Deck the halls with top trending festive décor this Christmas

As we step closer to Christmas, homes across Britain will be preparing to transform into winter wonderlands. But a common challenge that often occurs is knowing where to start and how to make this year’s décor memorable. To help navigate the festive season, Hillier Garden Centre’s has selected the top four decorating themes for this holiday season. The themes tipped to be adorning homes this Christmas are ‘Classic Christmas’, , Wonderland, Winter Woodland and Festive Eden.  

Here, Elizabeth Marshall, Christmas buyer at Hillier Garden Centres, who identified this year’s trends, has shared her top tips on styling the home this festive season with Hillier’s bespoke festive themes. 

A Classic Christmas 

“This year, we’re predicting lots of golds, metallics and deep, rich colours, a very luxurious but traditional approach to festive décor with bold elements scattered throughout. Gold is complemented perfectly by dark and rich hues, like pomegranate, teal, plum and greens, all combined to create a timeless and nostalgic palette. These shades invite warmth and sophistication to the room, while encouraging a sense of nostalgia of Christmases past.  

A focal point of the Classic Christmas set-up is, of course, the tree! Whether you opt for a real one or an artificial, the key is to find the perfect tree that fits your space perfectly and creates that sense of grandeur! Create a wintery feel with a pre-lit snowy pine and complement with warm and rich decorations, like tinsel, ribbons and deep hued baubles. For a more traditional look, the gorgeous Allison Pine invites a warm, cosy and timeless feel and can be lovingly illuminated with warm white festive lights. A truly classic tree is defined by its ornaments, so carefully select baubles and ornaments that hold sentiment and class. Glass baubles that are rich in reds, greens, and golds are synonymous with Classic Christmas, paired with a traditional star or elegant angel at the head of the tree to bring the timeless look together. 

No classic Christmas décor is complete without a festive garland or wreath. A simple, yet elegant piece to help tie your décor together, adding extra bursts of warm and sophistication to your traditional festive attire. Try weaving in elements of gold to your garlands and wreaths, as well as throughout the home as gold glistens magically under candlelight, casting soft glows that can enhance a cosy evening indoors, tucked up with a Christmas movie on the TV and a warming drink in hand.” 

Festive Eden 

“My favourite trending décor this year is Festive Eden, an enchanted style for those with young children who are determined to inject even more magic into the festive season!  

Inspired by the regency era of the Rococo ballrooms, transform your home into a grand festive celebration! Festive Eden is all about soft pastels, vibrant colours and classic red colours, with lots of indulgent treats and statement pieces. This theme transforms the home into a lush and regal retreat, inspired by elegant pastels, golds and rich greens, with added nature-inspired decorations for true enchantment. By selecting regal tones like glistening gold and green hues, you can create the splendour of nature and warmth, filling the home with comfort and magic. This design requires a green foundation, such as garlands and festive green linens for the base, extenuated with golden accessories such as candle holders, ornaments and glistening decorations. 

The tree is the main attraction for your Christmas décor, and for the Festive Eden style, a gorgeously green tree adorned with natural, golden accents is essential! Begin by layering in gold and vibrant baubles, with delicate designs in metallics, white or glass to maintain a festive and warm aesthetic. Complement the colour carefully with botanical ornaments like dipped leaves and pinecones to evoke the richness and beauty of nature.  

The final touch to the Festive Eden style is to incorporate rich and luxurious golden accents, these add an air of elegance and opulence. Think golden animal ornaments, candleholders and gilded trays, these are all perfect for injecting glamour, particularly when placed in interesting areas such as mantels, side tables and bookshelves. This style really captures the magic of Christmas, creating wonder and elegance for a memorable festive celebration.” 

Winter Woodland 

“Invite the outside in with the Winter Woodland theme, tapping into the charm of nature, and inspired by snow covered forests, twinkling lights and earthy accessories. This theme is rooted in the beauty of the natural world, making it perfect for creating a cosy yet rustic atmosphere. 

This theme focuses on rich and cosy colours, including Christmas red and our new colour focus for 2024, rosemary, all complemented by soft, pale pinks and peaches with countryside animals, forest friends and signs of nature popping up. 

