Will eco-friendly and sustainable materials change the way we celebrate Christmas?
When decking the halls, tables and more, bright hues of blue and silver along with eco-friendly materials are the new trend, but will holiday shoppers change their traditions?
The two hottest looks for this Christmas are glamorous and natural, or a combination of the two. Whichever you choose, there’s a stronger focus than ever on considering the environmental impact of what you bring into your home. The good news is that the growing demand for eco-friendly products means more sustainable options are now available. Start your decorating plan with a colour palette.
Traditional Christmas hues are red, green and gold, but there’s no need to stick rigidly with them.
“This season, blue is here to stay,” says Bernardo Coronado-Guerra, executive director of design and operations at Savannah College of Art and Design. “From midnight to peacock blue, darker hues of the sky, and silver, white and off-white will all look great to enhance your decor.”
“Rich jewel colours are big for Christmas 2019,” says Michelle Koller, of Tequila Kola. “Turquoise, aquamarine, amethyst, emerald and rose quartz with touches of gold are the latest colours in home fashion.”
Jungle-inspired colours are in vogue, according to John McLennan, founder and executive chairman of Indigo Living. “Purple and simmering greens from tropical birds, leopard and zebra prints. Something to bring excitement and colour to your home and tree.”
Some creative thinking and a paintbrush may be all you need to incorporate new colours into your existing pieces.
“Work with what you already have; sometimes some older pieces can be repurposed with a bit of DIY,” advises Coronado-Guerra. “Some tired ornaments can be painted all white, blue or silver and given a new life. It is fine to mix what you already have in your ornament box, but be selective, and add adornments in blue, white, clear or silver.”
For the Christmas table, a base or cloth made of natural fabrics such as cotton, silk, jute or sisal can form a natural backdrop to more glamorous elements such as velvet, glass, metallic and feathers. Choose simple flowers in low vases so as not to interrupt the view across the table, advises Coronado-Guerra, and place plates on wood or sisal mats to add texture.