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Decorate the holidays with personal flare

The Christmas season is upon us. Time to dust off the decorations and make the home cozy and festive.

For 2022, holiday palettes are more creative than ever. Kate Jones, the owner of Ralph Jones Display, offers designs and ideas to express individual styles.

“I’ve been doing this showroom for 20 years,” Jones said. “I don’t follow all the trends at (Las Vegas) Market. Instead, we like to come up with our fun themes.”

This year Jones curated several holiday themes to inspire, from glamour to whimsical.

Pure white

The glamorous white decor conveys a snowy wonderland.

“The top trend is pure white,” Jones said. “It’s calming but at the same time very elegant.”

The distinctive winter decor mixes white LED trees decorated with sophisticated elements such as icicles, crystals, diamonds and luxury metals. Clear glass and crystal ornaments gleam like ice providing a subtle shine. In addition, gold, silver, platinum and champagne metal elements boast a rich, glamorous touch.

Jones blends four soft color palettes with white — blue, pink, mint green and purple. Each color adds a subtle, complimenting touch to the pure white display.

Jones exemplifies how white blends with the color palettes in a unique Nutcracker-themed display. Gorgeous soft blue deer and swans, fluffy white swans with silver beaks, light blush nutcrackers, ballerinas and mice display a timeless elegance. Mint green accents, metallic French horns and purple sugar plum fairies add elements to the story. Enhancing the magical scene are shiny platinum Christmas trees and embellishments.

Green and gold

Christmas décor mimics high-end interior design trends. Popular within newer modern homes are palettes that combine dark green with gold.

“I go through magazines and see the trending color palettes,” Jones said. “I design my fancy themes around current home trends. My clients love to come in and shop for the year’s different colors.”

The green and gold color scheme works well in different interior designs, from traditional to contemporary. Its calming effect displays timeless elegance.

“I put furniture pieces into some of my scenes or hang pieces off a chandelier,” Jones said. “The different scenes give my clients ideas on what they can do in their homes.”

Combining different shades of green with the glitter and shine of gold gives texture and depth to the design. Jones further integrates a touch of black into the palette adding an air of sophistication to the tree.

Navy blue

Navy blue is making a resurgence this year. Integrating navy blue balls and ribbons with white or cream elements such as embellished glass ornaments, poinsettias, cascading icicles and white berries leads to a refined display.

“Navy blue is elegant,” Jones said. “A gorgeous navy ribbon can define a tree.”

In addition to trees, Jones showcases navy accent pieces that play into the overall theme. One example is a 5-foot Santa dressed in a navy velvet suit with white fur-lined trim.

“I like to give choices, so the theme flows throughout the home,” said Jones.

Gingerbread

Gingerbread is a Christmas classic. This year’s theme offers a fresh approach using pastels and whimsical colors.

“This year, when I saw the pastel gingerbread, I was excited,” Jones said. “We have a line of fun hot pinks, lime greens and turquoise.”

Traditional gingerbread men, women, children and houses with red, green and white trim remain popular.

“Some of my clients use gingerbread to stage in their kitchens,” Jones said. “They make it look like a Christmas kitchen.”

Natural and woodland/rustic ski lodge

Aspen branches and round pieces of wood displayed in the tree enhance the nature-inspired woodland décor theme. Pine green and deep red berries set the predominant tones. Natural elements augmenting the setting include pine cones, flowers and nature’s creatures, including furry owls, birds, and squirrels.

“I hang lanterns off the birch branches,” Jones said. “I pop in shiny balls to add a touch of shine. Bling but not too blingy.”

A similar theme incorporating rustic-inspired decor features several “lodge” theme pieces such as vintage skis, ice skates, snowshoes, rustic bells, hot cocoa and fur-lined boots. Neutral-colored ornaments such as brown or cream blend with pine green and deep red enhancing the decor.

“The woodland and ski lodge use the same color palette, just recreated in a different genre,” Jones said. “People who have cabins go crazy over the theme.”

Black and white

Within this theme is a myriad of variations depending on the desired mood. One option is simple and homey, featuring black and white buffalo plaid. Houndstooth offers a sophisticated alternative.

Bold and dramatic come from displaying black and white poinsettias or hanging black bows and glossy black Christmas decorations on a white tree.

Mixing in forest green and berry tones, silver or pewter ornaments, or crystals and white lights adds another dimension. Black and white decor also can be whimsical, with fun options such as penguins and snowmen.

“Adding a pop of color to black and white makes it look amazing,” Jones said. “It is trending.”

Botanical

Blending Christmas botanicals such as red amaryllis and authentic-looking poinsettias to a flocked Christmas tree creates a “lush garden with snow look.”

“We mix clear red and clear green glass, so when you put it into the tree, you can see it through it,” Jones said. “It’s a gorgeous look.”

Additional elements such as mistletoe, kissing balls, red cardinals, pine cones, and red and white stripe ribbon bring to life the essence of the theme.

Whimsical

The whimsical design approach uses “bold, fun, and crazy ornaments.” The theme combines red, green and white with a hint of black. Adding different characters, such as metal Santas falling down a tree, adds a quirky touch.

“We have Christmas presents with feet, cute deer with long ears,” Jones said. “We throw different ideas together and mix them up. We want to find different ways to decorate than your typical.”

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