Visions of Christmas

While everyone’s Christmas celebration might look a little different, the true spirit of the holiday is universally felt, and getting our home ready is one of the many thrills. Decorating for the festivities often reflects one’s family traditions and culture. From the tree to colorful festoons, fairy lights, snowflake cutouts, garlands, baubles, trinkets, ribbons, and more, every detail matters and contributes to the celebratory atmosphere. Inviting your loved ones to participate can be fun and make the process even better as it offers an opportunity to bond, create together, and make new memories. The joyful event brings a lasting emotional uplift, whether through colors, sentimental items, or cozy accents while celebrating self-expression and individuality.

Christmas color palettes can dramatically change the personality and mood of the season. While traditional red and green remain timeless, today’s design and décor trends have embraced more freedom, allowing people to experiment with unexpected combinations. In her new book, Fifi O’Neill beautifully captures the holiday spirit in Amy Stegeman’s home, where every room bursts with color and character.

WHITE AND WONDERFUL. Though other colors are most often associated with Christmas, white stands alone as the symbol of innocence, purity, healing, and protection. Its elegance and simplicity always beguiles. A white palette helps create a visual representation of a calm and snowy winter landscape. An off-white base color like pearl, champagne, or vanilla are great alternatives to the pure white shade, and incorporating touches of silver adds to the magical look.

ON THE SOFT SIDE. Mixing fresh green hues–from mint to moss, sage to jade, or any favorite version of the color, with shades of pink from blush roses provides balance. The lovely combination is at once calming and uplifting. All the elements coordinate with each other and complement the palette’s feminine vibe.

PINK CRUSH. There is something wonderfully uplifting about pink. Whether it’s a shocking swipe of orchid or pastel cotton candy, it’s an instant injection of femininity and positivity. It elicits feelings of sweet nostalgia and evokes kindness, compassion, and love. In other words, pink is a perfect match for the season’s sentiments.

MIXED METALS. The glistening appeal of metals offers a charming twinkle and a lot of glamour.Uniting light and bright silvery tones with platinum hues and tarnished gold creates a warm and inviting glow. Sprigs of glittered branches and flowers and an array of iridescent ornaments in the same color family further heighten the glam quotient.

GREEN PEACE. Decorating with natural or faux garlands, wreaths, trees, holly, ivy, and eucalyptus, green has long been a classic holiday color. All types of nature-inspired decor can contribute to the season’s festive charm. Here, a mix of plants and foliage ranging from bright to darker greens brings the color into focus.

COLOR CRUSH. There’s nothing quite as delightful as a brightly and cheerfully decorated Christmas tree to capture the holiday spirit. Its radiant glow transforms even the darkest winter night into a warm and festive haven while also acting as a beacon for Santa’s arrival. Whether real or faux, a tree’s greatest asset is its endless decorative possibilities. With a wide array of vivid colors and an abundance of unique and meaningful ornaments that honor family members and memories of Christmases past, this tree reminds us that you don’t need a specific theme, as long as your adornments bring you joy and comfort.

When Amy Stegeman offered her home to be photographed, she envisioned much more than a holiday decorating book. She saw an opportunity to unite her desire to share her inspiration for creating magical settings with her love and dedication to animals by donating 100% from the proceeds of the book to shelters and rescue organizations nationwide, hence providing much needed financial support and helping animals find their forever homes. Amy’s Visions of Christmas is a tribute to the season’s spirit of giving.

PHOTOS Mark Lohman

RESOURCES  You can purchase Visions of Christmas here. You can visit Fifi's Instragram page here.