WORDS BY FLORA MACDONALD JOHNSTON

It comes as no surprise that when I ask Tish Weinstock, a beauty editor for British Vogue, about the festive holiday season, she starts talking about Halloween. Self-declared as ‘Morticia Adams’ her vampy style has become her signifier, and in turn her home (which she proudly designed with an interior designer during lockdown) is decorated like a chic dungeon. There are blood red walls, windows with heavy velvet drapes, plush sofas, upholstered stools and lamp stems made of metal chains. If I were to be chained up, it would be in this room – which says all you need to know. 

“The holiday season starts with Halloween,’ Weinstock says with conviction, “it’s already very Autumnal and my birthday is on the 4th which really kicks off the celebrations, it’s essentially Christmas and birthday all rolled into one.” Weinstock takes no prisoners when it comes to decorations, and loves a serious rifle at her nearest naff party shop - cobwebs with spiders are a personal favourite. “The concept of restraint is very foreign to me,” she remarks, gesturing to the room. I cannot disagree. 

The table is laid

As Halloween morphs into the festive period, so too does the decorated room with cobwebs transfiguring into tinsel, “lurid green and red, and that horrible white tinsel that has a pearlescent sheen,” she says. Tom, her partner, is in charge of the tree and this year Weinstock will make sure her son Reuben, now 2-years-old, will be involved in the proceedings. “We always had a mismatch of decorations when I was younger and I think I do the same now when decorating the tree and the house, I really want Reuben to be a part of the process” she says, “I also have so many items I reuse each year and then more gets added, I don’t think I will ever change.”

This year will be a little quieter than usual for the holidays. Weinstock will enjoy some much needed downtime when London gets to that wonderfully quiet period in the lead up to Christmas day, before setting off to her family home in Wiltshire and then on to her partner's parents in Shropshire. With this comes all the countryside Christmas accoutrement, muddy walks, long lunches and dinners.

But what about hosting guests during the holiday season (something of which Weinstock usually does plenty of) in her glamorous underground haven? “I love hosting, but I also really like being a guest,” says Weinstock with a laugh and a cheeky smile. However, when pressed Weinstock reveals her failsafes for organising the perfect party.

1. A dinner party must only consist of 6-8 guests. “Four is too little, you can hear the knife and fork click-clank and I find that sad. But 6-8 is raucous and fun.”

2. Table debate is only allowed when Weinstock is not involved, “I don’t like it when I disagree with someone.”

3. Party games are essential and names from a hat is a classic or the question game (when names are stuck to one's forehead). 

4. If you have a box of celebrations, melt down the rejected chocolate into a sauce for ice cream, a very “Delia tip”. 

When tablescaping, Weinstock is meticulous and particular. Today’s dinner table reminds me of Snow White – albeit the morbid version.“I think the mushrooms are so fun and witchy - my aesthetic - but they aren't twee,” she muses. There is definitely a mushroom obsession going on, “mushrooms remind me of fairy tales, and the napkins and candles help transport you somewhere else, that’s the point of a dinner party after all,” she says. 

If you like a pristine white napkin, then you fall into the category of Weinstock's worst nightmare. Napkins, I discover, must always be colourful. “I am very messy,” confesses Weinstock, “and colourful napkins can cover up all sins! I cannot look at a dirty white napkin and then it’s the hassle of washing them all the time. These mushroom napkins are just perfect, no one will ever know when you spill the red wine!” 

For those hosting a dinner party soon, Weinstock's advice is simple. There must be a theme and if you are stuck for one, take inspiration from your very own home. “There are so many objects in this room and treasures," says Weinstock looking about, "different sculptures, objects and artworks, so I play around with them on the table as a centrepiece and then my theme changes to suit and I decorate the table from there.”

And with that it’s time to leave before the guests arrive, I can only assume not on tinsel adorned broomsticks. 

Elizabeth Lake

Mushroom Cocktail Napkins

Gaetano Pesce

Handmade Resin Nugget Vase

L'Objet

Haas Fantomes Salt + Pepper Mills

Sir/Madam

Rialto Tulip Glasses

Hannah Jewett

Pod Soy Wax Candle

Serena Confalonieri

Calypso Bottle And Water Glass

Rira

Liquidish Large Bowl

Chefanie

Red Fan Placemats