Decor for All Seasons: A Holiday Decorating Guide

Don’t be dismayed by the prospect of seasonal decor—if you’re not sure where to start, our simple holiday decorating tips will help you fill your home with a festive feeling no matter the time of year. Explore our holiday decor inspiration and seasonal color palette ideas, from classic to creative, to find your style.

5 Ideas For Inspired Holiday Decorating

To simplify your seasonal decorating, be strategic about the changes you’ll make throughout the year. Start by deciding which areas you’ll decorate for each holiday, then go from there. Our easy-to-incorporate holiday decorating ideas make it simple to switch from one season to the next with only a few changes.

Start with A Festive First Impression

The exterior of your home is the first thing guests will see. Hang fall-inspired or evergreen wreaths for instant festivity at the front door, or opt for carefully chosen coir door mats to add seasonal style underfoot.

Focus on the Fireplace

Take advantage of this focal point with eye-catching fireplace decor. Don’t have a fireplace? Many of the same principles apply to decorating a bookshelf or console table. These are our top tips for how to decorate a fireplace.

  • Wondering how to decorate the mantle? Choose decor in varying heights and textures—think pillar candles on stands, vases filled with foraged foliage, and decorative accents in mixed heights—for an easy, eye-catching look.
  • Opt for classic seasonal touches: Find holiday decor inspiration for your fireplace or mantle in familiar festive symbols: string lights and garlands for Christmas, fresh flowers for spring, seashells and nautical accents or camping-themed decor for summer, or a row of pumpkins in the fall.
  • Don’t forget about hearth decor: Show your hearth some love with its own seasonal accents: opt for a floor vase filled with faux wheat in the fall, a bundle of birchwood logs in the winter, or a large black lantern for the summer. Have kids? Pick durable decor that they can play with and put back.

Fireplace safety tip: Protect your home and loved ones by following important fireplace safety guidelines. If you plan to light a fire, ensure your mantle is high enough to safely hang stockings or garlands—there should be at least three feet between the decor and the open flame—and keep hearth decor off to the side.

Choose Easy-To-Change Seasonal Home Decor

Swap light breezy throws for a basket of chunky blankets once the weather starts to cool. Bright floral throw pillow covers best suited for warmer months can be tucked away come autumn and replaced by decorative holiday pillow covers for fall and winter celebrations. A steady rotation of seasonally inspired tea towels, bath linens, and festive bed sheets spread holiday cheer throughout your home.

Dress Up Your Dining Areas

The dining table is the center of many celebrations—make it look the part with festive tablecloths, seasonal tabletop decor, and other decorative touches. Avoid blocking guests’ line of sight or inhibiting their conversation by opting for low-profile centerpieces and votives or tealight candles instead of over-the-top arrangements. Our wooden serving platters are perfect for filling with nuts on the buffet or serving cookies alongside other desserts.

Make the Most of Your Holiday Decor

Choose versatile pieces that can serve multiple purposes or last beyond a specific holiday. Classic glass ornaments look just as lovely artfully arranged in a bowl as they do on a Christmas tree. A collection of pumpkin-colored decor quickly transitions from Halloween to Thanksgiving when you swap black and purple accents for reds and yellows.

Seasonal Color Inspiration And Holiday Decorating Tips

From classic fall color schemes to the perfect pastel tones for spring, here are some of our favorite seasonal palettes.

Classical Seasonal Colors

Sometimes you can’t beat the classics. When it comes to holiday color schemes, these timeless options are tried and true.

  • Incorporate bold black, orange, and purple details for a spooky Halloween vibe.
  • Pair evergreen garlands with red stockings or candles for a magical Christmas mantle.
  • From Memorial Day to Labor Day, complement your outdoor summer celebrations with plates, cups, tablecloths, and serveware in festive red, white, and blue.

Nature-Inspired Color Palettes

Looking for fall color inspiration or new Christmas color ideas? Take a peek outside. We love palettes that bring the outdoors in.

  • With bright yellow, purple, pink, or orange blossoms and vibrant green leaves, a bouquet of freshly picked flowers is the perfect inspiration for spring or summer decor.
  • Our favorite fall color palettes mimic the changing foliage: incorporate rusty reds, rich yellows, and fiery oranges for an autumnal aesthetic—and bring in pops of sky blue or deep plum to accent.
  • Even if it’s not cold where you live, create a winter wonderland for the Christmas season with white and silver decor.

Tonal Palettes for Seasonal Decorating

By focusing on tones rather than specific colors, you can incorporate decorative items that work for an entire season instead of just one holiday.

  • Soft pastel shades are a natural fit for spring decor for Easter and beyond.
  • Mimic bright and sunny summer days with equally cheerful tones on tea towels, throw pillows, and patio decor.
  • Create a rustic fall color combination with sage green, wheat gold, creamy white, and other muted tones.
  • Metallic gold and silver decor transition effortlessly from Hanukkah or Christmas to the New Year and last all winter long.

Whether your holiday decorating style is simple and straightforward or elaborate and elegant, use our decorating tips and color inspiration to get started. For more holiday inspiration, check out our Guide to Entertaining.