Coastal Christmas Decor: 3 Holiday Color Palettes
Coastal Christmas decor is all about creating a festive holiday look that feels cohesive and calming, with colors that complement your home instead of clashing with it. Christmas decorating doesn’t have to mean sticking with the same old red and green.
In this post, I’m sharing three specific color palettes to consider for your Christmas decor, each designed to help you blend holiday magic seamlessly into your existing style.
Why Coastal Christmas Decor Works
As someone who loves color but doesn’t want to be buried in clutter, I know how overwhelming it can feel to strike the right balance. One of the biggest challenges I hear from readers is:
“I found this trendy holiday decor piece, but it didn’t match the rest of my home. What do I do now?”
The solution? By starting with a cohesive color palette, you can effortlessly incorporate ornaments, greenery, and festive accents that tie everything together.
These palettes—ranging from soft and serene to bold and dramatic—make it simple to create a harmonious holiday look that feels intentional, stylish, and uniquely yours.
No more guessing if that trendy decor piece “works”—these coastal Christmas décor palettes make it easy to pull everything together.
Palette 1: Sage, Gold, and Neutral
Effortlessly Festive Coastal Christmas Decor
Soft, soothing, and effortlessly elegant, this palette is perfect if you want your holiday decor to feel festive but still calm and collected. Sage brings in a natural greenery-inspired feel, gold adds just the right touch of glam, and neutrals like white, cream, or beige keep everything light and airy.
For more inspiration on incorporating sage into your home, check out my Sage Color Palette Guide.
Tips for Making This Look Shine
In my opinion, this is one of the easiest color palettes to pull off with minimal effort. Why? Because if you start by building it around greenery, you’re already halfway there!
Pops of Greenery: Drape a garland on your mantle, hang a wreath on your door, or tie a small bundle of greenery with gold ribbon to the backs of your dining chairs—it’s such a simple way to anchor the look and make everything else fall into place.
Ornaments: Pick up an assortment of sage green shatterproof ornaments and another of gold shatterproof ornaments. My favorite ones include a mix of shiny, matte, and glittery finishes—they’re so versatile! Use them to decorate your tree, fill a bowl on your dining table, or scatter them along a stretch of garland.
Greenery Consistency: Stick with the same type of greenery throughout your home for a cohesive and polished look. My favorites are Frasier fir, balsam fir, white pine, or lightly flocked garlands—classic, timeless, and oh-so-easy to style.
Bonus Tip: For an extra lush look, try this trick! Intertwine two varieties of greenery, like Frasier fir with cedar. Mixing them adds depth and texture, creating a high-end, layered vibe—all without much extra effort.
Where to Use This Palette
This palette is ideal for living rooms, dining areas, or entryways:
Living Room: Adorn your tree with sage green, gold, and neutral accents for a calm, cohesive holiday vibe. Drape a creamy white thrown over your couch and set a handful of mixed texture sage green pillows. Bonus points for adding one with gold sequins!
Dining Area: Line your table with a length of greenery garland. Set the table with gold-rimmed plates, sage napkins, and white candles for understated elegance.
Entryway: Create a welcoming vignette with a wreath decorated with sage-colored ribbon and gold accents, or style a gold tray with a creamy white candle and a few ornaments for a polished touch.
Recently, I came across the most stunning glitzy gold iced wreath, which will surely bring the sparkle to your space! It’s amazing how one statement piece can instantly add that perfect mix of elegance and coastal charm!
If subtle, elegant, and easy-to-style sounds like your vibe, Sage, Gold, and Neutral is the way to go. Want more ideas on how to bring this look into your home? Stay tuned for the next post, where I’ll share detailed tips for styling your tree, dining room, and even your bathrooms with this gorgeous palette!
Palette 2: Light Blue, Silver and White
Coastal Christmas Decor Elegance
For all my blue-loving gals out there, this palette is for you! If you’re craving a fresh, tranquil holiday look, Light Blue, Silver and White is the perfect combination. It feels like a breath of crisp winter air—a balance of calm, cozy, and just a touch of sparkle.
For a deeper dive into coastal color schemes, explore Your Guide to Home Color Schemes for Coastal Interiors.”
Tips for Making This Look Shine
This palette is as easy to style as it is beautiful. Here are a few tips to make it work for you:
Lighting Magic: Create a dreamy glow with layers of twinkly white lights on your tree. Use mini lights for subtle sparkle, and add larger C7 or C9 bulbs for bold twinkling.
Ornaments and Ribbon: Stock up on silver and light blue shatterproof ornaments with shiny, matte, and glittery finishes. Add light blue ribbon cascading down the tree for a frosty snowfall effect.
White Accents Everywhere: Use white snowflake decorations, faux fur tree skirts, delicate starfish, or frosted pinecones to tie everything together.
Looking for more ways to add a touch of the coast? Don’t miss my post on Starfish Decorations for creative ideas to incorporate these beach-inspired accents!
Where to Use This Palette
This Silver, Light Blue, and White palette is perfect for spaces where you want a fresh, airy vibe with a little extra elegance. Whether it’s your tree, your dining table, or even a few small touches in the bedroom, this palette creates a wintry, magical feel that’s uniquely yours.
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Cozy Up the Couch: Drape a soft white throw blanket and layer in light blue and silver pillows (yes, including that sequin stunner!) to make your living room feel like a chic winter retreat.
