Go retro or go green: The decorating trends for Christmas 2021 are in

It may be six months until Christmas but the predictions for decorating trends for the festive season are already in.

According to phs Greenleaf, which supplies more than 2,500 ready-decorated Christmas trees to UK businesses every year, Christmas 2021 will be all about stark contrasts, with both natural-looking, sustainable trees and flamboyant pop art colours showing favour.

The predictions are based on emerging trends in commercial interior design, which often see businesses looking for Christmas trees that reflect the latest looks and colourways and on trending patterns in brand messaging and customer mood.

The team at phs Greenleaf predict that natural-looking, sustainable trees will be very popular this year. As well as using more artificial trees, which have a lower carbon impact than cutting live trees, there will also be a heavy use of eco-friendly decorations, including hessian, raffia ribbon, bark and pampas grass, which has been one of the most popular interior design trends of the year, to create natural looking trees with a nude colour theme.

Stephanie Nadif from phs Greenleaf spends her entire year planning and decorating Christmas trees ready for the festive season and can spot emerging decorating trends as early as February so she can start to source decorations and prepare designs. She said: “Businesses are taking a more serious approach to sustainability this year as customer demand for more eco-friendly products and services increases. Natural finishes and neutral colours are also popular in commercial interior design too, so a tree decorated naturally and in a sustainable way is a great statement piece for businesses who are ethically minded.

“However, in complete contrast, we are expecting pop art colours to make a big comeback this year too. After a very low-key Christmas 2020, many businesses are looking to go big this year with bright, bold multi-coloured decorations and lights to inject a sense of carefree fun and nostalgia into the festive season.”

phs Greenleaf’s new ‘Christmas Party’ design personifies this retro theme, inspired by 1970’s pop art and 1980’s neon. It features large baubles and star decorations in fuchsia pink, lime green, burnt orange and electric blue, as well as a return of strings of multicoloured lights, rather than white lights.

Stephanie added: “We have 14 different pre-decorated Christmas tree designs available at phs Greenleaf so there is something for every type of business. We are also expecting very traditional cosy decorations in reds and greens to remain popular, as well as an interest in trees with blue tones and gold accents such as ribbons, so we have created fresh, new designs around those themes too.

“And we are always open to creating bespoke trees too. We’ve created everything from flamingo Christmas trees to Alice in Wonderland trees for customers who are looking for something completely different to tie in with their interior design, an event or just to make their customers smile”.

“I’d say my top design tips for Christmas 2021 are sprays on the top of trees, in place of a star, and matt, rather than glossy, baubles. It’s early days but I think by 2022 we may even see the return of the 80’s swag garland too.”

phs Greenleaf supplies more than 2,500 decorated Christmas trees each year to organisations across the country, including hospitals, care homes, retailers, restaurants, hotels, pubs, schools, public buildings and businesses.

Its specialist Christmas production team spend most of the year decorating artificial trees in preparation for the festive season, while Greenleaf’s real trees are harvested at a sustainable farm in the Midlands. The Christmas designers install each tree on location to ensure it looks perfect and ready to welcome staff, visitors and customers. Each tree is available in a wide range of sizes – from a standard 7ft tree to as high as 30ft tall alongside the 3ft tabletop tree, decorative wreaths, garlands and floral arrangements.

phs Greenleaf offers businesses a range of horticultural services from interior and exterior planting to landscaping.