'Tis the Season to be Contemporary

Marrying contemporary design sensibility with the warmth and cheer of the holiday season.

By Ann MacDonald
07 December 2004

Shimmering trimmings
In place of the traditional Christmas red and green color schemes, many holiday designers are putting spins on their décor by using lime green, aqua, orange-reds and fuchsia. Select only one or two of these colors to keep the look sleek and elegant, then combine these brights with silver or gold for an opulent feel. Use texture for extra interest by combining organic elements with crystal and silver for tabletop displays. Use holiday fabrics in lush velvets, silks and satins to make a space festive.

Designers are supplementing the classic blue and white of Hanukkah with tropical pinks, oranges and greens. The Menorahmorph by designer Karim Rashid offered by Celebrations, the Jewish Museum design shop, is a bold example of contemporary design applied to a traditional object.

O’ Christmas tree
Nothing says Christmas like a dazzling tree covered in shimmering lights and ornaments. The Christmas tree is usually the focal point of a holiday display; ensure it is decorated in keeping with the rest of your contemporary theme.

One idea offered by Wayne Wiram, full-time interior design faculty member at The Art Institute of Las Vegas, is to tie in traditional Christmas colors such as red and green with contemporary motifs like geometric patterns. He suggests that these shapes be used in fabric, ribbon and ornaments; for example, using “strings of cubes and other geometric forms in shiny or transparent materials.” This style provides a warm traditional feel with a fun tie-in to contemporary décor. To capture this look, try the wide array of Frank Lloyd Wright inspired ornaments at Wrightstyle.com, the whimsically modern designs at Wellingtown Design, or the fuschia geometric glitter-covered balls at MoMA’s online store

Wiram has created several contemporary tree designs using unique colors. One tree he designed used black, white and silver on a white tree. Another had only white lights and 250 prisms for a brilliant spectacle.

Dalon Faulstick, Director of Christmas for Paddock’s Magic of Christmas Shops, offers this hot idea for Christmas decorating. “Crystal and icicle ornaments with red accents are very much in style this holiday season. It’s simple, clean and very festive.”

Deck the halls…and the living room and the dining room…
Add a festive feel to a room simply by introducing rich Christmas colors and textures to furnishings. A velvety burgundy throw draped over the end of a sofa immediately warms a room. Luminous colored glass and crystal are timeless adornments that can work with any home. Serve drinks in vivid jewel-toned glassware like the Gem line from Crate and Barrel or in the wire and bead adorned glasses Neiman Marcus is offering this season.

Simply select shapes that are in keeping with the dominant style of your space. Fill large crystal bowls or vases with glass balls for a simple, stunning centerpiece. The lime green vases and platters of the Sound collection by designer Göran Wärff at Kosta Boda are perfect for any contemporary holiday table, or for a more casual feel try the Gro bud vase and candle holder from Octate.

Can’t resist the traditional icons of the season? Seek out objects that combine the conventional themes with modish art. A gleaming chrome reindeer statuette evokes very different sentiments than a carved wooden figurine of the same sleigh-puller.

Designers have embraced both ritual traditions and a contemporary sensibility with several new Hanukkah menorahs. The Cone Menorah available at Celebrations, the Jewish Museum store, is a fine example of this trend as is the Wood and Metal Menorah offered by Crate and Barrel.

Winds whistle shrill, icy and chill
Traditional outdoor yuletide decorations range from simple strands of lights outlining a house to cute Christmas villages spread across suburban lawns. Modern exterior design eschews the kitsch, but you don’t have to put away your lights just yet.

Kathy Peterson, licensed designer and author of several books, including Kathy Peterson's Great Outdoor Decorating Makeovers, suggests layering silver beads and ornaments over a stone terrace. Combined with white lights, these create the stunning illusion of glittering ice cascading over the stones. She offers several ideas for decorating outdoor greenery, including creating displays by inserting glittering twigs between boughs of trees for a sleek and sparkling look.

“Wire is hot and adds a nice contemporary sparkle to outdoor decorations,” Peterson adds, explaining one of the newest trends in outdoor holiday design. “Silver-coated wire can be shaped, twisted and beaded to add a fresh, new contemporary look to simple greenery.”

Simple, fast fa-la-la
Many designers agree there are many things you can do yourself to get a festive flair quickly and easily.

Ribbon is great for holiday home decorating according to Dalon Faulstick, “Use ribbon liberally – it is easy; anyone can do it. Drape ribbon over countertops, towels, trees, and mantles. Just cut and throw!” He also recommends placing freshly cut pine branches, accented with candles, on tables.

Wayne Wiram suggests abundant use of lights – add lights to houseplants, and all over the lawn, as well as on the tree and in the windows. He also recommends using fabric in innovative ways: “You can use inexpensive cotton holiday prints from fabric stores – they can be split to create swags or can spiral up a tree.”

Use lights in unique ways or look for uncommon strand designs such as the Orbitt light garland featured at Habitat and the Glansa drapes of hanging star-lights from Ikea. For room lighting that will warm any season, check out Foscarini’s modern classic Lumiere lamp by designer Rodolfo Dordoni. Or draw inspiration from Tord Boontje’s lighting designs such as Ting Ting Ting.

Remember to integrate some of your favorite traditional ornaments into your contemporary décor; classic touches used in small groupings need not detract from a modern design scheme and provide a nostalgic mood to capture the magical spirit of the holiday season.