Shaynna Blaze is host of the new Lifestyle series Deadline Design. Portrait – GinaMilicia

Where better to find your own Christmas inspiration than from some favourite style influencers? In the first of our Q&A series, we talk to TV interiors expert Shaynna Blaze about her new Lifestyle Channel show Deadline Design, and how she handles the festive season deadline fast approaching.

Tell us a little about Deadline Design? How does it differ from Selling Houses Australia and The Block? Deadline Design is all about a client’s personal brief and how they want to live, so we’re helping people to inject personality rather than taking it away to give more broad real estate appeal. I love the fact I get to push the envelope in design and colour and take the clients to the edge of their comfort zone because they want something that is different.

Which was the most challenging project to work on in the series? In terms of brief and budget, we had to pull out every trick in the hat for Port Melbourne – the brief was a new bathroom, kitchen, flooring, furniture with a modern industrial-warehouse look AND there is only $60k!

The Collingwood Home from Shaynna's new series Deadline Design.

What would you like viewers to take away from the show? There is not one home that is the same or follows a trend. It’s about tapping into the shape of the building, how you live and making the space work for you. Get this right and it will be the perfect space for the next 20 years.

Why set a deadline for a design/reno project? I know I get nothing done without a deadline breathing down my neck. Say it out loud and give yourself an end date and you are 90% more likely to get it done.

How far ahead do you start your Christmas ‘design deadline’? I am a ‘First of December’ person and I don’t look at Christmas until then. I love the excitement of getting the right present, the excitement of all the buying and organising in just a couple of weeks. Spread it over a few months and to me it loses the anticipation.

Describe your Christmas style? I love mixing formal and casual rather than being a slave to perfection. I love setting the dining table with linen, beautiful glassware, flowers, candles and making it a place to be for the rest of the day. Then the food is presented on beautifully decorated platters for everyone to help themselves. One must, though, is dressing up in your best outfit and shoes right till the end!

Where will you celebrate this year? My place – it’s been a couple of years, and my kids haven’t been in the same place at the same time, so we are bunkering down.

Any festive decorating traditions? A wreath on the door, holly berries down the staircase and biscuits, milk and grass plucked from the lawn for the Santa and the reindeers (yes, my kids are adults!)

On Boxing Day I… have friends and family over, everyone brings leftovers and we play backyard cricket – rain, hail or shine.

For more festive inspiration, furniture, gifts and more, visit the T&W Christmas Shop.