Spinning the Christmas Color Wheel

This English country cottage kitchen shines with a bold and bright Christmas color palette.

When it comes to Christmas color palettes, it’s unusual to break from the traditional colors of red, green, white and even blue. However, for interior designer Alison Kandler, doing the unexpected is exactly her cup of tea. Her Christmas kitchen features all the colors of the rainbow—and then some. “Color is my thing,” Alison says. “I came to this project wanting color; it makes me happy.”

Upon purchasing the 1927 Santa Monica home, Alison got to work with her business partner, architect Joan Swartz, to transform its Spanish revival style to English country cottage. This involved taking the interior down to the studs and rethinking and updating the design. An example of this is the abundance of windows. “We needed the rooms to feel open and to allow as much natural light as possible,” Alison says.

breakfast nook in kitchen with French bistro chairs and red, green and turquoise tablecloth — Christmas Breakfast. Alison likes to blend outdoor elements with indoor spaces, and the view into the backyard makes it easy. Three minimal maintenance bistro chairs further establish the “outdoors in” theme with a coastal-café vibe and the window seat is cushioned to provide extra seating. Pine branches subtly mark the season paired in an arrangement with hydrangeas in a vintage pitcher.

Touches of Christmas, like bottlebrush trees, ornaments and lots of candy-cane stripes, add a festive feel to the home’s year-round colorful design. To get the unique and vibrant style, Alison created her custom checkerboard floor and decorated with her flea market furniture finds. The furniture pieces are all original colors. “I don’t touch original paint; I love the patina a piece develops over time,” she says.

With a world of color at her fingertips, Alison’s holiday home shines. Her holiday decorating and design advice is that seasonal décor should complement a home’s overall style rather than create visual discord. “Trust the colors you love,” she says.

kitchen with red and white bowl with pine and silver ornaments as well as glass of candy canes — Statement Style. Colorful appliances are an expensive commitment. But if you trust your instincts, the unique refrigerator or range—like this powder-blue Lacanche cooker—can inspire joy in a space where it’s important to feel comfortable and empowered. Alison covered the vent with a hood featuring a scalloped trim. It’s a finishing touch that is vintage-inspired and playful yet neutral.

kitchen hutch with wallpapered back in bright green and yellow — Walls That Wow. Love the look of wallpaper but can’t afford to paper an entire room? Consider using your favorite paper in a display case. Assembled items pop against colorful backgrounds that would otherwise look uninteresting. This built-in unit and its mate on the other side of the window exhibit pottery and other items that are too pretty to be hidden behind closed doors.

bright Christmas color palette closeup of table with poinsettias in pink pot and bright green and red plates — Finding Joy in the Details. A closeup shows the crackled, worn green-and-red painted finish of Alison’s dining table. The pink poinsettia serves as a centerpiece in one of her Bauer pots, with felted wool garlands and pinecones decorating the length of the table before it is set for the next meal.

family room with multi-colored bottlebrush trees — Easy Transition. Just outside the charming kitchen is Alison’s family room. On the coffee table sits a small collection of bottlebrush trees dyed in vibrant hues to suit their setting. By layering seasonal items in rather than swapping everyday décor for short-lived vignettes, she minimizes the amount of work necessary to set up after Thanksgiving and put away before New Year’s Day.

If you love this bright Christmas color palette, you may also love Christmas Whimsy in a Utah Home and Pink Christmas. Of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get your daily dose of cottage inspiration!