3 Nontraditional Holiday Color Combos That Are Just as Festive as Red and Green

If there’s anything I’ve learned from bingeing Domino’s podcast, Design Time: Trending Forward, it’s that my favorite designers are keen on breaking the rules. And in my opinion, there’s no better place to throw out the rule book than with holiday decor—it’s supposed to be fun and ephemeral, after all. 

Thanks to myriad decor goodies made in a range of hues, it’s also never been easier to pull off a nontraditional palette. Seemingly no color is off-limits—neons to neutrals. However, too many options can be daunting. So we decided to parse through the onslaught of shatterproof ball ornaments, velvet ribbons, and bottlebrush trees that a “holiday decor” Google search might provide you to share three Domino-loved color combos. We hope they’ll inspire you to tiptoe in a more unexpected direction, or at least mix in a little hot pink or chartreuse.

Candy Colors

If you love, love, love color, this one’s for you. You can mix and match rainbow hues with reckless abandon—the more the better. Set these elements against a natural evergreen backdrop (from a tree, wreath, or garland) for a more subdued look, or go bold using faux white elements, on which these colors will really pop. Either way, this direction screams “festive.” 

Shades of Green and Yellow

If you already have some green in your ornament arsenal, consider yourself ready for the holidays. Just drop the reds, then pepper in monochromatic shades, plus teals, chartreuse, and mustard. You’ll create a nice, earthy-cool aesthetic that’s unexpected but subtle—a truly chic take on holiday decor.

Neutrals

For the color adverse, there’s a nontrad look for you, too. Leaning into layers of neutrals has a surprisingly warming hygge effect that’s somehow merry and calming at the same time. To get this right, be sure to incorporate highly textural pieces such as knit stockings and a woven tree skirt, as well as natural materials like unfinished-wood ornaments and a pampas-grass wreath.