Christmas Trends 2026: 5 Festive Looks for Your New Build Home
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It's October, the evenings are drawing in and the Christmas ranges have started landing in the shops, so it's officially time to start thinking about this year's festive decorating! The big UK retailers previewed their collections over the summer, and the trends for Christmas 2026 are now really clear.
Whether you're decorating your new build for the very first time or giving your usual scheme a refresh, here are the five looks I think work best in modern homes, plus where to shop them before the best pieces sell out. As always, take what you love and leave the rest. The best Christmas home is always the one that feels like you.
What's Shaping Christmas 2026?
This year's decorations were first shown to retailers at Christmasworld, the big international trade fair for seasonal and festive decorations in Frankfurt, back in January. Its Trends 26+ were built around three themes, "brave", "light" and "solid", described as "modern fairytales". Since then, the summer "Christmas in July" previews from John Lewis, M&S, Dunelm, Cox & Cox and others have shown how those ideas are landing on the high street. The common thread? Nostalgia, natural materials, warm lighting and decorations you'll want to keep and collect for years.
Look 1: Nature-Led Greens
NATURE-LED CHRISTMAS: rich forest greens, fresh foliage and warm white light
Green is always a Christmas favourite, and this year it's all about the natural world. Retailers and forecasters keep coming back to nature-led decorating, with foliage, wood, pinecones and dried fruit taking centre stage. John Lewis pairs deep berry reds with forest green in its nostalgic "Cherisher" collection, and Country Living's "Alpine Nostalgia" trend leans on rich forest greens with deep reds and cream.
If your new build still has the developer's white or magnolia walls, a sage or forest green feature wall behind the tree is an easy way to make your decorations pop. Pair it with:
Eucalyptus, pine and dried foliage garlands on the stairs
Warm white lights on a real or faux tree (warm white is very much the choice this year over cool white)
Brass, gold or natural wood decorations that glow against the green
Shop the look
Sage and forest green paint and tester pots from Frenchic – Shop here
Faux eucalyptus and foliage garlands from Cox & Cox – Shop here
Brass and gold bauble sets from Cox & Cox – Shop here
Warm white tree lights from Lights4fun – Shop here
Look 2: Bold Bows and Jewel Tones
If you love a traditional Christmas with a bit of drama, this one's for you. Bows are still everywhere for Christmas 2026, but they've got bigger and bolder, with striped ribbons and two-tone double bows (Cox & Cox has some lovely ones). House Beautiful also spotted richer colour across the high street this year, with fuchsia, teal, deep blue and purple, while Dunelm's Vintage Christmas range adds flashes of fuchsia and gold to classic colours. Over at John Lewis, the "Curator" collection mixes jewel-toned baubles with glass beetles, butterflies, frosted fruit and botanical details.
How to get the look:
Tie oversized velvet bows on the tree, the banister or the backs of dining chairs
Mix deep red and burgundy with a few fuchsia, teal or purple baubles
Add botanical decorations: glass leaves, berries, fruit and flowers
Ground it all with dark wood, like a wooden tray or candle holders, and a touch of brass
If you liked our traditional Christmas trends post, this is a richer, more playful version of that style.
Shop the look
Velvet ribbon in deep red and burgundy from Cox & Cox – Shop here
Pink and jewel-toned bauble sets from Cox & Cox – Shop here
Glass botanical and leaf decorations from Cox & Cox – Shop here
Wooden candle holders from Cox & Cox – Shop here
Look 3: Glass and Moonlit Silver
Glass is a big story this Christmas. Christmasworld's "light" theme is all about transparent materials, gentle light refractions and matte silver that "evokes moonlight", softened with misty pastels. On the high street, John Lewis's Art Deco-inspired "Connoisseur" collection features glass baubles in silver, gold and navy, and Cox & Cox has launched recycled glass baubles for a more sustainable sparkle.
How to get the look:
Choose a few statement mouth-blown baubles over lots of cheaper ones
Display glass decorations on a windowsill or console table where they catch the light
Mix clear glass with matte silver and a touch of navy for a frosty, moonlit feel
Shop the look
Glazed ceramic vases from Cox & Cox – Shop here
Console tables to display decorations from Cox & Cox – Shop here
Look 4: Warm Minimalism
Not everyone wants a maximalist tree, and that's fine! Minimalism hasn't gone anywhere this year, it's just got warmer. Instead of stark white schemes, the focus is on soft lighting, natural textures and a few well-chosen pieces. Christmasworld's "solid" theme also pairs neutral whites with pared-back, timeless shapes and the odd vivid pop of colour.
This works brilliantly in open-plan new builds where you want the space to feel calm. Keep to a pale base, add a few glossy red accents, use raffia bows instead of plastic ribbon and bring in warm neutral textiles for softness. It also sits nicely alongside the Scandi Christmas trend we've covered before.
Shop the look
Glossy red baubles from Lights4fun – Shop here
Warm neutral and caramel-toned cushions from Cox & Cox – Shop here
Look 5: Collected, Cosy and Alpine
This might be my favourite! Nostalgia is the big mood for Christmas 2026. John Lewis has built its whole collection around the joy of collecting decorations that become part of your festive traditions, and Country Living has named "Alpine Nostalgia" its stand-out trend of the year, inspired by a cosy, vintage ski chalet: old-fashioned glass baubles, Fair Isle and Nordic knits, wool blankets, sheepskins, pine garlands and soft candlelight. Country cottage touches are popular too, with gingham, ruffles and fabric decorations bringing a softer, homespun feel.
How to get the look:
Bring out the old family decorations and mix them with new ones
Hunt for vintage baubles at charity shops and car boot sales
Layer chunky knit or wool throws and sheepskins on the sofa
Use wooden bead garlands, felt decorations and linen table runners
Pick candles and warm white fairy lights over cool white LEDs
It's also a more sustainable way to decorate. Check out our tips to create a sustainable Christmas.
Shop the look
Chunky knit and wool throws from Cox & Cox – Shop here
How to Bring 2026 Trends into Your New Build Home This Christmas
You don't need to redo everything! Here are a few easy ways to get ready for this year:
Pick a base colour. Forest or sage green, deep berry red or a warm neutral will all work with this year's looks.
Invest in a few key pieces. A handmade glass bauble or a wool throw will last for years.
Shop early. The Christmas ranges are in now, and handmade Etsy pieces can take a while to arrive, so order before the December rush.
Look after what you collect. Here's how to store Christmas decorations so they last.
FAQs
What colours are in for Christmas 2026?
Expect forest and sage greens, deep berry reds and cream, plus richer jewel tones like fuchsia, teal, deep blue and purple. For a calmer scheme, matte silver, navy and warm neutrals are big too. Blue is having a moment generally: Dulux chose a family of indigo blues, "The Rhythm of Blues", as its Colours of the Year 2026.
Will traditional red and green still be in style?
Yes! Red and green are at the heart of this year's nostalgic looks, usually in deeper shades like berry red and forest green, with cream, brass and natural wood.
When should I start decorating for Christmas?
It's completely up to you! But if you want this year's trend pieces, now is a good time to shop, as the 2026 Christmas collections are already in UK shops and online.
Which 2026 look are you most excited to try? Leave a comment below and share with a friend! And if you'd love your festive home to be featured, get in touch.
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