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It’s a Party!
Last month, I was able to teach a class at Amanda Bee’s Floral Design’s annual Christmas styling workshop. Lauren from Toast from the Host taught the group how to make tassel garlands, I taught a class on making DIY embroidered gift tags, and Amanda taught the group how to make fill a glass cloche to make a seasonal centerpiece that will last all winter long. To see Amanda’s recap of the event, go here.
But instead of me just telling you about what you missed, I thought I’d tell you about some takeaways I learned from Amanda while I was there in how to create a neutral Christmas color scheme that suits everyone’s tastes.
Starting in Neutral
Starting with neutral home decor is a great way to begin. And chances are, if your home has bright colors in its decor, you’re probably not reading this post anyway.
Build on what you already have! I was at a friend’s house the other day and she had black and white gingham pillows on her couch (that are there all the time) and she added two simple Christmas pillows to the mix. Voila! Instant festiveness and holiday spirit! I would even go a bit further if you’re trying to save a few dollars and just buy decorative pillow shams to go over your everyday pillows. No one will know and you also don’t have to take up valuable space in a closet somewhere with extra pillows. I love these Christmas pillow covers that come in a 4-pack and are in a simple green and khaki color palette.
I also love using tobacco baskets and glass cloches that can be changed up seasonally. A tobacco basket is the perfect modern farmhouse look and can be placed by the fireplace with rolled up throw blankets in it or on a coffee table with an assortment of pastries on it for guests. A series of glass cloches would look lovely as a centerpiece on your dining table with a few winter pieces in it.
Think outside the box. Look around your home and see what you can use that you already own. Add a sprig of holly or a snowflake or two, and you’ve got the simple Christmas neutral Christmas that you’ve always wanted – without paying a crazy price tag for it.
Stay away from bold colors.
Red and green will always be Christmas colors. And a sparkly, glittery tree, will always be fun. But you don’t necessarily want to have to commit to that same tree look year after year just because you spent the money on that specific color palette in the first year you set up a tree.
Neutral colors like black, white, grey, khaki, shades of green, etc are a great base for any tree or mantle decoration. In fact, one of my favorite color combinations is cream and grey for a Christmas tree. It’s so classic and looks so chic in any home. But if you’re interested in creating a tree with Pantone’s 2020 Color of the year (classic blue), you’re probably not going to be designing a neutral Christmas look.
Did you know? Red and green became associated with Christmas because of Christianity. They symbolize Jesus Christ’s birth (green), death (red), and resurrection (white).
Add texture.
The colors may be neutral, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring by any means! Use texture as your way to spice up your decor. Wood, metal, feathers, fur…all of these can give warmth and a homey feel to any design. What are some good examples of neutral colored Christmas items with texture?
- fluffs of cotton (or these on stems)
- feathers
- ribbon
- miniature wood trees
- rustic jingle bells
- flowers
- felt ornaments
- candy canes
- yarn
- springs of greenery
If you’d like to see more tips like this, follow me on Pinterest!
