Pantone have announced their colour of the year as PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral. An animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge.

"Vibrant, yet mellow PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral embraces us with warmth and nourishment to provide comfort and buoyancy in our continually shifting environment."

Pantone says the shade was selected in reaction to the onslaught of digital technology and social media which is increasingly embedded into daily life. Sociable and spirited, they believe the engaging nature of this colour welcomes and encourages lighthearted activity. Optimistic and joyful the tone embodies our desire for playful expression.

We've already seen a resurgence in pink tones for interiors so it feels like peachy shades will become the new 'millennial pink' as we move into 2019. While unlikely to be a popular choice for floors we can see it complementing grey and cream shades of carpet perfectly.

It's the most wonderful time of the year so we thought we’d take a look at some different ideas for styling your home for Christmas....

Simple Chic

A contemporary option is to go for a neutral and minimal theme. Tonal decorations in complimentary colours make a sophisticated but stylish statement with clean lines and natural details giving this look a slightly Nordic feel. The key to this interior theme is to always opt for simplicity and make the whole scheme look effortless. Choosing to have fewer items when decorating for Christmas stops the room looking like a grotto and draws attention to key pieces like the tree. Doing this allows you to be really selective and invest in luxurious items that look beautiful and unique. Accents such as the brown paper wrap presents with twine ties and leafy green labels are classy but unassuming too.

Cosy Classic

A stone walled space could easily look quite cold and detached but by including a patterned carpet, contemporary furniture and using metallic accessories to pull it all together it becomes timeless and cosy. The pale wood bench has been dressed for the season with fur, candles and brass accents to update the look while keeping a traditional homely feel. Our Abbotsford Heather Kilgour was used to add cosiness and warmth, something that plaid carpets are perfect for, hence why they are one of the most popular patterns for floors. The great thing with choosing this style for Christmas is that it can easily be mixed, matched and added to as the season unfolds, creating just the right mood you need when entertaining friends and family.

Winter Wonderland

Christmas is a special time of year but you don’t necessarily need to have fairy lights and decorations hanging from the ceilings to create a magical feel. When Jordan and Russell from 2LG styled this room they had only just started their renovations but wanted to create a lounge area with a wow factor. Our Timorous Beasties Midnight Grain du Bois carpet looks great here and adds colour to an otherwise plain space. Glass candlesticks and gold framed paintings added some interest and splendour for the Christmas season was given to the faded backdrop with a giant real tree. It was dressed simply with trailing ivy and white dressmaking fringe to provide interest and glamour. When the greenery looks like this you really don’t need much else!

When it comes to festive decorating you can afford to experiment and be completely over the top with colour, pattern and even novelty accessories. As long as your Christmas styling takes influence from the existing decor and reflects your personality it will work for you.