HOW TO CREATE THE RALPH LAUREN CHRISTMAS TREND IN FIVE STEPS

The Ralph Lauren Christmas decor trend is a picture-perfect holiday moment.

I’ll show you how to create a Ralph Lauren Christmas look in five easy steps.

The Ralph Lauren trend is one of the biggest Christmas trends we’ve seen this holiday season.

With its tartan plaid decor, forest greens, deep reds, warm lighting, and aged brass, the Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic creates a picture-perfect holiday moment.

It’s no wonder that the Ralph Lauren Christmas has basically taken over TikTok and other social media channels.

WHY IS THE RALPH LAUREN CHRISTMAS LOOK SO POPULAR?

Over the past few years, preppy fashion has been enthusiastically embraced by Gen Z, as well as their older counterparts.

Classic prep staples such as cable knit sweaters, rugby shirts and pleated skirts are popping up everywhere.

So it’s no surprise this trend has extended itself into interior design and, in particular, Christmas décor.

Ralph Lauren Christmas embraces the joy and elegance of traditional holiday decorations, as well as the timeless appeal of luxury goods. 

And truth be told, even though my house has more of a modern aesthetic, I do love the Ralph Lauren Christmas decor look. It’s just classic, refined and pretty.

There is a soothing, calmness to it that I think we all need right now. 

However the look can be pricey.

And not everyone has the budget to spend serious money on new holiday decor. Especially at this time of year. 

But I’ve never really let that stop me. Because, no worries … I’ve got you covered!

I’ll show you how you can create the look using DIY ideas and pieces you may already have at home, thrift store finds, dollar store options or inexpensive items you can find at your local craft store.

The final result will be a beautifully decorated room with timeless elegance. Here’s how to create the Ralph Lauren Christmas look in your home, in five easy steps!

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RALPH LAUREN CHRISTMAS TREND STEP ONE: CHOOSE AN OBJECT TO BUILD YOUR LOOK AROUND

The perfect room to explore the look is likely your living room or family room.

In our home, I decided it was more appropriate holiday decor for our study, which has built in bookshelves and rich, velvet drapery. It already had a bit of a head start on the Ralph Lauren look, albeit with a modern edge.

Here’s what it looked like before I started decorating:

If you have a space in your home with moody, dark woods, that will be a perfect backdrop for the Ralph Lauren Christmas decor trend. 

I preach this with every room I begin to decorate. Pick one “object” and decorate around it. This could be a toss pillow, a lampshade or a piece of art.

In this case, a tartan throw blanket on our sofa was the foundation of my decor for the entire room.

It provided a rich colour palette of deep maroon, navy blue and gold that was perfect to draw upon to create the look.

Tartan prints are very specific Christmas patterns. While all tartans are plaids, not all plaids are tartans.

Say what? Let me explain.

TARTAN VS. TRADITIONAL PLAID

A tartan plaid is symmetrical, with identical vertical and horizontal stripes, or a “sett.” Tartan plaids are historically Scottish. A plaid can be can be symmetrical or asymmetrical with varied stripe sizes and colors.

Avoid traditional tartan plaids of bright red, black, yellow and white. The colors aren’t subdued enough for the Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic.

Instead embrace a rich windowpane plaid or a blackwatch tartan. And, whatever you choose, stick to only one pattern throughout the space you’re decorating. Do not mix plaids!

I purchased the blanket I chose as the foundation, but you can snag some great ones at thrift or antique stores. If you’re not finding anything you like, here are some great options:

I absolutely love this blanket! So much, I bought it for myself! While it’s a bit pricey, the quality is outstanding and it will be a cherished addition for years to come!

This plaid blanket has some great RL colors within it and is very affordable.

This vintage plaid blanket has a great price point and excellent Ralph Lauren vibe

RALPH LAUREN CHRISTMAS TREND STEP TWO: KEEP YOUR COLOR PALETTE TO A MINIMUM

The first and most essential way to capture the essence of this trend is to utilize deep, rich shades of red and green that have blue, black or brown undertones.

Instead of using more traditional reds and greens, a Ralph Lauren Christmas incorporates a palette of deeper shades of the hues such as hunter or forest green and garnet or ox blood red.

This is truly the most important rule to follow and successfully achieve a classic Ralph Lauren Christmas look.

Kelly green and scarlet red are not really part of this aesthetic either, that’s just a traditional Christmas vibe. It is not about vibrant, loud or festive colours. Nor is it about a large range of colors.

Choose your color palette wisely. Again, you need to keep it to the classic, preppy shades of navy blue, oxblood red, gold, and, of course, hunter green.

