VISIONS OF SUGARPLUM

Amid a seasonal sea of red and green or silver and blue, there's a sweet, alternative palette in holiday decor.

Think of fresh fruits and delectable candies, and you're on the right track -- it's an enticing, enchanting array of sugarplum hues that home decorators can have fun with.

"Pair candy-apple red, plummy pink and berry-bright florals with winter greens for a centerpiece," suggests Melissa Benham of the Chicago interior design firm Studio Gild. "Ornaments in these hues provide an unexpected color pop on the Christmas tree, or a fun twist on the classic menorah when used for Hanukkah candles."

Los Angeles-based designer and author Orlando Soria says color is key to making your holiday celebration shine bright.

Even if you've got a rather motley collection of decorations, "adding in plum and berry-hued fabrics, candles, accessories and ornaments is a great way to create a cohesive color scheme," he says.

This photo shows Anthropologie's colorful felted wool berry garland, which can go on the tree, the mantel, a staircase railing or on the holiday table.Antropologie ~ Associated Press

Target has Opalhouse's soft cozy throw pillows, with either a plaid pattern or "Oh, What Fun" typography, in fresh and festive hues.

The Merrily collection at Pier 1 includes hand-blown stemless wine glasses painted with kicky modern trees in pink, peach and berry. A candy-blue throw pillow is embroidered with the phrase "Merry & Bright" and decorated with tassels. For the tree, there's a garland of felted gumballs.

Sets of wool-wrapped or bottle brush trees in gently hued macaron colors would look pretty on a table with other soft textures and coordinating taper candles; find them all at World Market. Also in sugary pastels is an array of cute little deer at Homegoods, complete with fluffy, marabou-feather collars.

At Wayfair, you'll find tinsel trees in a range of sizes in fruity shades like grape, plum, raspberry and orange. At Horchow , find trios of similarly hued bottle-brush-style trees for display. And Walmart has 40-inch-tall plastic lollipop ornaments in cotton candy, key lime and blueberry; they might be fun on a garden fence or front-porch railing.

Dress up the tree, mantel, staircase or holiday table with Anthropologie's colorful, felted-wool berry garland. Deck out the Christmas tree with glass ribbon candy or rock candy ornaments in yummy hues, and top it off with a Ferris wheel tree topper festooned with brightly hued tassels. Also here, a boxed set of delicate glass macarons; the ornaments would make a lovely gift for a sweets lover or Francophile.

This undated photo shows Ballard Designs' Nutcracker collection of ornaments. Each handmade, handpainted 3D ornament features a character from the iconic holiday play. (Ballard Designs via AP)Ballard Designs ~ Associated Press

You'll find more faux sweet treats for the tree or holiday display at Barney's New York, where Kurt Adler's peppermint-candy garland, sprinkle-topped ice cream cones and wrapped-candy ornaments bring all the sweet dreams of the sugarplum season home in style.

Christopher Radko's glass Candy Castle ornament at Horchow depicts detailed candy canes, peppermints and ice cream in hand-painted Polish glass. A tasty-looking, 9-foot gumdrop garland can be had from House of Holiday.

And finally, sweeten the front yard holiday display with Hammacher Schlemmer's Thousand Points of Light indoor/outdoor tree. Available in several sizes, its fiber-optic lights in bright candy colors can be set to swirl and play continuously or set on a timed display. Now that's visions of sugarplums truly dancing.