Minnie Driver's traditional English living room features the perfect color combination for Christmas

Red and green is the most beloved color combination for rooms come Christmas, and like us at H&G, British-American actress Minnie Driver is also a fan of this festive room color idea.

Green is in general a calming and relaxing color. Being the color that represents nature, it’s one that makes us feel good and positive. Pair green with red and you have a color combination that is guaranteed to bring festive cheer to the holiday season.

Getting complementary color combinations spot on isn’t always simple. Here, design experts tell us why they love this no-fail, classic color pairing.

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Finding the perfect living room color ideas come Christmas can make or break the whole aesthetic. Color really can be transformative in interior design, and it will be one of the most important decisions you face in your home. More often than not, it pays to honor tradition when it comes to what truly works.

Many people shy away from decorating with red, but red, especially when paired with an earthy green, can transform interiors, adding a sophisticated to fun aesthetic, so find out how best to use this confident color, from accent highlights to bold schemes.

While Christmas is the perfect time of year to experiment with playful color schemes and bold decor, a green and red color palette is a timeless alternative to the current trend for pink and metallic palettes. Like a warm and welcoming 'hug', you cannot go wrong with this tried and tested living room color trend.

A large christmas tree in the corner of an eclectic, cozy living room with a lit fire

Decorating with green is a wonderful choice no matter the season. Calming, creative and with strong links to nature, forest green is a versatile color that can work in many schemes.

‘Green reassures us on a very primitive level. We know we can find food and water, which means green equals life. Using dark greens in our home, brings in these feelings of reassurance and rest,’ says Karen Haller, color and design psychology specialist and author of The Little Book of Color, available at Amazon.

Decorator Kate Guinness believes that finding the perfect combination color to go with green is all about the particular mood or atmosphere you want to create. ‘Reds, or even pinks, always work well with greens though most other colors can work too, depending on the shade chosen.’

Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens, bringing years of interiors experience across the US and UK. She has worked with leading publications, blending expertise in PR, marketing, social media, commercial strategy, and e-commerce. Jennifer has covered every corner of the home – curating projects from top interior designers, sourcing celebrity properties, reviewing appliances, and delivering timely news. Now, she channels her digital skills into shaping the world’s leading interiors website.