Ralph Lauren Christmas Decor For Your Living Room
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There’s something about the Ralph Lauren Christmas decor aesthetic that feels like stepping into a country estate during the holidays—elegant, warm, and just so inviting!
Y’all probably have seen this holiday decorating trend everywhere lately, from Instagram feeds to holiday decor inspiration Pinterest boards. And it’s not hard to see why!
Ralph Lauren’s a Christmas decor style approach embraces tradition with a sophisticated twist and tons of old-world charm.
That’s what I love about this aesthetic, especially when it comes to the living room!
It’s not a holiday decorating style that requieres buying a matching holiday collection from one store or sticking to a single color scheme. It’s more about making traditional elements work together by layering them—rich plaids with fresh greenery, antique ornaments with velvet ribbons, candlelight with brass accents.
Once you see how these pieces create that collected and refined holiday look, you can recreate it with budget friendly pieces!
So, in this guide, we’re breaking down what makes Ralph Lauren-inspired Christmas decor so timelessly elegant and showing you exactly how to get the look in your own space without the designer price tag.
From the plaid ribbon-wrapped trees to burgundy velvet accents, the evergreen garlands to the candlelit brass, y’all will see how these elements work together to create that preppy-meets-cozy holiday magic.
Let’s get started, shall we?
Start With a Foundation of Traditional Tartan and Plaid
If you’re going to nail the Ralph Lauren Christmas look, plaid and tartan need to be your starting point. And I’m not talking about bright red buffalo checks or trendy modern patterns here!
Ralph Lauren Christmas decor for your living room leans heavily on classic tartans in rich colorways. The color story is all about deep hunter greens paired with navy and burgundy, cream-based plaids with forest green accents, and traditional Scottish tartans in muted tones.
The tartan pattern becomes the thread (literally!) that ties your entire holiday look together. You’ll see it in tree ribbons, wrapped around garland bases, as table runners, in throw pillows on the sofa, and even incorporated into stocking designs.
The beauty of starting with plaid is how it anchors all your other Christmas elements. Fresh greenery looks more intentional against a tartan ribbon backdrop. Brass candlesticks feel more collected when they’re sitting on a plaid table runner.
Even simple white lights take on a warmer and cozier glow when they’re woven through garland accented with tartan bows.
For budget-friendly options, you don’t need Ralph Lauren’s actual holiday ribbon (though it’s gorgeous if you can splurge!). Look for wired tartan ribbon in classic colorways at fabric stores or online. The wired edge lets you create those perfect sculptural bows that hold their shape all season.
You can also find affordable tartan fabric by the yard and use it for table runners, tree skirts, or even to wrap boxes that become part of your decor. The goal is to create that collected, heritage-inspired foundation that makes everything feel intentional rather than just festive.
Layer in Deep Jewel Tones and Burgundy Accents
Now comes the color story that makes Ralph Lauren Christmas decor so distinctly luxurious!
Burgundy and wine tones are everywhere in this aesthetic, and they work beautifully because they’re festive but a bit more elevated than the classic bright red.
Forest green shows up in its deepest, most saturated hue in the Ralph Lauren Christmas Decor aesthetic. Navy blue complements, often in the tartan patterns but also in velvet ornaments or ribbon accents. What I love about how these colors are used is the layering.
A burgundy velvet ribbon spiraling down the tree, forest green ornaments clustered on fresh garland, navy plaid bows tucked into your mantel greenery.
Texture matters here too, especially for ribbons and bows. Velvet, silk and metallic threads play beautiful together, adding that luxurious depth you see in Ralph Lauren holiday displays.
These jewel tones could easily feel heavy or too formal, but when you pair them with fresh greenery, warm brass, and plenty of natural textures, they help inviting and elegant spaces.
For budget-friendly options, focus on velvet ribbon as your splurge—it makes the biggest visual impact! Then fill in with solid-colored ornaments in your jewel tone palette.
You don’t need expensive designer ornaments when the color and finish are right!
Incorporate Fresh Greenery and Natural Elements
One of the most distinctive things about Ralph Lauren’s Christmas style is the generous use of lush greenery.
