Harewood volunteers have made 5,000 upcycled decorations for Christmas event

With just over 100 days until Christmas to go, renowned maximalist interior designer Siobhan Murphy has already dived head first into the festivities, working with dozens of volunteers at Harewood to create over 5,000 handmade decorations using secondhand items.

There’s a real focus on upcycling for this year’s event, A Glittering Invitation: Harewood’s Grand Christmas Ball, with 300 vintage leather-bound books sourced from St Gemma’s Hospice in Leeds and over 2,000 items saved from car boots and second-hand shops.

The volunteers along with Siobhan, who’s been appointed Creative Director of Christmas at Harewood in 2025, have spent over 500 hours creating these intricate decorations. Sneak peek photography previewing the event shows opulent colours, vintage ornaments and plentiful textures, adding to the immersive sensory experience.

The event is set to be an enchanting celebration of Regency elegance, dazzling colour, and magical maximalism, set within the stunning historic backdrop of Harewood House. By the time installation happens in October half term, it’s predicted 10,000 decorations will have been handmade.

Here are some other facts and figures for this year’s Christmas at Harewood:

• Over 100 metres of paper chains have been created so far.
• 500 tutus collected from Vinted, charity shops, and car boot sales – all pre-loved.
• Many decorations are being repurposed from previous years, with a strong focus on upcycling
• 50 volunteers have been involved so far and Harewood is looking for more. Each 3-hour workshop hosts 12–15 volunteers, contributing around 40 hours of work weekly
• To date, volunteers have donated approximately 500 hours to making decorations.
• Many volunteers are also creating decorations from home, including one, who’s been crafting paper flowers using vintage papers for the Servants Hall and colourful crepe paper for the Dining Room displays
• A recent install alone saw 600+ volunteer hours, so Harewood anticipates thousands of volunteering hours by the time this year’s install is complete

Siobhan Murphy is a British interior and product designer, stylist, and author based in West Yorkshire, renowned for her bold, joyful, and unapologetically maximalist aesthetic. She commented: “At its heart, Christmas is already maximalist, glittering lights, velvet ribbons, flickering candlelight, ornaments that sparkle like heirlooms, rooms scented with cinnamon and spices. It’s a season of abundance – and that’s exactly why I love it. Christmas allows us to lean into beauty for beauty’s sake. It’s a celebration of layers, textures, patterns, and nostalgia – all coexisting in perfect harmony.

“Harewood is renowned for helping to create magical memories every Christmas, so it’s a true career milestone to be this year’s Creative Director of Christmas. ‘Reimagining the Regency Era’ is all about creating a living, breathing experience that balances everything I love about maximalism and abundance, with carefully curated pieces that our talented volunteers have upcycled by hand. It’s plentiful but everything serves a purpose, whether it’s a perfectly placed jewel or a just-right fabric drape, bringing to life everything that a Regency-inspired grand ball would exude.”

As well as exuberant decor, Siobhan is working with nine miniaturist specialists, to recreate a mini version of Christmas at Harewood with pieces featured throughout the House. Among the artists are Michael Robbins, a Yorkshire-based miniaturist whose work has been exhibited internationally and featured on Channel 4’s Great Big Tiny Design Challenge, and Arabella Duffy, a remarkable talent who, at just thirteen years old, is already making waves in the miniature art world.

Each intricately designed piece will be part of a free trail for children to follow, encouraging them to spot and tick off every miniature they discover. This whimsical adventure invites families to slow down, observe the details, and immerse themselves in the magic of Christmas.

Siobhan isn’t the only big name to be working on Harewood at Christmas, with other creative powerhouses included Helena Garcia (The Great British Bake Off 2019) who’ll be making cakes and Monica Escobar, from Ita Lillywhite, who’ll be crafting paper flowers to form part of a corridor installation.

Zoë Hughes, Head of Public Programme at Harewood, said: “We are incredibly excited to be working with Siobhan for Christmas this year; her colourful approach and maximalist know-how are perfectly placed to create an immersive experience celebrating the luxury and opulence of the Regency era. Christmas at Harewood is always such a joy for our Members and visitors and we can’t wait to see their reactions when they enter the House and experience everything Siobhan and her amazing team of volunteers have created.”

To ensure as many visitors as possible can enjoy the festivities, Harewood has invested in three pairs (adult and children) of EnChroma glasses which allow those who are red-green colour blind to experience the different colours showcased throughout the decor.

Zoë added: “It’s important to us that everyone feels welcome at Harewood – always, but especially at Christmas when there’s so much expectation to experience events with family and friends. Touches like the EnChroma glasses and our quiet hours for those who are neurodivergent, can hopefully go a way towards helping more people feel comfortable throughout the festive season this year.”

Harewood’s upcoming Christmas volunteering workshops are on 16 September and 23 September, those interested in helping to craft decor can email volunteer@harewood.org to register interest.

Tickets are on sale for Harewood’s Christmas event A Glittering Invitation: Harewood’s Grand Christmas Ball from Saturday 8 November 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026. To book, head to http://harewood.org/christmas