Embrace a minimalist aesthetic this Christmas with stylist Kate Gibbs’ tips for decorating and hosting during the festive season.

Stylist, cookbook author, journalist and the granddaughter of Australian icon Margaret Fulton, Kate Gibbs is no stranger to spinning many plates at once. It’s why she’s perfected the art of minimalist table styling and is unruffled by the idea of hosting a Christmas gathering.

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This year, Kate is focusing on a minimal waste approach to Christmas decorating – no single-use plastic welcome. “I think we need to be more responsible and more caring to the earth, to our own health, and teach children that waste is no longer acceptable; that we care about their futures,” says Kate.

Pre-event preparation is Kate’s standout tip for hosting during the festive season. Delegate tasks within your family, look around at the natural styling elements you have at hand and don’t forget to chill the bubbly!

“I get the glasses ready, so when people arrive the Champagne is ready to go, and put the crockery, linen and a water jug filled with mint or lime slices on the table, so the scene is set,” says Kate. “The trick is having as little as possible to do once people arrive, so the host can relax and join in.”

Kate’s DIY Christmas decorating ideas

“I am going for a natural look this year – whatever it takes not to fill the house with plastics and landfill that we don’t want to see in the house for another year,” says Kate. “Greenery always makes the table look bright, so I love picking a branch or two from the garden (Monstera Deliciosa looks great in a big vase). I’ll pick gardenias or hydrangeas too, if they’re around.”

Kate suggests ditching the single-use serviettes for linen – growing flax seeds to make linen uses much less water than cotton. Washable table styling elements will make your Christmas far more affordable and better for the environment – especially if you’re hosting multiple soirees.

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Nailing the festive colour palette

Instead of the typical red, white and green festive colour palette, Kate suggests embracing a more natural look for your table styling. “Green and anything else you have that works in nature – white plates, natural linen, a little wood here or there,” she says. Small vases filled with green leaves and white plates paired with a pale grey tablecloth will make the colours of your food stand out.

“Think about textures as well as colours and let the food be the pattern. I love using hand-me-down crockery because it means something to me, and there’s nothing wrong with some intricate patterned plates that a great aunt left you to brighten up the table if you love them.”

Deceptively simple dishes

To avoid the mad shopping and cooking rush, Kate likes to plan out her cooking well in advance of Christmas Day. She tends to stick to tradition, “a glazed Australian ham using my grandmother Margaret Fulton’s recipe, a salmon gravlax that has been cured two days in advance using some Four Pillars gin and pink peppercorns – or the traditional dill and vodka”.

This year Kate’s making brioche buns for lobster rolls – with a homemade mayonnaise and watercress. “We will have loads of salads and vegetables too – we always do peas braised in chicken stock with lettuce, or petit pois a la Francaise. We’ll have creamed spinach and excellent roast potatoes, plus a few leafy green crisp salads”.

Enjoy the spirit of the season

“I’m looking forward to a long day with the entire clan together. Running around on the lawn, kids under the sprinkler, a walk along Sydney harbour foreshore, and a most excellent feast. We deserve a decent Christmas season after the year we’ve all had,” says Kate.

5 tips for festive entertaining

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1. Avoid tacky, plastic decorations in favour of reusable and environmentally friendly materials. It’s a great way to teach kids and less environmentally conscious family members that waste is no longer acceptable – especially during the festive season!
2. Prep as much of the food and drinks as possible before your guests start arriving. You deserve to enjoy the occasion as much as everyone else.
3. Draw your colour palette inspiration from nature. Find flowers and leaves to clip in your backyard or around your neighbourhood – don’t annoy the neighbours, though.
4. Let the food be the pattern. Use your thoughtfully prepared dishes as both nourishment and table decoration.
5. If in doubt, think ‘what would Margaret Fulton do?’. Respect your ingredients, compliment the cook, always have Champagne on hand and enjoy the experience.

You’ll find more of Kate’s work on her Instagram @kategibbs and website kategibbs.com

Crown’s latest venture in Sydney is one of the most anticipated projects in the harbour city, as it is expected to give a new look to the Barangaroo waterfront.

The massive addition will include a hotel, apartments, restaurants and a VIP-centric casino that are slated to open on Christmas Day this year.

Casino Aus reports that construction on the project began in 2016, though sometimes stalled periodically due to legal battles and other red tape.

The estimated completion date has shifted numerous times, with James Packer saying the venture will open on December 25.

Earlier this month, the billionaire investor and Crown Resorts’ largest shareholder Mr Packer emerged from a mostly self-imposed exile from public life to tour the Crown Sydney development site.

He seemed pleased with the progress of the $2.4 billion project at Barangaroo.

In fact, he was so pleased that he announced to the media it would open to the public on Christmas Day.

When the project first began, the opening date was expected to be early 2020 for the first tower and the end of 2020 for the rest of it.

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Along the way, the opening was delayed, with 2021 slated as the opening date.

Packer was particular though, naming Christmas Day of this year in his first public appearance in more than a year.

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“It’s really pleasing,” Packer said tot he media, referring to the opening begin three months earlier than planned.

“We are truly indebted to our builders, architects and tradies who have made this possible.”

Crown Sydney: Exclusive look inside the 6-star hotel rooms – Daily Telegraph https://t.co/VBjN3hGAUm

— Sydney Update (@SydneyUpdate1) January 30, 2020

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Delays due to height conjecture

The most significant and lengthy delay to Crown’s plans had to do with the height of the tower.

Crown Resorts believed they paid a price for the property that included an exclusive view of the harbour.

At one point, Crown and its building partners discovered that the Barangaroo Delivery Authority, run by the New South Wales government, took bids from other companies for taller buildings that would hinder the Crown tower view.

The two entities went to court, and the battle moved through to the New South Wales Supreme Court.

In December 2018, that court ruled for Crown, ruling that the BDA violated its development agreements with Crown and co-plaintiffs Lendlease.

At appeal by the BDA resulted in a settlement.

The details were not made public, although the New South Wales government dropped its appeal and Crown retained its claim to the exclusive views.

Table games and no pokies at new casino

The Crown Sydney website gives insight into the new destination for visitors to Sydney.

It is described as a “pinnacle of modern design that harmoniously brings together an opulent hotel, prestigious apartments, signature restaurants, premium gaming areas and a lavish spa.”

One Barangaroo will be the tower of residences – 82 of them – with views of the Sydney Harbour and its landmarks.

The apartments range from two to six bedroom homes with some Duplex Penthouses as well.

Packer purchased two floors of the hotel, not the residence tower, that are being converted into a second home for him.

“I grew up in Sydney, and my kids still spend time here,” he said.

“It’s a beautiful place and I hope to spend more time visiting.”

There will also be gaming at the casino, but Crown Sydney has taken special care not to call the casino a casino.

The website refers to it as a “premium table games experience”.

Evidently, there will be no pokies, only table games like baccarat, blackjack and roulette.