The 2026 Holiday Design Trends I’m Using This Year in My Sarasota Holiday Designs

Holiday design has been underway the last few months, and this year I’m using both new and old trends in all my holiday designs. Holiday is one of my favorite places to be trendy, because it’s not a sofa with ten to twenty years of staying power!

As a Sarasota interior and holiday designer, I’m less interested in following a trend exactly as it appears on Pinterest and more interested in pulling the elements that make a it feel special. The goal is never to create the same Christmas twice, even for my reoccurring clients—it’s to take what feels fresh and translate it into something completely individual to the home and the people living in it, and always with a little spin.

Here are a few of the trends making their way into my 2026 holiday designs.

Designer Ribbon—And Plenty of It

Ribbon is one of my favorite ways to immediately elevate holiday décor. This year, I’m layering different widths, textures, patterns, and finishes rather than relying on one ribbon throughout.

Think velvet with metallic trim. Plaid against satin. Unexpected color combinations. The mix in texture, patterns, and sizing is what gives a tree, wreath, or garland that collected, custom-designed quality.

Botanicals Beyond the Basic Pine

Evergreen will always have its place, but I’m bringing much more into the mix: magnolia, eucalyptus, amaranthus, berries and branches, and always real-touch. It’s very rare I don’t use real-touch these days, and if so it’s for budget reasons or to add in a few pieces for volume.

Layering different botanical textures creates depth and makes even faux arrangements feel incredibly lush. It also gives us an opportunity to carry a home’s existing aesthetic into its holiday design instead of covering it up with Christmas décor.

Pearls, Bows & Baubles

More is more—but thoughtfully.

Pearls draped from a mantel, oversized bows, sculptural ornaments, and beautiful baubles are giving us permission to have a little fun again. These are the details that take a space from simply decorated to designed.

Traditional Color Is Back—But Richer

Red and green aren’t going anywhere. I’m simply using them differently.

Instead of bright primary shades, think burgundy, wine, emerald, deep forest green, and touches of metallic. The result still feels unmistakably Christmas, but with more depth and sophistication.

Mixed Metals

The old rule about choosing one metal is officially irrelevant.

Mercury glass, brass, chrome, silver, and warm metallic finishes can absolutely live together. Mixing finishes creates a collected look and adds dimension—especially when candlelight and Christmas lights hit them in the evening.

Statement Florals & Sugared Fruits

This might be one of my favorite directions this year.

Oversized floral moments are becoming focal points rather than supporting décor, while sugared pears, pomegranates, berries, and other fruits add an old-world richness that feels unexpected and special.

And yes, there is still room for a full winter wonderland. Frosted greenery, white botanicals, crystal details, and layers of snowy texture can be incredible when we commit to the concept rather than simply adding a few white ornaments to a tree – especially for those that do not celebrate a traditional Christmas!

The Bigger Trend? Making Christmas Personal.

The most important trend I’m seeing for 2026 isn’t actually a product or a color. It’s individuality.

A beautifully designed holiday home shouldn’t look like it was purchased as a set. It should feel layered, collected, and connected to the home around it. Maybe that means dramatic black-and-white ribbon. Maybe it’s traditional tartan and emerald velvet. Maybe it’s an entire room dripping in winter white. Most designs I source from over 10 vendors for one space!

The best Christmas is the one that feels like yours.

And because the holidays should also feel good—not become another project on your to-do list—Scarlett J Designs can take care of everything from the initial creative direction and sourcing to installation, styling, and the finishing details.

Our 2026 holiday calendar is already filling, particularly for November installations. If you’d rather come home to the magic than spend your weekend creating it, now is the time to get on our calendar.

About Scarlett J Designs
Scarlett J Designs is a Sarasota-based boutique interior design studio specializing in luxury residential interiors, renovations, furnishings, holiday collections, and elevated styling throughout Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, Longboat Key, Siesta Key, Lido Key, and Florida’s Gulf Coast. Through a highly personalized, concierge-style approach, we guide clients from the earliest planning conversations through the final installation, thoughtfully managing every detail to create homes that are beautiful, functional, and uniquely reflective of the people who live in them.

One Studio. Endless Creativity. Impeccable Execution.