Style Your Holiday Tablescape with Behr’s Moody Color of the Year

Not every holiday color scheme has to be cheery and bright. Here's how to use Behr's color of the year—Cracked Pepper—for a festive tablescape.

This August, Behr announced their 2024 color of the year as a moody, soft black named Cracked Pepper (PPU18-1). The dark neutral is adaptable to any design style, from farmhouse to modern, and continues to grow in popularity. "We recognize the growing desire for using darker colors throughout spaces," said Jodi Allen, global chief marketing officer at Behr Paint Company, in a press release.

While dark colors are popping up all over homes (even in kitchens), they're also starting to appear in holiday decor. Stefanie Skelley, director of business development at Reverie Social, a luxury linen rental company, says that holiday tablescapes are the perfect place to incorporate the deep charcoal hue.

How to Use Black in Thanksgiving Tablescapes

Fall palettes traditionally consist of warm browns, burnt oranges, and the occasional pop of yellow, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add cool-toned hues like Cracked Pepper into the mix, says Skelley. With Cracked Pepper being named Behr’s 2024 color of the year, she anticipates an uptick of people pairing warm tones with cool ones.

Complement Warm Tones

The easiest way to use a combination of contrasting tones for fall is with a tablecloth full of traditional autumn colors with hints of the versatile almost-black sprinkled in. Complement small touches of the dark color with matching dark-gray candle holders, tapered candles, napkin rings, or chargers for your dinner plates. Skelley says including the sophisticated hue allows for interest and depth among classic warm tones.

Related: Tips for Creating the Ultimate Thanksgiving Tablescape

Purposeful Embellishments

Matilda Reuter Engle, owner of Middleburg Hospitality, suggests pairing Cracked Pepper vases, glassware, and containers with neutral chairs and linens. Incorporate rustic brown or creamy white for gentle contrast.

"For a standout table or daring, avant-garde display, I love a plaid or checkered tablecloth (or runner) that shows off a monochrome timeless design. Further refinement comes with incorporating natural elements for a touch of color—from pumpkins or gourds to dried leaves or berries to exude the fall abundance," says Engle.

How to Feature 'Cracked Pepper' in Christmas Tablescapes

Christmas is typically filled with bright, cheery colors that nod to the season's joy—but there's still for color much deeper than classic red and green. Cracked Pepper is versatile enough neutral to work well with multiple Christmas color schemes while offering a rare moodiness to holiday tablescapes.

Go with a Black-and-White Theme

Embrace a bold black-and-white color scheme for your table decor. Skelley suggests using the two contrasting colors in playful patterns for a more cozy and casual twist on the elegant pairing.

"While high-contrast table linens of black and white may be thought of as ‘more professional’ or suited for corporate events only, that's just not the case—especially during the colder months. By incorporating fun geometric or floral patterns, your black-and-white table can be both sophisticated and playful, the perfect combination for a holiday tablescape," says Skelley.

Related: 22 Festive Christmas Table Setting Ideas

Couple Cracked Pepper with Color

For a more colorful but moody Christmas tablescape, Engle suggests pairing Cracked Pepper with a deep red or burgundy, as well as nature’s seasonal colors of rich evergreens and rustic pinecones as an easy way to set an elevated yet festive table.

"For a softer look, pair the meditative black color with a chic pastel, such as a lighter green or pale maroon," Engle says. "This unexpected combination can bring a touch of warmth and playfulness to the table. Glassware, such as a display of finely-crafted cocktails in coupe glasses, is the perfect accent to play with a variety of colors and tones."

Look Beyond the Table

Engle says to look not just to tabletop items for incorporating this color of the year into your dining room, but to big-ticket items like a piece of furniture or a rug. "Look to larger pieces in the room, like your chairs, opting for sleek black seating with rounded tops and geometric cutouts. This approach works well if you’re opting for a simple, neutral tablescape but still want to offer a feast for the eyes that transcends traditional aesthetics," Engle says.

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