Can you hear those sleigh bells ringing? No?
What about Mariah Carey warming up to sing her best holiday hits? Yes?
Then we’re on the right page.
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Although Christmas is 63 days away, the holiday offers a unique opportunity to add extra magic to listing photos and open houses with immaculate staging. Before reaching for your usual Christmas tchotchkes, TikTok’s top designers and influencers are shining a light on “Ralph Lauren Christmas,” a burgeoning trend inspired by the American fashion icon’s consummate style.
Barbara Reimelt | Credit: LinkedIn
In a TikTok on Oct. 17, former Ralph Lauren Vice President of Design Barbara Reimelt laid out the guiding principles for the style, which she said is ultimately “about telling a story” through layered textiles, lighting and decor.
“[It’s] not about just throwing on a tartan bow,” she said in the 60-second clip. “It’s about choosing your materials wisely. How do you then express [this story] within your holiday environment? How are you going to bring it to life?”
“You know, a tartan ribbon is great. We used to have these balls that were wrapped in tartan with a beautiful velvet bow around, [and] then we would hang them on the tree. The combination of rich materials [and] expressing them in potentially unconventional ways. That’s the beauty of the Ralph Lauren holiday.”
“You know? Is it a pheasant feather? Is it crystal weaving through the trees, the beautiful, warm lights that are not just the ones with the green little dots? Maybe it’s a larger bulb with maybe even color,” she said. “Is it a tartan or velvet blanket on the base of the holiday tree, or is it a pine cone that is so large that you almost can’t hold it in one hand? Maybe you throw in a little leopard, and then you have a hot chocolate that makes you warm. You sit with your family, your friends … that is, Ralph Lauren.”
@theninetyninegroup Interior Designers take on Ralph Lauren Christmas 🎄🎁 #ralphlaurenaesthetic #ralphlaurenchristmas #interiordesign ♬ original sound – Barbara Reimelt
Preston Lane Home Founder Preston Konrad went deeper into the brand’s Christmas ethos with a seven-part TikTok series based on his 10-year career decorating Ralph Lauren stores.
Preston Konrad | Credit: TikTok
Konrad said a Ralph Lauren Christmas has several major elements: tartan, velvet, voluminous Scotch Pine garland for the doorway and mantle, and a variety of floral and plant arrangements using mixed berry branches, pine cones, magnolias and roses.
The designer said Ralph Lauren also favors brass hurricane candle holders and nickel vases, and vintage rugs and pillows. He said music is an integral part of setting the mood, with classic jazz — think Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas — sealing the deal.
“It’s all about making a statement,” he said in the video.
Among the hundreds of videos about Ralph Lauren Christmas, other rules popped up:
- No metallic or glitter.
- Choose deeper hues over what one creator called “Grinch green.”
- No gift bags, only boxes, under the Christmas tree.
- No mixing of tartans and plaids.
- Absolutely no signage with holiday sayings or greetings.
“No ‘Ho ho ho.’ No swirly dwirly signs. That is not a Ralph Lauren Christmas. If you want a Ralph Lauren Christmas, we’re speaking “Merry Christmas.” We’re speaking “Ho ho, ho.” We’re not printing it on a sign. We’re not looking at it on a wall,” former RL designer Molly Moorkamp said in her video about the trend.
@_mollymoorkamp RL Christmas let’s dish #ralphlaurenchristmas #christmas #christmasiscoming #fyp #ralphlauren ♬ The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) – Nat King Cole Trio
Although TikTok users have been gobbling up the Ralph Lauren Christmas trend, there has been one main point of contention: It looks like the typical Christmas decor.
“… It’s really more about the storytelling and the styling than it is about what you’re purchasing,” Konrad said in response to a question about the decor. “What I’m trying to help you do is pull it all together with things you may already have…. At the end of the day, your holiday decoration should feel like you and something that makes you and your family happy. But boy, do I love this look.”
Tita Omeze
Brooklyn-based Corcoran agent Tita Omeze, who spent 18 years as an interior designer, said it’s vital for agents to keep up with trends, such as the current obsession with Ralph Lauren’s Christmas style.
“There’s so much information out there, and it’s so easily accessible. Some agents don’t have a design vision where they can put a room together on their own. But you can copy people. You can copy what’s online. Get on social media. Get on Instagram, because it’s so visual, or even TikTok, and search the latest home trends or the latest accessory home trends.”
“You can even go to West Elm, Crate and Barrel, or some of those bigger home stores and see what’s trending,” she added. “The best place to start is swapping light fixtures, adding art and giving a listing a fresh paint job.”
Omeze also advised agents to blend trends with what’s already in the seller’s home. The former designer prefers to start by decluttering so she has a minimalist base to add special touches, such as art and other decor.
“Streamlining the seller’s things, if the seller is still living there, is key,” she said.
As for recreating a Ralph Lauren Christmas, Omeze said agents can focus on the smaller elements of the style: floral and plant arrangements, tartan pillows and throws, deep green accents and hurricane candle holders. She also reminded agents to remember the power of scent and add “winter-inspired” candles throughout a listing for open houses.
“It’s about taking a risk. Add the decor, take a picture, and see if you like it. Send it to a friend or colleague and see what they think, you know?” she added. “It’s trial and error.”
