The holidays are a wonderful time of year for many reasons. I personally love the festive aura that’s in the air. People are buzzing about decorating their homes, meeting with friends and family again, exploring local shops and city plazas, and there’s a collective sense of joy in the air, perhaps this year more than ever!
Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or any other holiday as the year winds down, it’s a nice time to reflect on what you’ve got and how you can make the coming year even better for you and yours.
With that being said, you know me, as a color expert, I always like throwing in some color inspiration to spice things up, to get people thinking about colors and decorating in a whole new way! Holiday color palettes are very near and dear to most people’s hearts, and they couldn’t imagine a Christmas without reds and greens or a Hanukkah without whites and blues.
I’m as nostalgic about holiday colors as the next person. Still, there’s so much more that homeowners can do with color palettes to get homes looking beautiful, unique, and inspired around the holidays. If there was ever a time to try something new to spice things up, this is it!
Are you ready for some new holiday color palettes this season? Let’s explore some exhilarating color options to change things up this season.
One look that I think can be striking and eye-catching yet still tasteful is monochromatic Christmas trees. I love the smell of douglas pine and balsam fur as the next person, but sourcing some trees that are white, silver, or dare I even say black in hue can create an opportunity to create stark contrasts with ornamentation; both the tree and lights take on a whole new look!
Think about walking into a beautiful hotel or department store in New York City, Boston, or Chicago during late December; sure, they will most likely have a traditional tree in the lobby, but there’s a good chance they’ll have multiple trees with various color schemes on display. I’ve seen beautiful monochromatic white and silver trees with bright blue and metallic pink ornamentation in such places, and it’s a breathtaking sight. It’s somehow simultaneously a retro 1950/1960s vibe (when fake trees became popular) and yet modern and sleek. I absolutely adore the look.
If you prefer keeping a traditional tree as a mainstay in your living room, that’s perfect; you can still scatter smaller trees in different colors elsewhere in your home, adding flashes of color inspiration here and there!
Although Hanukkah can begin anywhere from late November to late December, some alternative holiday color palettes will look beautiful in your dining room through the new year! At least in American Jewish culture, blue, white, and the occasional silver dominate Hanukkah color schemes and have for quite some time. There are ways to honor these customary colors but incorporate them into a broader palette.
For Hanukkah, picture hosting a dinner with friends and family where the table cloths, napkins, place holders, and even seat cushions are arrangements of blues, layered on top on another ranging from deep royal blue to light-grey blue. A white and yellow winter floral arrangement sits on as the centerpiece. Sterling silverware glisten across the table, and just to add a hint of spice and flare, copper salad bowls sit on top of the white dinner plates as guests take their seats. A customary but refreshingly dynamic take on a cherished holiday dinner!
As much as I love tradition, we can try new colors with whatever tree you use this year. Whether you are using a live green tree or not, think of this time of year as an opportunity to try something new! Are you looking for colors you haven’t used before? Add brilliant teals or rich purples. You can even use a range of blues along with silver or white ornaments on your tree.
Try adding pink or lavender elements for an unexpected display of holiday spirit! New colors are an easy way of giving your home a fresh and festive glow. Let your tree carry your sense of style, go all out and have fun with trying something new!
Other than adding blacks and whites to your holiday decor, I love the idea of changing your color palettes to metallic golds and silvers, leaving the red and green behind—focus on using silver, copper, or gold ornaments, and even metallic elements around your home. One year I gathered hydrangeas, sprayed them with metallic gold spray paint, put them in a vase, and made them the centerpiece of my dining room table. (Needless to say, everyone who visited our home for the holidays that year wanted to know where I bought them!)
Decorate the artwork in your home with decorative bows on top, and add gold candles and gold flatware to your dining room table decor. Bring back the strands of shiny garland, adding them to your tree. Everything that shimmers is welcome with this new holiday color palette. Last but not least, add lighting and candles around the room to make everything really sparkle!
Tell me about your favorite holiday memories where the colors, textures, and aromas help make a perfect moment! I’d love to hear them; your stories warm my heart.
