The ‘Ralph Lauren Christmas’ Trend May Be the Secret To Selling Your Home in the Offseason

With Halloween behind us and Thanksgiving nearly here, many homeowners are getting a jump on the Christmas season. 

Decorating is a time honored tradition, and every year comes new trends and ideas to spruce up your home to feel warm and inviting for the season. 

But if you’re thinking about selling your home before the year is out, you might be considering forgoing decorations to keep a clean, uncluttered aesthetic, according to real estate agents, designers, and even Jessica Alba.

Introducing a Ralph Lauren Christmas 

Scrolling through TikTok this year, you’ve undoubtedly stumbled upon plenty of posts touting the decor style of the season, dubbed the “Ralph Lauren Christmas” aesthetic. 

It’s a blend of classic holiday colors combined with simple elegance. It’s also a vibe that’s very easy to replicate. 

“The hallmarks of this style are classic and timeless,” explains Manuella Moreira, of Manuella Moreira Interiors. “Think traditional patterns like plaid and gingham, heavier and cozier textures such as wool, and rich saturated colors like deep reds, forest greens, navy blues, khaki, and cognac. Metals are also important, especially antique brass, which adds that refined and heritage-inspired touch. Altogether, it is a look that feels collected, layered, and effortlessly elegant.”

With that said, recreating the aesthetic could potentially be incredibly easy with items you already have in your home. But if you don’t, the pieces you’d need would stand the test of time.  

“The key is choosing pieces that transition easily year after year,” Moreira adds. “Classic ornaments in matte antique gold pair beautifully with many palettes and styles. Warm and neutral Christmas lights also work universally and never feel dated.”

If you’re on a tight budget or just someone who likes to have entirely new decor every year, one of the easiest ways to lean into the trend is to wrap gifts in plaid paper in shades of blue, green, or red—or use solid deep-blue paper with a plaid ribbon. 

“These are easy elements to swap out each year while still capturing the Ralph Lauren look,” Moreira says.

Selling your home at Christmas time  

If you’re thinking about putting your home on the market before the end of the year, you could be uniquely positioned to sell very quickly.

Historically, selling your home in the winter months means less competition and more interest from serious buyers. 

But that doesn’t mean you have to stop living in your home to sell it either. Cara Ameer, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker in Los Angeles and Florida explains that decorating for the holidays can actually be a plus. 

“A home that is tastefully decorated in a warm and inviting way can be appealing to buyers,” Ameer explains, adding it helps buyers envision themselves in the space. 

Decorations like a nice wreath on the door, a dining table with holiday-oriented decorations, and a tree trimmed with “a coordinated pattern of colored balls” like in the Ralph Lauren Christmas motif are typically “welcoming touches” buyers appreciate. 

Don't go overboard

“Too much decor that’s overwhelming, distracting, or tacky can cause buyers to focus on that versus the home itself,” warns Ameer. “You don’t want to be hiding any of your home’s features with decor to where buyers miss seeing it or being able to appreciate it.”

She adds that if you’re in the early stages of listing your home, and will potentially have to wait until the new year to put it through MLS, make sure to take your photos before your decorations go up. 

“Keep in mind, it may be better to take photos before holiday decorations go up so they won’t appear dated post holiday—especially the spring season. If that is not possible, you may need to have another set of photos taken if the home remains on the market post-holiday season.”

How Ralph Lauren magic could sell your home faster

To understand the potential power of the Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic, it may help to look at a high-profile example from this summer.

Following her divorce from Cash Warren, Jessica Alba put their $10 million Beverly Hills mansion on the market. In the listing description, the agent made sure to highlight the unique aesthetic of the home.

"The interiors are Ralph Lauren-inspired, light and bright, and beautifully proportioned," the description said. "This classic estate is truly an exquisite property providing sumptuous living in an exclusive location."

Whatever ultimately sealed the deal, the home sold for nearly double its purchase price—closing at $18.2 million for the seven-bedroom, 8.5-bath estate.

Was the Ralph Lauren aesthetic responsible? We may never know. But as Moreira explains, the style’s emotional resonance is real.

“More and more people are craving comfort, warmth, and a sense of familiarity at home, and Ralph Lauren captures all of those feelings effortlessly,” Moreira explains. 

“His aesthetic is iconic and recognizable to so many people. I think people are gravitating toward it because it evokes nostalgia and creates an environment that feels grounded, inviting, and reassuring during a season when we naturally seek those emotions.”