Between lit candles, cypress branches, dim lights and tables that invite you to linger, decorator Johanna Kronfle understands Christmas as a scene that is put together with intention. Because the nativity festivities did not end with the Christmas Eve toast; They extend, transform and inhabit the house until January 6, when meetings still find space among everyday life.
For Johanna, the centerpiece is the heart of those celebrations: that point where looks, conversations and moments that remain converge. “There has been a lot more focus on organic when decorating,” she explains. This year, earth tones, soft whites and noble materials stood out, opting for a more serene, elegant and emotional aesthetic.
True to its sensitivity, it holds a recognizable seal on each project. “There is always a natural touch: pine, cypress, wood, branches, St. John’s wort.” The decoration is built from the sensory, without excesses or rigid formulas. Trends arrive: wine, dark brown, white, but they are adapted judiciously. “You incorporate them intelligently, without changing everything,” he says, defending an aesthetic that evolves without losing identity.
Because in the end, decorating on these dates is not just about dressing up the house, but about influencing how you live. “Decoration impacts mood, family dynamics, and how you feel in your home.” In a closing honest, Johanna also stops to thank: her family, who supports her when she cannot always be so present at this time, and her team at Johanna Kronfle Design and Villa Gardenia. “Without them I am nothing,” he admits. For this reason, his work accompanies many homes year after year. “Wanting to feel the illusion again is the most valuable thing,” he concludes, reminding us that a good space is not only seen: it stays.
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The interview
What do you seek to convey when you decorate during this time?
For me these festivities are about gratitude. It is a very reflective time, where one gets a little closer to God. With my decoration I try to make you enter a house and everything transmits warmth to you.
Your centerpieces are the protagonists, what are your key tricks for putting them together?
I am very detailed when decorating the table because it is where people meet, where conversations, reconciliations, and hugs happen. It is the space that houses all of this, and that is why I give so much importance to centerpieces with foliage, flowers, candles, napkins and pretty tableware… I like to play with tones, for example: if everything is in red and green, I put candles in wine tones so that the palette flows better.
Would you say your style is more minimalist or maximalist?
I am a super maximalist. I love that you can feel absolutely everything when you enter one of my decorations: the smell of pine, cypress, candles, lights, textures. Although if a house is super minimalist and organic, I’m all for it. The magic is not lost, it just adapts to the style of the home.
Beyond trends, is your approach more emotional than aesthetic?
Completely. More than following trends, my decoration is very emotional. I seek to give an experience. Let it be a decoration that embraces, that makes you feel gratitude for everything you have experienced during the year. It is your home, it is your refuge. I want someone to walk in and say, “How nice it feels to be here.”
Can you recycle decoration from previous years or do you have to start from scratch?
It can and should be recycled. I always try to buy versatile pieces that can be used for several years. I play a lot with neutral bases like gold, silver and I add color with flowers or details. That way you don’t have to buy everything again every year.
What are the most common mistakes you see when people decorate alone?
The saturation. Wanting to put it all. It’s good to have stuffed animals, Christmas villages, details for the children, but you have to organize and harmonize them. The key is balance.
On a personal level, do you have any traditions that influence how you decorate since Christmas begins?
Decoration has always been very present in my life. My mom has been doing events for many years and I also worked in the same thing when I lived in New York. Now, with my son, I have incorporated more religious traditions that I did not have before, such as the posadas. For me, Christmas is a time full of rituals and details, a time to be more grateful.
What is this season leaving you on an emotional level?
Much thanks. I was able to create, innovate, impact and, above all, keep clients who trust me and call me again. When someone trusts me, it’s not just to decorate, it’s to solve, accompany and create experiences.
Table for Three Kings Day
About to celebrate Three Kings Day, Johanna recommends a central centerpiece, where the details speak for themselves:
- White or ivory candles.
- Natural elements: cypress, pine and branches.
- Play of warm lights among the foliage.
- Flowers in neutral tones.
- Noble textures among the ornaments: wood, linen and ceramics.
- Trends that stay: Wine tones and soft whites. Organic materials.
- With caution: Bows: yes, but used as an accent (on napkins or specific details, not on the entire centerpiece).
Path
- Fourteen years of career doing events between New York and Ecuador.
- Estudios: En Massachusetts Walnut Hill School for the Arts College, y en Marymount Manhattan College.
- Johanna Kronfle Design is your event company, and Villa Gardenia Flowers is your florist and event flower supplier.
Photos: Juan Faustos. Production: Gianella Muñoz. Makeup and hair: Michell Pincay (Ig@michapincay_makeup_hair) Thanks: Lili & Rosa – Linos. BP Decor Candles – Candles. Diorvett – Dinnerware
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