Festive Decorating Inspiration

Walls: Yeabridge Green No.287

Whatever’s on the cards this season, whether you’ll be Rocking Around the Christmas Tree or having more of a Silent Night, our festive decorating tips have got you covered.

Between small seasonal tweaks and full-blown makeovers, fresh neutrals and daring darks, there are ideas here to suit all styles. Crucially, as the countdown to party season begins and the last-minute RSVPs roll in, these looks can also be scaled up or down depending on how much time you have to play with.

Nothing beats a white room for versatility, as these two very different spaces show. If your main entertaining space could do with freshening up before guests arrive, an all-over treatment of Wimborne White (left) feels bright, clean and classic, especially styled simply with warm white tree lights and silver accessories.

On the right, the subtly pink-toned Great White takes on more of a quirky, contemporary feel despite the room’s period features. The secret shortcut to party-ready personality? A lick of paint on your dining chairs, plus a contrasting colour to frame your favourite architectural feature. Speaking of which…

There’s no surer shortcut to feeling good about your home than highlighting something that brings you joy. In short: if you love something, treat it to a new lick of paint.

We’re talking framing – fireplaces, pictures, mirrors – with a contrasting shade to your wall colour, to draw admiring eyes to your most-loved features and finds. We’re also talking furniture. With our super-tough Modern Eggshell finish for wood and metal, there’s no excuse not to include your favourite pieces in the festive fun.

In advance of the festivities, why not take a leaf out of our colour curator’s book and lavish a dining room dresser with some love and attention? We love Joa Studholme’s use of espresso-brown Cola on the outside of this china cabinet, combined with Liberty’s Botanical Flora print backing – a combination plucked straight from our recent Farrow & Ball Curated by Liberty edit.

Festive decorating needn’t be all merry and bright. For the most inviting backdrop to fireside carols and candlelit feasts, make richness and depth your guiding principles and turn to our inky blues for inspiration.

Hague Blue and Chinese Blue are year-round winners, but we particularly love how they bring these festive entertaining spaces to life.

For a luxurious look that feels tailor-made for the season, try our signature Estate Emulsion finish on walls. It brings out a particularly velvety element in our deepest colours thanks to its flat matt finish.

Tight on time? Go for a feature wall. A chimney breast or alcove is a great candidate for a quick lick of colour that makes a huge impact.

Our in-house colour experts aren’t the only ones with festivities on the brain. Farrow & Ball users who’ve shared their seasonal looks on our Inspiration site can be a great source of ideas, too.

You can filter by room type, colour, and more to find looks that will capture your imagination this festive season and all year round. Here are a few of our recent favourites.