Decor trends for the holidays

Holiday decor styles continually evolve.

Mimicking interior design trends, designers appeal to consumers when introducing fresh themes, colors and styles in annual holiday decor.

“Christmas copies whatever is on trend for the home,” Christopher Todd, principal designer and owner of Christopher Todd Design said. “They keep reinventing the look, so it stays fresh.”

This year’s trend emphasizes natural elements, glamorous decor, eye-catching hues and traditional styles.

The iconic Christmas tree serves as an art display this season, mirroring the homeowner’s style and personality.

“They are going away from tradition and making it more of an art piece,” Michelle Essix, owner of SwayM.E. Vegas said about her clients’ approach to tree design. “They want the tree to be as beautiful as the rest of the home.”

Design professionals showcase a variety of 2021 holiday decor trends through the following distinct approaches.

Natural organic

The most notable trend this year is the introduction of natural, organic decor.

“Things have become more simplistic,” Todd said. “People are moving away from the artificial holiday greens and displaying wispy greenery that looks fresh like it’s been picked out of a yard.”

This approach invites the outdoors into the home through softer colors, realistic greenery, fresh Christmas trees, wood tones and natural elements like glass pinecones, flowers, or dried fruit.

“The era of premade arrangements is over,” Todd said. “People are doing things like sticking a few sprigs of greens with white tulips in a clear vase. It’s really beautiful.”

Todd, who loves using the color orange, suggests displaying a bowl of oranges with fresh greenery.

“Orange plays off the dark Christmas greens so beautifully,” Todd said. “It’s a classic look. It brings things back to nature.”

He further notes how the introduction of natural decor changed the application.

“How it’s being done is more of a trend,” Todd said. “They’ve put away the hot glue guns and done away with all the clutter. They want to make it look like they went out and gathered the decor. It’s the DIY approach.

“People who live an elevated decor style don’t want all the stuff anymore,” he said, referring to no longer storing decorations from year to year. “They want things that are useable or disposable. It keeps it fresh that way.”

Midcentury modern

Synonymous with historic Las Vegas architectural design, midcentury modern holiday decor reflects the period by incorporating handmade elements such as felt, yarn, or macramé.

“The whole midcentury movement is still very popular,” Todd said. “People who want to do that design want to mimic that look during Christmas.”

According to Todd, augmenting this trend is the resurgence of ’70s colors like avocado.

“Avocado green is not the same green of 1974,” he said. “And it’s not mixed with the same colors. It has evolved. It’s paired with black or navy blue which gives it a whole different look.”

According to Jamie Adler, account manager of Kurt S. Adler Inc., this year’s trend mixes different textures such as knit, velvet and sequins, creating “definition and interest” in greenery.

Glitz and glam

Glam decor remains a favorite with Las Vegas locals.

“People want the sparkle,” Essix said about her clients. “The jewels and stuff that’s shiny. I like to call them the glitz and glam trees.”

Essix incorporates large acrylic emerald, ruby red and ice blue jewels, crystals and diamonds in her decor.

“You can put them on a tree or add to a garland or wreath,” Essix said. “When I add them to a tree topper they sell really well. It’s bling and that’s what it comes down to.”

In conjunction with adopting glam holiday decor, Adler also sees Las Vegas locals incorporate black and white color schemes.

“Specifically, to Las Vegas, many people like a lot of bling,” Adler said. “Rhinestones, crystals, mirrored ornaments, glitter, tons of sparkle and life-sized Santa’s. More is more.”

Traditional

Amid the new trends, traditional Christmas decor remains timeless. This year, decorators incorporate the use of red and green elements in distinct ways.

“People are going back to that traditional look,” Adler said. “With rich reds and greens, and nostalgic ornaments like glass. Tinsel garland lights, an updated modern take on the traditional tinsel garland, trees with fiber-optic lights and the retro bubble lights are very popular.”

Differing styles and colors of ribbon, various shades and sizes — including very large — red and green ornaments and eye-catching toppers update traditional styles. Integrating branches, beads and berries add textures and interest.

“Christmas is always red and green,” Todd said. “But the way it’s put together and the techniques in which it’s done has completely changed over the years.”

Trending colors

A nontraditional seasonal favorite incorporates pink into the decor scheme.

“Pink is a very popular color this year,” Essix said. “It’s feminine and different. Most of my pink items are sold out.”

Different shades of pink offer a level of unexpected versatility.

“When they do the whimsical look, they use pink,” Todd said. “I did a tree with bright lights and bright pink balls. It looks magical.”

Pink can be paired with colors such as white, gold and black as part of incorporating it into glam, vintage or modern styles.

Representing frosty landscapes, navy blue is a popular winter color. Paired with different colors, such as white or luxury metals, it creates beautiful displays.

“Dark blue is super popular this year,” Essix said.

“Several clients decorate with blue, so they want to match their interior design.”

Navy offers versatility in varying decor styles. As noted earlier, Todd sees navy paired with avocado green in midcentury modern decor, creating a striking color palette.

Mixing luxury metals within a holiday palette continues as a trend, with gold becoming the predominant choice this year.

“Having gold in your home is trendier right now,” Essix said. “So, people want gold in their Christmas decor.”

Pairing gold with the popular pink or navy blue creates a sophisticated holiday presentation.

“I did a tree last year that was pink and gold,” Essix said. “It was absolutely beautiful.”