You might not think of holiday decorations as being interchangeable. After all, each holiday has its own purpose and generally its own themes as well as certain traditional colors. While any color can be used and trends vary throughout the years, there are certain colors associated with each. Thanksgiving tends to include earth tones, Christmas red, white, and green, Easter pastels, and so on. Yet, there are different shades and tones as well as neutrals that can be used for most any occasion.
One example is deep red. Golden brown turkey looks enticing sitting atop a warm, red tablecloth at either Thanksgiving or Christmas. Red goes great with autumn colors as well as traditional Christmas colors. It can also be used again for Valentine’s Day and patriotic holidays. Dress it up, dress it down, change accessories, and you’ll have several different looks with one tablecloth.
Various shades of green can also be used in different settings. Sage green (one of my favorites) works well with other neutrals as well as oranges and some reds. Think pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce with a green backdrop. Sage also looks beautiful with creamy whites, gold or silver tones, and black, which will create an elegant look for Christmas through New Year’s Day. A light sage can also blend with pastels to create a fresh look for Easter.
You can invest in decorations in one great color to use in many ways, or you can pick a few colors to mix and match at different times of year. Be sure to add some texture to give color schemes even more impact. Even when you’re using similar tones, combining textures can help make pieces stand out. While items with rugged textures will generally work better with fall and winter holidays colors, smooth pieces can be used all year round.
Related: Holidays: Seven Tips to Set the Stage