Dreamy Gift Wrap Inspo
Date
‘Tis the season for giving, which means it’s also the season for gift wrapping which, naturally, we take great pride in! These days, it’s so easy to default to buying (or let’s be serious, re-gifting) a gift bag, stuffing in some tissue paper and calling it a day. If that’s your thing, we understand and Mother Earth appreciates your recycling… just remember to take off used “From” & “To” labels! With that said, there is something about the magic that comes with a beautifully wrapped parcel! For starters, they look fabulous under a tree and secondly, gift wrapping seems to be a dying art form that, for younger generations, is akin to origami, which makes the parcels feel just a little bit more special. Think about the most elegant and world-renowned brands and boutiques, they all have packaging and wrapping that is thoughtful, memorable and in many cases has become an iconic part of the brand’s identity. Holiday parcels, regardless of how humble the gift inside may be, can have a similar level of glamour. This year, our team will be placing presents under the tree in the following fashion…
Solid Matte Paper with a Satin Bow
More often than not, the printed papers readily available either feel horribly kitschy or are just too sparkly and shiny. We find that the parcels that make the most impact and feel elegant are actually incredibly simple and paired back. Solid matte wrapping papers are incredibly easy to find online, if not in store, and also tend to be rather budget friendly. When wrapped around a box, the effect is clean, crisp and minimal. To then elevate the parcel and make it feel festive, we wrap it with a satin bow. The sheen of the satin stands out nicely against the matte paper but the effect is subtly chic. If you opt for a black matte paper, try an inky black or navy bow. For white paper, a black satin bow is always a beautiful contrast. Alternatively, you can go tone on tone and let the contrast in texture be the interest. For example, we love the idea of an olive green matte paper made luxe with a satin bow of the same colour.
Brown Paper with An Evergreen Sprig
If your parcels are heading to a tree situated in a home in the country, you may wish to have a more casual look. Brown paper is a classic choice that is readily available and always looks great. To ensure these parcels still feel special though, it’s nice to add a little something. Select either a classic or metallic raffia or even a simple string to wrap around the parcel and fasten a small sprig of something from the backyard. Small evergreen branches work incredibly well and sometimes a branch of berries can be nice for a little colour.
Muted Metallic Paper with a Velvet Bow
Gold, silver and all the metallic cousins are undeniable holiday colours but depending on how they are executed, the effect ranges from gaudy to glorious! When wrapping our parcels in metallic papers, we tend to look for the ones that err on the side of muted versus shiny for a look that is opulent but not tacky. Then, for the bow, we find that velvet is a great way to go, as they add texture but not shine to an already glimmering package. For gold-toned parcels, velvet bows in black, navy, cream and red can look lovely. For silver parcels, grey, navy and violet velvets look sharp. If the paper in question is brassy and has a rose gold undertone, pink hues can be a surprising but pleasing finish and for bronze papers, there’s nothing like a stunning emerald or forest green.
Chinoiserie Wrapping Paper with Minimal Embellishment
For the maximalists out there who simply wish to give gifts that look fabulous but don’t necessarily scream ‘holiday’, printed papers might be for you. When we say printed though, we’re suggesting something other than Rudolph and his antlered friends! As a team who is nutty about wallpaper, it should come as no surprise that we are obsessing over the Chinoiserie-print papers available atm! Just imagine seeing a stack of parcels under your tree that look like they’ve been wrapped by the wallpaper experts at De Gournay! If you opt for something like the paper above though, don’t go crazy with the ribbons. A parcel like this calls for something very simple and subtle, if anything at all.
