What Color Christmas Decor Will Make My Home Feel the Coziest? 5 Schemes Other Than Red & Green
For a home that feels cozy at this time of year, here's the alternative color palettes designers would choose
Christmas decor palettes aren't limited to red and green by any means, and we see all kinds of creative color schemes nowadays.
However, these decorating schemes can still be classic and timeless, and they can be slightly more subtle but still ring in festivities. Take a look at these new Christmas decor ideas and transform your home into a cozy space.
1. Purple and green
Consider the elegant and visually appealing combination of purple and green for your Christmas living room decor. Add swathes of green through wreaths and evergreens, along with a tall statement Christmas tree. Pepper in purple through ornaments, throws, or pillows. For a long-lasting purple palette, add it to the curtains and allow this scheme to go on the whole year.
'My go-to tip for Christmas decor each year is to pick a single accent color and bring it in with velvet ribbons and subtle touches like a plaid blanket or new stockings,' says Anastasia Casey of The Interior Collective. 'I love heather purple for holidays, or a fabulous chartreuse to stand out against holiday greenery.'
2. Grey and brown
If it's a more earthy approach you're looking for (which is also easy to live with all year round), then experts suggest infusing tones such as brown, cream or grey to the living room. These tones have inherent richness yet a more toned-down look. Add a rustic basket and bring your entire space together by adding in a jute or sisal rug. And when you're looking for where to buy Christmas decorations, you could consider brown ornaments and throw in a few bronze accents as well.
'We're leaning towards earthy colors as well as tobacco and browns,' says Guillaume Coutheillas, founder & creative director of frenchCALIFORNIA. 'Luxurious and neutral earthy tones are going to be big. The trend leans towards elegant, smooth, and distinguished earthy tones inspired by ecological awareness and a rising nostalgia for the 1970s. This move towards earthy tones, including a future focus on dark yellow and orange, reflects a blend of environmental consciousness and retro appeal.'
3. Blue, Yellow and Deep Orange
For a more upbeat palette that elevates the vibe of your home, consider tones such as blue, yellow, and orange. These tones can be used as decor or even as accents – think Christmas table centrepiece ideas. Alternatively, you could spread the colors around in the living room, via pillows, rugs, and candles. The beauty of using these colors on non-permanent decor pieces is that these can be swapped out later in case you prefer to change your interiors.
'I wanted it to feel like a California Christmas, so I kept the green aspect of the holiday season but brought in blues, yellow, and deep orange to highlight the water, sunsets, and the sky here in Los Angeles,' says Linda Hayslett, founder of LH.Designs. 'We don't get snow in LA, but we do get cooler weather, so I kept it light with a touch of cozy to give it that sunny winter vibe.'
4. Shades of pink
Pink is timeless and an always-loved tone. Whether you incorporate it in Christmas dining room ideas or in the living room, these tones can reflect a festive, relaxed vibe and also work perfectly well throughout the year. For a more layered approach, perhaps experiment with shades of pink – think light pink with plum tones. This will give the scheme depth and coziness.
'Colors I'd recommend for Christmas are ones that most people don't think about,' says Linda. 'A deep pumpkin color or pink paired with plum would make a fun and festive look for Christmas because then it incorporates colors from Halloween & Thanksgiving, so you could keep some of the decorations up through all the holidays. Other colors that would be cool to pair with would be black and white. They are great for making a sophisticated, modern Christmas vibe.'
5. Blue and white
Slightly Mediterranean with a beachy undertone, the palette of blue and white makes an ideal companion to chinoiserie lovers and traditionalists alike. This color combination sets a festive Christmas scene, giving the usual green and red a miss. To induce this color, consider adding blue ornaments, beadwork, and navy ribbon, along with a Christmas tree topper in snowy lace, and gold accents.
'A white and light blue is a timeless combination,' says Nishita Kamdar, founder of Studio Nishita Kamdar. 'Consider adding soft pastel shades of both for a beach-side holiday home vibe or warm mountain colonial-style homes. Throw in hints of gold and silver to add some glitter to the scheme.'
3 products for a new Christmas decor palette
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Aditi Sharma Maheshwari started her career at The Address (The Times of India), a tabloid on interiors and art. She wrote profiles of Indian artists, designers, and architects, and covered inspiring houses and commercial properties. After four years, she moved to ELLE DECOR as a senior features writer, where she contributed to the magazine and website, and also worked alongside the events team on India Design ID — the brand’s 10-day, annual design show. She wrote across topics: from designer interviews, and house tours, to new product launches, shopping pages, and reviews. After three years, she was hired as the senior editor at Houzz. The website content focused on practical advice on decorating the home and making design feel more approachable. She created fresh series on budget buys, design hacks, and DIYs, all backed with expert advice. Equipped with sizable knowledge of the industry and with a good network, she moved to Architectural Digest (Conde Nast) as the digital editor. The publication's focus was on high-end design, and her content highlighted A-listers, starchitects, and high-concept products, all customized for an audience that loves and invests in luxury. After a two year stint, she moved to the UK, and was hired at Livingetc. Currently, as the design editor, her focus is on kitchens and bathrooms and she covers exciting before/after projects, writes expert pieces on decor, color, and occasionally reviews exciting travel destinations.
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