Christmas Ornament Color Schemes
Choosing Christmas ornaments is largely a personal journey that draws on your nostalgia and memories to build something special for your family. However, that doesn’t mean you should just mix and match ornaments of every color. You can still pair ornaments and create sets that share colors so they best complement the tree you choose for the year. Having multiple sets sorted by color and style will allow you to switch up between natural, artificial, green, and white trees from year to year. Try some of these popular color schemes for Christmas ornaments to add a new dimension of style and presentation to your holiday decorations.
How Many Colors Should You Have on a Christmas Tree?
When using a tree covered in white lights, you’ll generally want to use two to three colors for the majority of your ornaments. This creates a bold look that strongly ties all the decorations together. Trees wrapped in colored lights can handle more extensive Christmas ornament color schemes. If you’re pulling from the colors already included in the lights, it’s easy to add three to four different colors to the tree without creating a look that’s overwhelming. Keep it simple with white-colored or flocked Christmas trees, while green backgrounds can withstand more rainbow-like collections.
Christmas Ornament Color Ideas
Finding the right combination of colors for your ornaments isn’t always easy. Classic Christmas color ideas include red and green, gold and silver, or red and gold. For more modern interpretations that look great on white and colorful faux trees, consider:
- Lime green, blue, and silver
- Teal and copper
- Black and gold
- Deer brown, white, and silver
- Navy blue and white
No matter what colors you prefer, try to combine just a few of them in a way that leans toward complementary rather than contrasting. Even highly contrasting colors like red and blue can be used together if you choose the right muted tones and bridge them with purple details. Don’t forget to include your favorite Christmas tree decorations with personal meaning regardless of their color or design.
Best Ornaments for a Green Christmas Tree
Classic green Christmas trees, whether artificial or real, pair well with all kinds of complex color schemes. When choosing what color ornaments for a green tree, start with at least one bold color like gold, red, blue, or purple. This will be the anchor of your color scheme. Look for glass ornaments in either shiny or matte varieties to add the bulk of this color to the tree. Then, work in other more detailed ornaments to personalize the display while introducing the secondary colors in your combination.
How to Decorate a White Christmas Tree
Since white artificial Christmas trees have a more modern look, they also deserve modern ornaments. Setting up a white or flocked Christmas tree with colorful ornaments portrays a playful and cheerful look. For something more refined and luxurious, consider what color ornaments look best on a white Christmas tree. Blue is a common option in any shade, ranging from teal to navy because it mimics the look of ice and frost when combined with the white background. Gold or silver provides a high-end stylish touch, while you can always think outside the box with pink, lime green, or even orange.
Ornaments for Other Christmas Tree Colors
Pink, teal and other colors are popular options for highly reflective foil and glitter artificial trees. The key to choosing ornaments for these Christmas tree colors is to look for something complementary on the color wheel. For example, use purple ornaments on a pink tree or light green ornaments on a teal tree. This creates a harmony between the decorations and the tree’s intense color so it pops without looking too busy.
What Color Ornaments Look Best With Colored Lights?
Deciding how to decorate a Christmas tree with colored lights is an easier proposition than you might think. There’s no need to settle for just one or two colors since you can use almost all the colors in the lights while still creating a cohesive look. When you also choose a green-colored tree, you have the widest possible range of choices for ornaments. Your handmade and multicolored family ornaments will blend in perfectly while coordinating with any color schemes you prefer for your glass ornaments and beaded garlands.
While this advice for ornament colors applies to all decorations hung on a Christmas tree, it should carry over into the other decorations you put up throughout the home. Maintain a cohesive holiday display by carrying the color scheme into garlands, wreaths, and other types of Christmas home decor. You can find everything you need, including the tree, here at Ashley.
