1. START WITH DARK FOLIAGE
A good dose of dark greenery is the perfect base from which to build your dark-colored Christmas decor scheme. This festive mantlepiece idea from Orpheus, a 17th-century Suffolk estate from luxury holiday letting agent Unique Homestays, combines leaves and red berries, building on the look with a selection of elegant dark candle holders.
2. GO FOR GREEN
Dark and moody Christmas decor doesn’t just mean black – invest in a scheme in a deep forest green for something earthier and more welcoming. Do as this scheme by Benjamin Moore does and build the look up in layers: here, a wall painted in Topsoil (with a strip of Amazon Green) acts as a base for the pine foliage and jewel-like baubles, strung up in a line with fairy lights. The odd peppering of lighter shades like whites and beiges are like little highlights, helping to balance the look.
3. CHOOSE ON-TREND BURGUNDY
Burgundy is one of 2024’s biggest color trends – so it’s no surprise that designers are looking to decorate with it in darker Christmas color schemes this year. It’s rich, luxurious, and can be vibrant – plus burgundy and pink is a beautiful pairing for an unconventional decorating scheme (check out the flower cloud above from London floral design studio Cosmos&Plums for proof).
4. INCORPORATE LUXE FINISHES
Decorating with dark colors at Christmas has plenty of benefits, but one of its drawbacks is that schemes can feel a little flat, if you’re not careful. Luckily there’s an easy workaround to this: pay attention to details like texture and finish to add layers to your decorating scheme. It could be marble-effect baubles in deep, earthy tones, like those from Ferm Living, pictured above, or a tree decoration with a glossier finish that adds a touch of shine.
5. EMPLOY A DRAMATIC GARLAND
No festive decor scheme is complete without a Christmas garland over the mantlepiece or up the staircase – especially if you’re going for a darker palette. As well as incorporating the greenery we’ve already discussed, these pieces are a chance to create a truly luxe centerpiece filled with color and texture – as this example from Soho Home shows.
6. CONSIDER A DARK TABLE SETTING
Your Christmas table decor should form part of your overall scheme, so peppering a dining setup with dark colored plates and jewel-like glassware is all part of the experience. Olympia and Ariadne Irving, of homeware store Carolina Irving and Daughters, often turn to a darker palette when it comes to setting their own festive table.
7. USE JEWEL COLORS
For those who lean towards colorful Christmas schemes rather than more muted blacks and greys, jewel colors – like those displayed in this scheme by British lighting brand Pooky, who are making their way stateside in 2024 – are a perfect way to tap into the dark festive decor trend without losing your sense of personality.