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Ryan Smith shares ideas for decorating with personality, style and seasonal magic.
Whether your holiday style leans toward timeless reds and greens, sleek modern metallics or vibrant jewel tones, creating a festive home starts with decorating in a way that reflects you. As owner of Holiday Bliss, Woodbury resident Ryan Smith helps homeowners transform their spaces with everything from designer-quality décor to professional decorating services. Here, Smith shares his advice on choosing a holiday style, incorporating the latest trends and creating meaningful traditions that last for years to come.
For homeowners looking to refresh their holiday décor this season, where should they begin? How can they determine a decorating style or theme that feels right for their home and personality?
Any decorating, but especially decorating for the holidays, is very personal. Homeowners should think about a theme that will reflect their personal style but also trigger some nostalgia. Even though I personally love a themed tree, I will always have one tree in my home that is a mix of all of the ornaments that I have collected over the years, with the ones that my parents gave me front and center. I still receive an ornament each Christmas from them that is indicative of a milestone or event from that year.
Also, consider your decorating objective. Are you honoring a loved one? Are you trying to bring the outside inside? Are you going for a big wow factor because you’re hosting a party? Whatever the case may be, make it personal and reflective of that year. Don’t be afraid to get inspiration from YouTube or other social media platforms.
What elements help create a traditional holiday look? We are seeing a very traditional style trending again. Mixed greens with pinecones and holly with accents of matte or metallic gold is very classic. You can never go wrong with a classic red poinsettia if you’re leaning toward traditional. Use stems in trees, wreaths and garlands, and fresh poinsettias for tablescapes and centerpieces. Red, holiday green and gold are timeless, but if you want a twist, consider platinum or silver instead of gold. By the way, silver is making a huge comeback in 2026!
Ryan Smith. Photo: Keri Warren
How can homeowners achieve a modern or minimalist holiday look? For modern and minimal, stay with monochromatic colors and maybe bring in just a pop of an accent color like red, dark green, burgundy, navy blue or black. I encourage investing heavily in neutral design elements that become your base. Without adding any color, you have a beautiful display, but adding a pop of red through ribbon or floral brings it to life. The next year you can swap in navy blue instead. Black creates a very modern look. Pair black with burgundy for a more traditional feeling, or use black with gold, silver or platinum to keep it modern.
What’s the secret to using color effectively in holiday decorating? Color is important, but more critical than color is texture and finish. A combination of textures and finishes is what elevates a design. Make sure you are using plenty of stems and sprays in addition to ornaments. Poinsettias and amaryllis provide weight to a design, while bay leaf, honey locust and holly add texture and dimension. Pair bay leaf with crabapple or berry sprays for even more impact, and always add cedar or long-needle pine.
For a 7 ½-foot tree, use at least 12 to 18 of each decorative element. I don’t buy fewer than 24 stems or ornaments because you’ll use them throughout your decorating. Finally, mix matte, shiny and glittered finishes, and don’t forget ribbon—it elevates a design even more.
What holiday decorating trends are you seeing this year? Blue isn’t going anywhere. Mixing different shades of blue with silver, gold or platinum is still trending. Two colors you’ll see everywhere for Christmas 2026 are burgundy and silver. Jewel tones—including navy blue, burgundy and dark green—are all the rage and pair beautifully with platinum, gold or silver. Traditional holiday green, red and gold or platinum are also trending heavily for a classic look.
Photo: Brogan Moriarty
How can people make their holiday décor feel more personal and unique? Don’t be afraid to use large accents in your tree and decorating projects. Most people use ornaments that are all the same size, so there’s no variation or texture. Use giant ornaments, reindeer or gifts—even on a 7 ½-foot tree.
Also, don’t be afraid to mix styles. A traditional tree can include natural elements, like snowy twig sprays or berries, while a natural-themed tree can feature glittered bay [leaves] or sparkling ornaments. Finally, make sure you’re using clear glass ornaments, icicles or finials on every tree because they reflect both the tree lights and natural daylight beautifully.
What advice do you have for decorating with limited time? Invest in high-quality décor and grow your collection over time rather than buying a cart full of poorly made decorations. Start with the basics: a quality artificial tree with good lighting, lush garlands and plush wreaths. If you’re short on time or budget, decorate one or two spaces really well instead of trying to decorate your entire home. My motto is quality over quantity.
What makes holiday decorating so special? Christmas is definitely the most magical time of the year. Decorating your home isn’t done for others—it’s done for you and your family and then shared with others. For me, Christmas was always an extremely special time of year. I would help my mom decorate inside and help my dad hang lights outside, and from those happy memories, Holiday Bliss was born.
Decorating doesn’t feel like work at all. It’s all joy. I love looking back over the years to see how my styles have evolved, but all of it is steeped in those traditions that were instilled in me at a young age. For others, it’s about starting new traditions, and the best part of this job is helping families reconnect with old memories or create new ones. Happy decorating!
Holiday Bliss
YouTube: Holiday Bliss