Dress Your Table: a simple vase filled with silver and blue ornaments, paired with a shimmery silver table runner, can be show stopping.
Highlight the Greenery: Add light blue and silver ornaments to a garland or wreath to give it a frosty coastal feel. Bonus points for adding a starfish or two for an extra dose of beachy.
In the Bathroom: Add a silver soap dispenser, a light blue hand towel, and a frosted candle in a fresh winter scent. These little details create a cohesive look even in small spaces.
This Silver, Light Blue, and White palette is all about calm sophistication. It’s perfect if you love a fresh, airy holiday look that’s stylish but still cozy. And the best part? These colors are incredibly versatile. Whether your home leans coastal, modern, or classic, this palette blends seamlessly without clashing with your existing decor.
Palette 3: Gold and Navy
Bold Coastal Christmas Decor
If you’re craving a holiday look that’s bold, dramatic, and undeniably elegant, Gold and Navy is your perfect match. This palette balances richness and warmth, creating a space that feels luxurious yet inviting.
To understand how to harmonize warm and cool tones effectively, read Warm Tones vs Cool Tones: Choosing the Right Home Decor Colors.
Classic navy exudes sophistication and pairs beautifully with gold for a refined yet cozy feel. It’s bold but not overwhelming, giving your space that “holiday evening elegance” vibe.
And nothing says celebration quite like gold. When layered with navy, it adds a hint of glamour without veering into flashy territory.
Tips for Making This Look Shine
This palette is stunningly simple to bring to life. Here’s how to make it work:
Statement Tree: Use navy ribbon cascading down your tree for drama and layer in gold ornaments in various finishes—shiny for sparkle, matte for contrast, and glittery for texture. Check out this assortment as an example.
Add a bold gold star topper for a luxe finishing touch. A few oversized gold ornaments tucked into the branches can take the look from everyday to extraordinary.
Gilded Wreaths: Take a modern twist on a classic holiday wreath by using a gold hoop as the base instead of traditional greenery. Wrap a navy velvet ribbon around part of the hoop for a sleek, minimal look, leaving the rest of the gold hoop exposed for that luxe, modern vibe.
Add a small cluster of gold ornaments or metallic eucalyptus to one side of the hoop where the ribbon starts or ends. This asymmetrical design feels chic and intentional without being overdone.
If DIY is not your jam, look for a simple gold wreath (or up the glam factor with a shimmery version!) Hang your wreath(s) in unexpected places for a stunning display—think:
- A single wreath centered in a window.
- On a mirror for a layered, reflective effect.
Glitzy Centerpieces: Fill a wide wooden bowl with navy and gold ornaments in a mix of shiny, matte, and glittery finishes. Place it on your coffee table, dining table, or kitchen island for a bold yet simple statement that ties the palette together effortlessly. Easy peasy!
Where to Use This Palette
Dining Table Glow: Skip the predictable table runner and opt for a navy velvet runner with gold candlesticks and gold rimmed glassware. Add a few sparkly gold star-shaped ornaments along the length of the runner for a touch of whimsy.
Mantle or Staircase Drama: Elevate a garland by mixing in navy velvet ribbon and gold metal ornaments or gold beaded garland. This works beautifully on a mantle, staircase, or even above a doorway.
Twinkling Lanterns: For a cozy glow, place navy candles inside clear glass lanterns with a sprinkle of gold confetti or mini ornaments at the base. Arrange them in clusters by your fireplace or entryway for a chic accent.
The beauty of this palette is that gold and navy don’t need a lot to make an impact. These rich, bold colors naturally draw attention, so even a few thoughtful touches—like navy ribbon cascading through your tree, a gold-accented wreath, or a simple bowl of ornaments—can completely transform your space.
It’s proof that with the right colors, sometimes (mostly always!) less really is more when creating a beautiful holiday look.
A Simple Tip to Tie It All Together
Want a ridiculously easy way to pull any of these palettes into your decor?
Gift Wrap and Ribbons!
Choose paper and ribbon in the colors of your chosen palette—like sage green and gold, light blue and silver, or navy and gold—and wrap all your gifts in a coordinated look. Then go nuts on the bow and ribbons!!
Arrange them under the tree, on a console table, or even in decorative baskets. Not only does this keep your space feeling cohesive, but it also makes your wrapped gifts double as decor. Practical, stylish, and oh-so-simple!
Why Coastal Christmas Decor Palettes Work
Whether you’re drawn to the subtle elegance of Sage, the cool tranquility of Silver and Light Blue, or the bold sophistication of Navy and Gold, these palettes make it easy to style your home for the holidays. Each one blends effortlessly with your existing decor while adding a touch of festive magic.
I generally suggest adding 3-5 pops of each color in your palette to a space to pull it all together. The best part? In many cases, you may already have pieces in your home that fit perfectly—like a throw pillow, vase, or even artwork.
Start by taking inventory of what you already have, then layer in festive accents like ornaments, ribbon, or greenery to make your palette shine.
Which palette is your favorite? Email me and let me know! Whether you’re ready to dive into Sage, fall in love with Light Blue, or go bold with Navy, these ideas will inspire a holiday look that feels uniquely yours.
And if you’d like a little more help when it comes to choosing colors for your home, head to my Color Solutions page.
And don’t forget—stay tuned for upcoming posts where I’ll share detailed tips for styling each of these stunning palettes!
