New Year, New Me – or so they say!

Your resolutions for 2018 may have already gone off the rails, but don’t worry – February offers a second chance at a new year! Chinese New Year is a 15-day holiday on the Chinese Lunar calendar that’s bursting with ancient traditions to inspire some super-stylish decor you’ll love living with.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

That’s a Mandarin wish for a prosperous year. And here are some home decor ideas inspired by the traditions and themes of the Chinese New Year.

1. A Classic Color Combination

Red and gold are traditional colors in Chinese New Year celebrations. In Chinese culture, red symbolizes prosperity while gold symbolizes wealth. Bring both into your home for a look that is rich and bold.

Not sure where to start? Here’s some inspiration.

This living room by interior designer Mary Philpotts McGrath, featured on the Traditional Home website, is a gorgeous example of red and gold decor.

Leggy furniture floats on a brilliant red rug, balanced by a chunky Asian console and gold leafed art on the back wall. It’s evocative without being at all costume-y.

And here’s a completely different take on the combination.

This modern, neutral space – from Architectural Digest Russia – is brought to life with a large, red and gold abstract painting.

Then, there’s this tailored red room featuring golden trim.

This bold yet formal room is from a gorgeous hotel project by international designer Stef Albert.

What’s obvious is that this dramatic color scheme can work in a variety of settings. (We found all these gorgeous red and gold rooms on Pinterest.)

2. Pop-Meets-Asian Art

The enigmatic gaze of the model, along with the yellow, red, turquoise, soft pinks and purples, make this wall art a real conversation starter. And a great feature piece to bring all kinds of color into your room.

Who is this Asian lady and what kind of life did she lead? Maybe this Zhen Zhen metal from Boho Luxe Home depicts a Chinese noblewoman. A lady-in-waiting to the Empress? Perhaps. We love the pearls on her headdress and the intricate design of her cheongsam.

These days she’s content to be a watchful eye in your home, quietly judging the placement of your coffee table books or your choice in boyfriends.

3. Bright and Bold Lights

In lieu of traditional Chinese New Year fireworks, we suggest these red Turkish lanterns.

(But wait – Turkish lanterns – in a post about a Chinese holiday?) Well, yes. We believe in layering color, pattern – and cultures – to create a home that feels collected. These pendants expand the theme of “prosperity red” and we love the shine and glitter. Bright, striking and far from boring, they would add an exotic vibe to any room.

4. An Auspicious Cellaret

Traditional Chinese homes didn’t have built-in closets. Instead, the Chinese built cabinets in a variety of sizes and shapes, because they valued versatility – and needed them for multiple types of storage

We love this bright red chest against a blue and white chinoiserie wallpaper. The functional and decorative metalwork makes it a great stand-in for a real Chinese cellaret.

A piece like this can hide paperwork or conceal a well-stocked bar – just in time for celebrating the brand new Year of the Dog. (Which reminds us, we know a great drinking game for the holiday! But that’s definitely another story.)

5. A Lush Pillow

You’ve been warned. Bold colored velvet is making a major comeback. Recently velvet was seen on many runways and it should make its way into your home in 2018!

Is anything richer than velvet?

We can’t wait to sink into these luxe velvet pillows from Boho Luxe Home.

If you’d like a little more Chinese Red in your life – a color full of history and tradition that manages to remain totally up to date – take a look at these photos from China!

So how will spend the Chinese New Year?

And will you use red and gold, velvet or Asian pieces in your home in 2018?