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DUNNES STORES DESIGNER, baker and author Helen James lives in a 100-year-old house in Kimmage, Dublin with her three sons. Here she speaks to Ruth O’Connor about her sense of home and her Christmas family traditions.
What does home mean to you and your family?
I feel incredibly grateful to have a home and I don’t take it for granted. Sometimes it’s easy to think about all the things we don’t have – a bigger house, an additional bedroom, a utility room… and then I check myself and remember that, for so many in the world today, having any roof over their head is a luxury.
Is the sense of home even more important as the evenings draw in and Christmas approaches?
Yes, your home should be your sanctuary. I have three boys so life at home can be pretty chaotic.
Where do you get your sense of style from? What or who inspires you when it comes to interiors/ home styling?
I grew up around beautiful things. My mother and father had incredible taste and travelled the world bringing back objects and art. My mother was also gifted at skip-diving and buying pieces from auction houses for a song and repurposing them. I particularly remember two couches that she bought for £5 each and had recovered in white linen.
Are there any Christmas traditions that you’ve designed for yourself?
I love to make homemade preserved lemons for gifting to friends as well as my own homemade jams and chutneys. I’ll handpaint cards and gift tags for a personal touch when gift-giving and have lots of homemade cake on hand for unexpected visitors. It’s a family tradition to have oysters in my mother’s house every Christmas Eve and on Christmas morning I like to get up early and sneak down for a quiet breakfast before the madness begins.
When it comes to making your house a home at Christmas what is your starting point?
We get a real tree and put it up around the 12th of December. Myself and the kids decorate the tree together and blast out Christmas tunes – the cheesier the better. I used to fret about the decorating, and boss the kids around as to what should go where, but I soon learned this did not make for a happy tree trimming! Now everyone puts the decorations wherever they want to and if something is really offensive to my eye I can come back later and move it around!
What are your key essentials when it comes to creating a cosy home at this time of year?
A real tree and lots of scented candles. I really love Christmas lights and have to put some up outside the house as well as inside.
How do you make your guests feel welcome or set the scene for a convivial evening?
Lighting is so important when hosting, lots of lamps and candles and never the overhead light! This can be an issue particularly if you have an open plan kitchen diner which is where touch lights come in really handy because you don’t need a socket. Dot these around your space to create an ambient mood.
Another important factor is scent. If you are lighting scented candles, it’s best to light them an hour or so before people arrive. I also like to make homemade door swags and to put bowls of homemade pot pourri around – tangerines studded with cloves, cinnamon sticks, eucalyptus, pine, bay and woody herbs.
Your book A Sense of Home gets a lot of use in many Irish homes. Are there any particular things you love to bake at this time of year?
Shortbread is my number one bake in December. I add dried cranberries and walnuts to the mix, dust the top with powdered sugar and box it up with a pretty ribbon as a gift. I also love to make my Christmas cake. It’s a fairly non-traditional recipe with lots of dates in the mix, its lighter and dangerous – once I make it I can’t have a cup of tea without a slice of it! You’ll find the recipe in my Instagram highlights if you want to try it yourself.
What are some of your favourite pieces in your collection for Dunnes Stores at the moment?
The Spiced Quince candle is a seasonal favourite. It is only stocked from October to January and the moment I light this candle the festive season has begun. I also love our metal bells which are so versatile for adding to a door swag, wreath or just hanging on their own. I love adding them to a scented mini door swag so every time you open the door you get a little festive jingle.
What would you most like to find under the Christmas Tree this year?
I would love a ceramic wall sculpture from London-based Japanese ceramicist Kaori Tatebayashi. I read about her in House & Garden Magazine a few years ago and have coveted her work ever since.
What lovely things have you planned for home lovers at Dunnes Stores for 2026?
We have lots more Irish slogan pieces coming. I love how we as a nation are taking more of an interest in our native tongue. Their is also a gorgeous new tableware range coming in a soft mustard colour – it is so elegant I love it! And later in the year we have lots more furniture coming including a very luxe swivel chair – watch this space!
Address Book:
The Considered by Helen James Collection at Dunnes Stores is available in-store and online now. dunnesstores.com
Helen’s book: A Sense of Home by Helen James. Hachette.
Helen James on Instagram @helenjamesdesign.
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