Christmas at Harewood House: ‘How I turned this Yorkshire stately home into a glorious Bridgerton-esque party palace’
This Christmas, Harewood House is a must-visit experience for all ages, transformed by flamboyant interior designer Siobhan Murphy into a mind-blowing triumph of maximalism, every room packed with festive decorating tips. She talks to Stephanie Smith – plus how to see it for yourself.
A Glittering Invitation: Harewood’s Grand Christmas Ball is where maximalist interior designer Siobhan Murphy demonstrates that more really is more when it comes to festive decorating, as she turns the historic house into a gloriously flamboyant Bridgerton-esque Regency party palace.
Visitors (or guests) step into the Entrance Hall to be greeted by the ombre pink 18ft Christmas tree that Siobhan, creative director of Christmas at Harewood 2025, has cleverly fashioned from 700 secondhand ballerina tutus, while smaller rotating trees flank its frothiness, dressed in pointe shoes donated by English National Ballet.
From here, we begin our grand ball experience, passing through a series of lavishly decorated rooms, each one inducing ever louder gasps of awe.
Projections by digital installations specialist Tom Le Bon add to the experience with scenes of whispered gossip and the thoughts of Harewood’s imaginary lady hostess with the absolute mostest.
In the Music Room, classical tinkling fills the air as animated musical notes dance across the walls behind Christmas trees decked with gold instruments and pink and orange feathers.
“It’s brilliantly bonkers. I wanted to bring my love of colour and maximalism, fun and playfulness,” says Siobhan. “I want visitors to come into every single room and be wowed and amazed and really feel that Christmas magic that, I think, as adults we sometimes lose.”
Siobhan has been working with Harewood staff and volunteers, as well as her own friends, including fellow Interior Design Masters contestant Amy Wilson, and York designer and jeweller Natalia Willmott, to create this full-on, mind-blowingly magnificent experience, which features more than 10,000 handmade decorations, and oodles of tips and inspiration.
“Where I have been able to buy secondhand, I’ve done that. We have been crafting and making every single week, so presents have been wrapped, we have been decorating perfume bottles, making all these wonderful cakes and floral displays,” Siobhan says.
The State Dining Room serves a festive feast inspired by Marie Antoinette, with bejewelled swans, rotating macaron trees and iced cakes created by Siobhan with Great British Bake Off contestant Helena Garcia, and giant flowers by Monica Escobar from Ita Lillywhite.
“It’s a total colour explosion, and it’s so fun with all the florals and the cakes,” says Siobhan.
In the Gallery, there are ball gowns from Leeds Playhouse alongside couture pieces by fashion designer Julia Clancy. The Spanish Library features a clever projection by Le Bon of the hostess writing in her giant diary.
Harewood House, the Grade I-listed home of the Earl and Countess of Harewood, was built between 1759 and 1771, led by architect John Carr, with interiors by Robert Adam, Thomas Chippendale furniture, and Capability Brown-designed gardens and landscapes.
Zoe Hughes, head of Public Programme at Harewood, said Siobhan Murphy’s Christmas project had been in the planning for 18 months. “It takes it to another level in terms of her style and her eye for detail, but also the way she has taken on the design of the whole room, incorporating the room itself, not competing against it, celebrating the designs and the colours,” she says.
Siobhan has also worked with nine miniaturist specialists to recreate tiny versions of Christmas at Harewood, including Michael Robbins, and 13-year-old Arabella Duffy. She says: “It’s a lovely thing for children to go into a room and see everything big, but then be looking for the miniatures as well.”
The final chapter takes visitors down to the Servants’ Hall, where the table is set for another feast amid decorations made from kitchenalia and natural foliage. “I have always loved the kitchen at Harewood House,” says Siobhan. “It’s just so magical with all that shiny copper.”
Through the window is a projection of fireworks bursting over Almscliffe Crag - ending the experience with a big bang.
But then – oh my – comes the Harewood Christmas shop, selling decorations similar to ones Siobhan has made, plus fragrances by DOME of Harrogate, which has also perfumed every room with a different festive scent.
A Glittering Invitation: Harewood’s Grand Christmas Ball runs until Sunday, January 4, 2026. Free for Harewood Members, from £27.95 for adults and £12.95 for children, see https://harewood.org/events/christmas-at-harewood/