Christmas Installations London
Creative Narnia-Themed Private School Installations
The Brief
A Journey to Narnia
As Christmas approached, a prestigious pre-prep school in London got in touch with an exciting festive challenge.
Their vision was to create an experience that would surprise and delight both children and parents across their three locations, moving beyond the typical holiday decorations. The objective? To deliver something truly spectacular that would WOW everyone during their 12 days of Christmas celebration, leading up to the end of the term.
The client had previously worked with a Christmas decorating company that installed typical garlands and baubles- but this simply was not enough! They now wanted something truly show-stopping, but also sustainable and thoughtfully designed.
Given the growing concern around the cost of living, the school wanted to ensure that the display was impactful but not overly extravagant or boastful.
The Problem
We presented the client with several mood boards and design proposals, working closely to refine the chosen theme, Narnia. Our focus was on creating a consistent yet unique experience for each school location while balancing bold and imaginative design with sustainable ideas.
Check out the mood boards below.
The Solution
& The Creations:
Upcycled Narnia Wardrobes: We sourced vintage wardrobes and transformed them into magical entrances to Narnia, hand-painted and designed by our studio team.
Custom Narnia Lion Statues: We worked with a local theatre prop production company to craft bespoke lion statues and distressed them with paint effects to give them an aged, enchanted look.
Crowns: We made crowns for the lion statues from upcycled bean tins
Bespoke Throne: We made a bespoke throne from foraged branches and a hand-crafted scroll with Narnia text. It was oversized, allowing the children to climb up onto the thrown for a photo opportunity.
Reclaimed Wooden Signage: We crafted signage out of reclaimed wood and scribed it with magical wonderland-style text
Narnia-Inspired Entrances: We used reclaimed plywood sheets where possible to create Narnia-inspired entrances, paired with Narnia quotes that aligned with the values of the school.
Festive Greenery and Florals: Our floristry team worked with a mix of fresh and dried greenery, silver baubles, and wintry white tones to dress the school entrances
Sustainable Christmas Trees: For the street-facing schools with limited space, our workshop handcrafted Christmas trees from reclaimed wood, white-washed and topped with stars, then dressed with wire fairy lights to maintain a soft and welcoming glow.
We meticulously planned every step of this installation. Through detailed drawings, site visits, and accurate measurements, we ensured that each installation was executed safely and effectively.
Time management was also key, as we installed the displays during late nights, weekends, and early mornings to avoid school rush hours and busy public periods.
Our expertise in de-rigging installations came into play as the school term ended right before Christmas, a busy period in London. We ensured the spaces were left clean and intact, even filling in holes where necessary to maintain the integrity of the school buildings.
Our creative team also remained adaptable, making on-the-spot decisions to work in harmony with the unique architecture and surroundings of each venue.
How Did We Do It?
Each school’s installation had its own identity, while maintaining a consistent and cohesive Narnia theme. We transformed the school entrances into magical installations that captivated both children and parents on the school run.
The displays provided numerous photo opportunities, where families could interact with the installation throughout the 12 days. During morning school runs, children were encouraged to hang wishing ribbons on the reclaimed wooden trees, further immersing themselves in the experience.
We also utilised our team’s creative skills to the max- hand-crafting and coming up with new and sustainable ways to pull together this look.
The End Result
Client Feedback
The client was thrilled with the outcome, telling us that our designs far exceeded the previous garland installations. They particularly appreciated the creativity, attention to detail, and the way we created sustainable elements, all while delivering a magical experience for the children and their families.