Resist the urge to overdo it. You want to make this look like you’ve been decorating this way for generations, with items that have been passed down for decades (or as long as your ancestors have been members of the hunt club … LOL).

As you pick your colors, think: “Would Kate Middleton choose this shade?”

RALPH LAUREN CHRISTMAS TREND STEP THREE: ADD TEXTURE

In addition to the rich, saturated shades of red and green, the Ralph Lauren Christmas trend is also all about mixing elements and textures.

Dark leathers, velvets, brass and wooly plaids are quintessential elements of this style.

One of my favorite tricks is to put covers over my existing throw pillows to quickly and easily change their look. These maroon, velvet pillow covers are simply perfect for the Ralph Lauren Christmas look!

Also at the heart of the Ralph Lauren Christmas trend are Christmas trees adorned with velvet ribbons and velvet bows that exude a quiet luxury and warm glow.

Stay away from glittery ornaments. Or for that matter any type of glitter. Bunny would never allow that at the hunt club now, would she? LOL.

When pulling together items to decorate your tree, you’ll want to explore using one-inch velvet bows with long tails. They are everywhere this season and truly embody the Ralph Lauren look.

In addition, flocked velvets ornaments are showing up on trees, garlands and wreaths.

Each of these decor items are great for a Ralph Lauren Christmas look especially when they are featured in classic navy, hunter green, oxblood red, or cinnamon brown.

Do not even attempt to cut the ribbons or make the ornaments yourself. There are loads of great options for purchase at very reasonable prices and this will save you a ton of time.

HERE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITES:

These Velvet ornaments come in a variety of great colors and are priced right!

Here’s a link to the Velvet bows featured in the photos. They are a little over $1 apiece and are perfect. I love them!

One of my favorite ways to add texture to a room for the holidays is to add a classic, evergreen wreath to the space.

However, real wreaths can get dried out and create a mess with all of their needles falling everywhere.

So I added this faux wreath to our space and I couldn’t love it more! The gold ribbon really makes it a perfect addition to the space! Simple and elegant!

RALPH LAUREN CHRISTMAS TREND STEP FOUR: ADD HEIRLOOM BRASS ACCESSORIES

Brass accents are key for Ralph Lauren Christmas decor and currently there is a huge resurgence in brass and gold home accessories.

It’s no surprise that the popularity of these metallic hues in holiday decor mirrors trends that are occurring within interior design right now, as well as fashion.

Each piece of décor should be carefully curated and feel purposeful, like it could be passed down to the next generation.

How can you incorporate this into your RL Christmas decor? Here are some ideas:

Include gold ornaments and ribbons on your tree. These ornaments are vintage but still in great shape. They look great with the flocked velvet ones I purchased.

Place brass holiday accessories on your end table and bookshelves. I love these brass reindeers that are heirloom pieces in my husband’s family.

I also love this pair of gold reindeer I found at Pottery Barn a few years ago. I actually collect reindeer and add a few each year. More on that later!

I paired the reindeer with a skinny, hunter green tree. Remember, always decorate in threes!

Navy velvet stockings were a great addition to our bar cart, just to give it some festive flair.

In addition, a hooked reindeer pillow really brings a lodge feel to our modern space for the holidays.

Here are some great accessory options for you to explain to create your own Ralph Lauren vibe:

These classic velvet Christmas stockings with gold braiding will bring all of the RL feels to any room

A velvet Christmas tree set like this one would look great on your coffee or end table.

This set of gold reindeer will become an heirloom pieces that you’ll pass down from generation to generation.

RALPH LAUREN CHRISTMAS TREND STEP FIVE: ADD WARM WHITE LIGHTING

It likely goes without saying, but actually must be said. Warm white lights are an essential element of this traditional version of the holiday decor.

To achieve the Ralph Lauren Christmas look, you need to avoid colored Christmas lights of any kind.

Only use warm, white lights, candlelight and lamp lighting to create a cozy ambiance. The feel of the style is warm and inviting, but not over the top.

Great ways to incorporate warm holiday lighting include:

A prelit Christmas tree – I am a huge fan of faux Christmas trees. Mainly because I like to keep the tree lighted throughout the season. I love waking up in the morning and seeing the tree all lighted and cozy, as I sip a hot cup of coffee.

Candles on tree – these battery operated candles are my new obsession. They are just so pretty! You will love the look they bring to your tree.

​Lighted garland – adding some ornaments and ribbon to a prelit garden is an easy way to make it look more festive.

Here are some additional Christmas ideas and projects I know you’ll love: 

These Snowman and Santa mugs are a great teacher gift

This vintage sheet music craft is easy and charming

I love these mercury glass candle holders for Christmas

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