No woodland would be complete without a tree, and the undeniable magic of fresh, real Christmas trees really brings this theme to life. The earthy aroma of fresh pine transports us to serene forests, while the natural textures and imperfections add character to the festive display. But don’t worry, if you’d prefer an artificial tree, that’s fine too! Select one that offers a realistic look, even frosted or snowy artificial trees can further the woodland aesthetic. 

To decorate the tree, focus on adding woodland themed ornaments that add texture, warmth and earthy tones such as wood, pinecones, soft fabrics and subtle metallics. Wood is the heart of this theme, bringing a raw and natural element that ties everything together. To further the charm of your Winter Woodland design, incorporate animal-shaped ornaments like owls, foxes, deer and squirrels to bring it to life. These playful touches offer interest and will be a delight to children and adults alike. 

Wreaths made from natural materials can further enhance the Winter Woodland theme, whether you choose a fresh wreath or an artificial, just fill them with twigs, pinecones, berries and other natural items that helps bring that forest feeling. The final touches can come from comforting faux fur throws, rosemary toned cushions and other homely textiles to create an inviting, festive ambience to cosy up in!” 

Wonderland 

“The Wonderland theme is a fun and alternative approach to Christmas décor! With pastel colours and delicious details, Wonderland encourages the use of imagination and creativity through its unusual, yet sophisticated theme. 

When picking ornaments, choose pretty pastels like blush pink, powder blue, mint green and lavender to create a refined and romantic festive atmosphere. Frosted or snow-covered trees extenuate this theme well and create a neutral background for bold ornaments. Adorn the tree with sweet-inspired decorations such as vibrant candy canes, candied baubles, pastel macaroons and other pretty confectionary! Glass baubles in pastel hues and gold intricacies add a further luxurious nod and incorporate warmth amongst the cooler accessories and colourways. 

Wreaths and garlands can be emphasised with pastel ribbons, gold accents and quirky characters and food items. Add angels and cherubs into your greenery for even more depth and interest. Delicate fairy lights can also illuminate the garlands, giving your space a soft yet enchanting glow.” 

The Hillier 2024 Christmas ranges, with items from all four themes as well as trees and lights, can be found in their 22 centres and purchased online from www.hillier.co.uk. The Hillier Gardening Club is free to join, and members can receive exclusive discounts throughout the year, as well as further Christmas offers, trends and tips. To sign up to the Hillier Gardening Club, visit www.hillier.co.uk/gardeni

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Editors notes

“To inspire the creation of green living spaces for now and the future” Hillier is one of the leading names in the horticultural industry, with 160 years of growing and retail experience.

Founded in 1864 by Edwin Hillier, the company remains a family-run nursery with the fifth generation now actively involved in the family business as it continues to grow.

Not only is Hillier the largest producer of semi-mature trees in Europe and grower of over one million plants at its Hampshire nursery, but it also employs over 750 staff across its nursery, amenity trees and 22 garden centre divisions and is a flourishing multi-million pound company. It proudly holds the world record for the most consecutive gold medals awards at the world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show, with 74 wins.

As one of the leading growers in the UK, Hillier is involved in many peat-free initiatives, including the RHS Peat-Free Fellowship, the largest peat-free collaborative research project globally. The company was amongst the first nurseries to become 100% peat-free across both its production nursery and retail garden centres, and all Hillier plants are grown in peat-free compost.

Recent successes for the company include the launch of its online shop, the substantial redevelopment of Hillier Garden Centre Newbury and the acquisition of the Rosebourne Garden Centre Group in November 2022, as well as sponsorship of BBC Gardeners’ World Live and BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair, and the incredibly popular free ‘Hillier Gardening Club’ loyalty program which now has over half a million members.

Renowned for being a leading breeder of plants in the UK at its 100% peat-free nursery in Hampshire, each year Hillier introduces amazing new varieties. Many of these have become essentials in British gardens and the company continues with the tradition of innovation and the introduction of new garden plants in the present day.