choose the colour palette for the living room

A Christmas living room looks harmonious when the textiles and the decorations share colours. That is why, before bringing out the Christmas boxes, a good idea is to decide on two or three shades and repeat them on the sofa, at the window and on the table. A proportion that works very well is 60-30-10: a neutral base, a supporting colour in the textiles and a festive accent in the details.

The base is what you already have and are not going to change: the colour of the sofa, the walls and the rug. The textiles are the layer that does change with the season, and the one that shows the most. The accent is the Christmas touch: the gold of the candles, the green of the fir tree or a cushion with winter motifs.

Christmas colours that work in the living room

Green and red are the classic Christmas colours, and they have softer versions that blend better into the living room and last all winter. Olive green recalls the fir tree without being as intense. Terracotta brings the warmth of red in a more toasted, natural shade. Mustard plays the part of gold in textile form and looks lovely in candlelight. And navy is the alternative for those who prefer a calmer, night-time Christmas. With neutrals (beige, off white, grey) any of them fits in.

Two or three colours repeated on the sofa, at the window and on the table are enough to make the living room feel like Christmas.

the sofa: throw and winter cushions

The sofa is the heart of the living room and where we spend the most hours in December, so it is the best place to start. With a throw and a change of cushion covers, the living room switches to winter mode.

A throw that invites you to stay

A throw on the sofa is the simplest way to add warmth to the living room: it brings texture, colour and, above all, the feeling that the sofa is made to be used. For Christmas, checked throws have a classic, cosy feel; plain ones with fringes, a calmer and more natural one. Choose one that picks up one of the colours in your palette: a green or brown throw for a warm living room, a beige, grey or off white one for a brighter room, a pink one for a softer touch. If you would like ideas for leaving it on the arm, the back or in a basket, we tell you in how to fold and place a throw on the sofa.

Cushion covers that change the season

Changing the decorative cushion covers is the gesture that transforms the sofa the most with the least effort: the inserts stay and only the colour changes. For Christmas living room decor, Herringbone and Twill covers in olive green, terracotta, mustard or navy bring the texture that winter calls for. Stripes are another idea that works very well in winter: in brown and light blue, on the diagonal, they give a warm, contemporary feel to an ecru sofa; in burgundy and cream, they recall Christmas in an elegant way, without motifs. Mixing two sizes, 50×50 squares and 60×40 rectangles, gives a more relaxed, less catalogue-like look.

For the festive touch, you can add one or two cushion covers from the Christmas collection, such as Mystical winter, Constellation or Nightfall, which bring winter motifs to the sofa without any need for more decorations. Placed in front of the plain ones, they become the 10% accent of your palette.

Textures

Knit, herringbone and twill add depth to the sofa even when the colours are soft.

Natural tones

Olive, terracotta and mustard are Christmas colours that still work in January.

Easy to change

The covers come off and can be washed, so the living room changes season in minutes.

the window: curtains that bring warmth

In winter the light comes in lower and lasts less, and curtains have a lot to say about how the living room feels in the afternoon. Curtains in ecru or beige soften the cold daylight and, when night falls, become a warm backdrop for the tree lights. If your palette is more intense, a curtain in a supporting colour, such as green or terracotta, frames the window and ties it into the decor.

A very Christmassy idea is to hang a string of warm lights on the curtain pole, behind the fall of the curtain: the fabric filters the light and creates a soft glow without dazzling. If you are looking for more ideas for the living room window, there is a full gallery in living rooms with curtains: ideas for dressing the window.

the living room table, dressed for the holidays

In many homes the dining table is in the living room and takes centre stage at Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals. A festive tablecloth, such as the Sapin tablecloth with its fir trees, dresses it even on days without guests and connects the table with the rest of the decor. If your living room has a more neutral tone, a plain tablecloth in the supporting colour of the palette, with the accent on the napkins and candles, works just as well.

The coffee table can join in too: a tray with candles, a few fir or eucalyptus branches and a narrow table runner are enough to give it a festive air. For the dining table you will find all the ideas in how to decorate the Christmas table, and for choosing the tablecloth, in Christmas tablecloths: how to choose yours.

four christmas living room ideas

With the palette chosen and the areas clear, all that is left is to decide on the atmosphere. Here are four ways of bringing Christmas into the living room with textiles, from the most natural to the most festive.

after the holidays: what to put away and what to keep out

One of the advantages of decorating the living room for Christmas with textiles is that the switch to January is very simple. Cushions with Christmas motifs are put away with the decorations, and the plain ones in olive green, terracotta or mustard can stay all winter: they are still warm without reminding you of Christmas. The throw stays on the sofa until spring.

To store the seasonal covers, wash them first and fold them in a dry, well-ventilated box or drawer, without sealed plastic bags. That way they will be ready next year. And if you are looking for ideas for keeping throws on display, in baskets or on a blanket ladder, you will find them in how to fold and place a throw on the sofa.