Garland appears everywhere—draped across mantels, wrapped around stair railings, framing doorways, and layered on dining tables as a runner. The greenery has that slightly wild, just-cut-from-the-estate look rather than looking perfectly styled.
You’ll see mixed varieties too. Fraser fir branches combined with pine, white pine for its softer texture, cedar for the blue-green tones, and even magnolia leaves for their beautiful contrast of deep green on top and rusty bronze underneath.
The Christmas tree itself tends to be full and lush, often a Noble fir or Fraser fir with strong branches that can support heavier ornaments and all those thick pretty ribbons.
Pine cones show up throughout the decor, sometimes tucked into garland, other times clustered in brass bowls, scattered across mantels or in glass hurricanes (my favorites!)
Birch logs might be stacked beside the fireplace or used as a base for candle displays. Dried hydrangeas in their beautiful faded tones get incorporated into arrangements.
Layering all these lush natural elements generously is one of the most important steps when creating a Ralph Lauren Christmas in your living room!
For budget-friendly options, real greenery is actually one of the more affordable elements if you buy wisely! Many local tree lots sell garland and loose branches at reasonable prices. You can also mix real greenery with artificial branches to create that abundant look.
Style With Equestrian and Traditional Ornaments
The Ralph Lauren Christmas decorating style is rooted in English country tradition and equestrian heritage, with a mix of American East Coast cool.
You’ll spot horse-themed ornaments throughout, like brass horse heads with beautiful detailing, needlepoint ornaments featuring fox hunting scenes, tiny leather riding boots, and horseshoe ornaments.
These pieces add such a distinctive touch, and it’s so quintessential Ralph Lauren Christmas decor.
Plaid ribbon ornaments show up in different scales too—simple bows and elaborate rosettes that match the tree ribbons for a cohesive look.
Traditional ball ornaments appear in those jewel tones—burgundy velvet-covered balls, forest green glass, navy with gold detailing.
The variety of finishes (matte velvet, shiny glass, brushed metals) just adds to the luxurious and old-world allure of Ralph Lauren Christmas decor.
For budget-friendly options, hit post-Christmas sales to build your collection gradually. Check Etsy for equestrian finds, or DIY some elements by wrapping small boxes in tartan fabric or tying leather or velvet ribbons into bows.
Create Vignettes With Layered Greenery and Pops Of Color
One of the best things about the Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic is how simple it is to recreate it with small vignettes throughout your home.
These little styled moments don’t require a huge investment but add to the magical allure!
One of my favorite ways to do this is with centerpieces. You can try using rustic wooden trays or boxes to corral your elements. Load them up with pine cones, greenery, small ornaments, and candles.
Another decor piece that’s perfect to give your living room the Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic is glass hurricane lanterns.
For example, a large silver hurricane with a pillar candle inside makes a stunning centerpiece, especially when paired with a fresh wreath hanging behind it on the wall.
Y’all can also use mercury glass votives scattered throughout your greenery for extra sparkle!
The Ralph Lauren Christmas Formula
The Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic comes down to a few key moves: traditional tartan and plaid as your foundation, deep jewel tones in burgundy and forest green, tons of fresh greenery, equestrian and heritage ornaments, brass candlesticks and warm lighting, and natural elements that keep everything grounded.
And because most of its elements are the epitome of classical Christmas decor, you don’t really need to buy trending products or spend a fortune on designer pieces.
Y’all just need a few carefully selected pieces and some styling!
My advice? Start with one element—maybe a few yards of gorgeous tartan ribbon and some brass candlesticks—and build your collection over time while taking the time to enjoy the process!
Which element are you most excited to bring into your own Christmas decor?
Small Glass Hurricane | Ceramic Christmas Ornaments | Dunhill Fir Tree | Glass Mercury Ornaments with Bows | Gift Wrapping Paper | Oversized Bow Tree Topper | Personalized Velvet Ornaments | Wreath & Garland | Glass Tabletop Hurricane | Gold Skates Ornament | Gold Bow Metal Candleholder | Velvet Double Bow Clip
Drop a comment below and tell me if you’re team tartan ribbon or ready to hunt for vintage brass candlesticks at estate sales. I’d love to hear what resonated most with y’all!
Want more interior design guides? Have a look at these, I’m sure you’ll love them!
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