations."

And Gayle doesn't wait until December to get started.

"I like to enjoy it for as long as possible, so we tend to start early October each year."

Christmas Traditions and Festive Entertaining

Alfresco Emporium: Are there any Christmas traditions you follow each year?

Gayle: "I usually try and add at least one new tree each year, and I always like to bring in a new theme to the Christmas table.

I really love what you've done with your display this year, bringing in the red and the green."

Classic reds and greens set the scene for festive entertaining.

What Christmas Means to Gayle

Alfresco Emporium: What are you looking forward to most this Christmas?

Gayle: "I love the decorating and setting everything up. When we built the house, I did convince my husband to put in a custom Christmas shed so that we could keep more and more decorations.

I love seeing people's reaction when they walk into the house and enjoying it with me, because that's what Christmas is all about."

Shop the Traditional Christmas Collection

Inspired by Gayle's festive farmhouse? Explore our Traditional Christmas Collection for timeless decorations, festive tableware and beautiful pieces to bring Christmas into your home.

Shop Christmas at Alfresco Emporium

Missed our first visit? Discover how our interior styling team helped bring this beautiful country home to life in our Interior Styling Project: Modern Farmhouse Bowral.