Anyone who attended my Holiday-season webinars in the past two last years may remember that I emphasized the rise of green for Christmas. The big winner in this color family was mid-tone eucalyptus, a shade that has now been fully embraced.
Fast forward to 2021, and the market is ready for the next evolution of the color story. In the updated scenario, eucalyptus continues, but it does not headline. Instead, it anchors a short palette that also includes somewhat-darker sage, saturated teal and peacock.
Though all these colors are members of the green family, and every one could be described as cool, each has a different character. That adds a layer of interest when the hues combine. For 2021 – 2023, these blue-influenced greens will do exactly that in a color-driven trend called Cool Christmas.
Three distinct values have a role to play. Mid-tones are the lightest. Slightly complex, sage and eucalyptus feel both familiar and easy to live with. Teal is more saturated. This perpetually popular hue moves off the basics list and into the trend column in Cool Christmas.
For drama, go even further to the dark side. This is where evergreen lives. Evergreen isn’t a new color. In fact, it has been building for two years as part of a still-valid Art Deco theme, along with companions gold metallic and black. Teaming it with other cool greens instead creates a close harmony that feels fresh and compelling.
We love these greens when used together in monochromatic fields, yet they can also be effective in surface designs. You’ll find them used in both ways for the coming two years as the Cool Christmas palette gathers momentum.