Jono Fleming X ECOYA

Australian stylist, creative director and long-time friend of ECOYA, Jono Fleming, brings his signature bold and beautiful aesthetic to the festive season.

With a background in interiors and a family-owned pine tree farm in New South Wales, Jono knows a thing or two about creating a Christmas that feels both stylish and full of heart.

Q. What’s your approach to styling for Christmas? Do you have a particular look or mood you gravitate towards each year?  Or do you change your theme every year?    

I like Christmas to feel relaxed and personal. I don’t really change themes each year, it’s more about working with what I already own and adding a few small touches to make it feel special. Growing up spending the holidays on a pine farm, Christmas always felt tied to nature and scent, so I lean into that. Natural textures, fresh greenery, soft light and things that make the home feel warm and lived in.

Q. What are your top tips for adding instant festivity to the home - without going over the top?

I always start with greenery. A simple vase of fresh branches or even clippings from the garden can change the whole mood. Candles help too, especially something with a nostalgic scent. And honestly, bows can make anything feel festive. Tie one around a vase, a napkin or a bottle you’re gifting. A few thoughtful touches go a long way, you don’t need to decorate every surface.

Q. You’re known for working with bold colour. How can people confidently introduce colour into their Christmas styling?

Pick a colour you’re excited about and just run with it. Honestly, commitment is the secret. If you add one red napkin and one green bauble it’ll look a bit random. But if you repeat that one colour across ribbons, candles and the table setting it suddenly looks styled and intentional. Choose your hero colour and let it shine.

Q. What’s your go-to table styling formula for Christmas Day? (And any tricks for making it look elevated but effortless?)  

I’m all about the illusion of effortless hosting. I’ll throw down a linen cloth, add a bit of greenery I’ve foraged or picked up at the market, light a candle and call it a day. Nothing too perfect, nothing too symmetrical. The table should feel like people are about to enjoy themselves, not like a display. If it looks a little undone by the end of lunch, that means it worked.

Q. Fresh pine is such a classic Christmas fragrance - and for your family, it’s personal. What are your favourite ways to incorporate that nostalgic, festive fragrance into your home styling? 

Growing up on a pine farm, that scent was just part of Christmas. The tree came inside and the whole house smelled like the forest. So now, I always bring that through scent. I’ll burn the Ecoya Fresh Pine candle in the living room throughout December, especially in the evenings, and it instantly sets the mood. If I’m hosting, I’ll have a diffuser in the hallway or entry so the fragrance greets people as they walk in. It’s such an easy way to make the space feel warm and festive without having to decorate every corner.

Q. If someone only has time (or budget) for one small update this year, what would you suggest to instantly transform their festive setup?

Choose one moment to make feel special. It could be the dining table, the coffee table or even the entry. Style that one spot with a candle, a bit of greenery and something personal. When one space feels considered, the whole home feels festive.

Q. What’s your favourite Christmas fragrance and how do you like to bring fragrance into your home styling?

Fresh Pine, always. It’s the scent that takes me straight back to Christmas on the farm. I’ll start burning it in early December and it instantly shifts the house into holiday mode. I like to keep a candle in the living room and a diffuser in the hallway so the fragrance flows gently through the space. It’s a simple way to set the mood and make everything feel a bit more festive.

Q. What’s your favourite Christmas tradition as a family?  

We always start Christmas morning just the four of us (five now we have a new puppy!), opening presents before the extended family arrives. It’s our little moment of calm before the fun and chaos.  

Q. What does Christmas morning look like in your home?

Christmas morning is very relaxed for us. We do presents and a big Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve, so the next day is all about slowing right down. We’ll pick at leftovers, have coffee, and my sister and I always end up watching the original Star Wars trilogy. It’s easy and familiar and it’s our little tradition.

Q. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone hosting for the first time this year?

Don’t overcomplicate it. The most important part of hosting is the atmosphere. Get the lighting right, put on some music and light a candle. Keep the food simple and actually enjoy yourself. If you’re relaxed, everyone else will feel it too.

Q. Finally, what’s the Christmas song that’s guaranteed to be blasting from your speakers in December?

I love a bit of Mariah, you really can’t go wrong. But this year I’ve also had Joni Mitchell’s River on repeat. It sets the tone beautifully