The onset of cold, early evenings and more time indoors is surely a good time to make your home beautiful. So, unless you’re the Grinch, now is time to make a celebratory decorating plan; one that will carry you through rain and snow to warmth and good cheer.
It would seem, given the plethora of magazines, blogs, and Pinterest pages dedicated to holiday décor, that not much changes from year to year when it comes to hanging baubles and putting up a tree. Never has this been less the case than in 2019, when consumers have access to every décor element, from natural to manufactured, and from handmade to factory-fashioned, at every price point.
There are four striking décor style themes trending for holiday 2019. Germany’s elite holiday market, Christmasworld, identifies the themes as: Tender Festivities, Essential Ceremonies, Sweet Traditions, and Luminous Celebration. These trends seek to bring out the emotion and sentimentality of the season. The artists who specialize in creating items for the home seek to reflect a movement that brings people together through our commonalities and family traditions. More important than a well-styled home are items both large and small, that bring a shared sense of happiness, joy, love, and security. Décor elements are made to promote sociability, solidarity, and belonging in ways that are both aesthetically pleasing and practical. Nothing is standoff-ish, and all brings the sense of a rich, deep, and encompassing holiday spirit.
Tender Festivities
The moon, moonlight, clouds, grey and gold glitter, or glass and stars are inspiration for Tender Festivities. The décor is clean, yet soft and romantic, the color palette ranges from deep navy to pastels and to soft silver and golds. Accessories can accommodate a range of color matches within this theme, as well as a myriad of textures.
Essential Ceremonies
Essential Ceremonies relies on a natural aesthetic to make a statement about our most basic spiritual origins: the earth, water, trees, and plants. Rosemary, magnolia, cedar, pine, twine, and a variety of seeds help cinch this look.
Handmade and handcrafted items stand out in this décor, with earthy palettes of warm tones that range into bright reds, soft oranges and browns, and a variety of shades of green. This unpretentious approach utilizes techniques that should make the décor last as table arrangements and accessory design from Thanksgiving to well beyond the holidays.
Sweet Traditions
Sweet Traditions reflect our inner child with wit, charm, and whimsy. A brightly-colored mix of turquoise, deep blue, crimson red, camouflage green, and even fuchsia pink used in Nordic or Scottish patterns are at once preppy, happy, and eye catching. Themes of reindeer, bears, gingerbread folks, simple mid-century ornaments, snowflakes, and the North Star reflect themes of ancient folklore brought to life in a modern way.
Luminous Celebration
Luminous Celebration marries dark and somber, yet intensely rich, Victorian colors with turn-of-the-century glitz and glamour. Sparkle and iridescence highlight luxurious fabrics, modern textures, and futuristic renderings of traditional motifs. Vibrant colors offset rich and elegant tones of champagne, blush, eggplant, red, and deep blue, often applied in sophisticated velvet and silk.
Other style trends reflect an effort we can see in our everyday lives to put away differences and division in order to embrace the ceremonies that bring us together. Trade those starkly contrasting shades of bright red and green for blue, which defiantly made its way to the top of the color trends for holiday 2019.
While last year highlighted endless shades of purple, turquoise, pink, and blush, this year, blue rules the roost. As you make your décor plans, think about deep midnight and starry blues, shades of concentrated aquamarine and stylish cerulean. Even soft pastel hues (although not baby blues) rendered in glass and crystal can be used as both main and accent colors.
In terms of patterns, while polka dots and plaids are both acceptable and traditional, style trends are showcasing dots and lines. Herringbone is the most popular example of graphic patterning. Table runners, greeting cards, large table centerpiece, pillows, tree skirts, and blankets with bold ikat, chevron, or lightly embroidered dots are excellent ways to bring affordable elements into a fashionable holiday home.
Lighting is always an important facet for really showing off the sheen and angles of holiday décor elements. For the most impact, use warm golden light and forego cold white light that is on the decline. Lighting comes in all forms, but candles, especially high-quality flameless types with that characteristic fire-like glow, are especially popular. Fireplace surrounds are a wonderful way to experiment with holiday lighting: They are inexpensive enough to interchange annually, can hold up to swags, and garland and can be used to accentuate the natural coziness and sophistication of candle flame or firelight.
Outside, Rudolph and pals make way for stands of real or faux coniferous trees, natural or rustic wreaths and door swags, and entry plantings that reflect the seedpods and needles found on the forest floor.
All images courtesy Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH.
