Is Your Home Ready for Christmas? Why Late Summer Is the Moment to Act
Every year, I speak to homeowners who tell me the same thing in November: “I wish we’d started earlier.”
By then, furniture lead times are too long, trades are fully booked, and homes don’t feel quite as welcoming as they’d hoped for the festive season. The truth is, late summer is your last real chance to get those meaningful updates in place before Christmas.
The Projects You Can Still Achieve This Year
While larger renovations like kitchens or bathrooms now need to be scheduled for early 2026, there’s still plenty you can do to add comfort, character, and style in time for the holidays:
Furniture orders: Sofas, dining tables, and accent chairs can take 8–12 weeks to arrive. Ordering now means your new pieces will be in place before guests arrive.
Painting and decorating: A fresh colour scheme can completely transform the mood of a living room or hallway. Even one or two feature walls can make the space feel more inviting.
Custom joinery: Built-in storage, shelving, or a dining bench adds personality and function. Joiners are already busy, but smaller pieces may still be fitted before the end of the year if planned soon.
These are the touches that make your home feel warm, personal, and guest-ready.
Why You Need to Start Now
Suppliers and trades are already busy with pre-Christmas demand. Every week that passes reduces your options. By acting now, you:
Secure furniture and joinery slots before cut-offs
Allow enough time for decorators to fit you in
Avoid the last-minute scramble that leads to rushed decisions and compromises
Think of it as giving yourself—and your home—the gift of time.
Preparing for 2026 Projects
If you’re dreaming of a new kitchen, bathroom, or major redesign, the best time to begin planning is now. Larger building works are already moving into the new year, which gives you a head start. By January, trades are flooded with enquiries. Having your design ready means you’ll be at the front of the queue.
Practical Steps You Can Take Today
Walk through your home and note what feels tired or impractical.
Decide which furniture pieces would make the biggest difference for family gatherings.
Test colour samples in natural light to see how they feel during short winter days.
Gather inspiration for bigger projects so your 2026 plan is ready to roll.
Final Thoughts
Late summer/early autumn is the tipping point. It’s not too late to create a welcoming, character-filled home for Christmas, but the window is closing. Smaller updates like furniture, painting, and joinery can still be completed this year, while larger works are best planned now for the new year.
The sooner you start, the more enjoyable and stress-free the process becomes. By Christmas, you’ll have a home that feels inviting and personal, and by 2026, you’ll be ready for the bigger transformations.
If you’d like more tips like this, my biweekly newsletter covers sustainable design ideas, smarter layouts, and colour psychology for real family homes. You can find the sign-up on my homepage.
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