Bright red and pine green have decorated American living rooms for generations. This year, many designers are pushing the palette somewhere else. The classics aren’t banned, but the trend is clearly moving toward richer, deeper shades.
In short
- Designers say Christmas color schemes are going “deeper and bolder” for 2026.
- Jewel tones like emerald, sapphire, plum and ruby are leading the way.
- At Christmasworld 2026, wine-inflected reds, mulberry and aubergine stood out.
- Bows are getting bigger, with gingham, stripes and double bows.
Deeper and bolder
“Christmas color schemes are going deeper and bolder this year,” furniture and interiors expert Josh Branigan told Homes & Gardens in October 2026. The colors he names are emerald, sapphire, plum and ruby, used alongside berry red and forest green.
In other words, red and green don’t disappear: they get darker and richer, and they share the tree with jewel tones. Branigan recommends picking “two or three jewel tones as your foundation” and pairing them with velvet and texture.
An example that made the rounds
Homes & Gardens points to Savannah and LeBron James’s 2025 tree as a preview of the trend: emerald-green ornaments, peridot ribbon and warm lights. A one-color tree in a deep shade can look more elegant than a mix of many bright colors.
What the trade fair showed
The trend was already visible early in the year. At Christmasworld 2026, the big holiday decor trade fair, Gifts & Decorative Accessories reported “deeper wine-inflected reds, mulberry and aubergine tones,” as well as brown and green palettes, “iridescent finishes, spanning jewel tones to icy whites,” and even tropical palettes of pink, orange and turquoise. The “perennial red and green” was still there, but no longer alone.
The fair also highlighted wintry scenes with snowy owls, polar bears and frosty vignettes, often accented with gold, plus playful, whimsical trees and heritage motifs paired with fresh color stories. In other words, the classics are being mixed with new ideas rather than replaced.
How to bring it home
You don’t need to start over. Keep the decorations you love, then add Branigan’s “two or three jewel tones” as a base: an emerald ribbon, a few plum or sapphire ornaments, a velvet tree skirt. Deeper shades of red and green, like berry and forest, connect your old pieces with the new palette, so the tree still feels like yours.
The other big change: bows
“Bows are still everywhere, but for 2026, they’re getting even bigger,” Branigan says. He describes oversized designs, gingham, striped ribbons and two-tone double bows replacing dainty ribbons.
If you decorate outside too, safety comes first, as electricians remind us about string lights wrapped around the porch railing. And before the boxes come out, a little sorting helps, like finding a second life for old pillowcases.
The limit
Trends are suggestions, not rules. Red and green remain the most traditional Christmas colors, and the trade fair still listed them. If you love your classic decorations, adding one or two deeper shades is enough to give them a 2026 feel.
That’s the trick.
