Do you love to decorate your Christmas tree, however don't seem to get the designer look you are after?
Interior designers have many tips and tricks for how to decorate a magazine worthy Christmas tree.
If you want to have an elegant designer Christmas tree this year, here are a few suggestions.
The Tree
For a designer look, select a real Christmas tree instead of an artificial one.
Your Christmas tree should be as tall as possible, symmetrical, and very full for the most drama.
Make sure it does not touch the ceiling (don't forget about the height of your Christmas tree stand and the tree topper) and that it is not so wide that you can't walk past it without brushing against it.
You can choose a tree with or without flocking.
Designers know that the experience of admiring a Christmas tree should also involve your sense of smell, so a fresh tree wins over an artificial tree.
Your tree should look good without any decorations, so spend a little extra to get the best Christmas tree with a straight center trunk and even branch spacing.
Know where your tree will be in your home so it will be very visible. Understand where you will plug in your Christmas lights. If you have to move furniture, where will that furniture go while the tree is in place?
Your Christmas decor should complement that room's vibe and not look out of place.
Lights
The addition of Christmas lights is where most people skimp on decorating their Christmas tree.
Your Christmas tree should have a minimum of 1 strand of 100 white or clear Christmas lights per foot height of tree.
A 12 foot tall Christmas tree needs at least 12 strands of lights.
Make sure that all of the Christmas lights are the exact same since strands that look similar can often have a slightly different light color (some white lights may look more blue while others more orange).
Most designers prefer warm white lights for a cozy feel.
Green trees need green wire Christmas lights and heavily flocked trees need white wire Christmas lights.
Your lights should be applied starting at the bottom back trunk of the tree, run towards the tip of one branch, then back towards the trunk for each and every branch - not just around the outside.
For added designer flair, you can double or triple the amount of lights used since Christmas decor will hide most of the lights.
Also consider adding a few strands of white or clear lights that have a slightly larger light bulb mixed throughout your Christmas tree for variety.
Designers love to add a bit of sparkle by using 1 or 2 strands of slow twinkle string lights #ad spread throughout the tree, however don't confuse them with flashing or blinking lights that are too harsh.
Decorating Plan
Before using your existing ornaments to decorate your tree like you have in the past, you should create an overall plan to get an elegant designer look.
Taking into consideration the room your Christmas tree will be going into, decide the color scheme of your decorations and the overall feel you wish to evoke.
Feel free to reference our Pinterest Christmas board for inspiration.
A Christmas tree covered in crystals would be out of place in a log cabin and a Christmas tree covered in grapevine and pine cones would be out of place in a clean modern loft.
If you have an all white room, an all white Christmas tree would be a good suggestion and if your room is very colorful, then a colorful color scheme would work well for you.
You may wish to have a theme for your Christmas tree, such as stars, snowflakes, or vintage items, however having a theme is optional.
You might want to gather your existing Christmas decorations to evaluate what you have and decide whether you need to purchase more before proceeding.
If using multiple colors, most designers like to use a 60/30/10 plan where 60% of the decor is the main color, 30% of the decor is the secondary color and 10% of the decor is the third color. Using an equal amount of each color can feel flat and basic.
Evergreen Filler
If your Christmas tree is not as full as you would like, then add some fillers.
Designers know that fillers can also be used to add texture and variety, which is especially important on trees that are decorated with only one or two colors.
Using real plants as fillers is best, but high quality artificial fillers are also good. Plant clippings from your garden are a nice touch, however make sure to monitor them for freshness every day.
You can use another type of evergreen tree branches or other high quality faux floral type items, however avoid cheap contemporary tinsel type items.
Consider using a lighter colored filler, such as real or faux eucalyptus #ad for variety.
Another good option is magnolia leaves with their green glossy front and brown back.
Apply the fillers evenly throughout your tree until you cannot see the wall behind your tree.
Garland
You may add garland if you wish, however it is optional.
If applying garland, research more contemporary and unique ways to apply the garland .
Ornaments
When selecting ornaments for your tree, avoid smaller sized ornaments that are smaller than the size of your fist.
The larger the ornaments, the fewer you need and the more important they become, however don't go any bigger than a cantaloupe in most cases.
Select high quality ornaments and make sure to fill your tree so approximately 1/4 to 1/2 of what you see is the tree and the other 1/2 to 3/4 is the ornaments and other decor.
A current trend is to cover Christmas trees with juvenile and cheap oversized looking decorations that completely cover the entire tree so no tree is visible, however this is not very elegant. Keep in mind that you usually see these overstuffed trees in stores that are just trying to sell more ornaments.
Some designers like to only put ornaments on the outside tips of the tree branches while others like to put ornaments deep inside the tree, on the tips, and halfway in between. Experiment with your tree to determine what looks best to you.
If you have multiple identical or nealey identical ornaments, put all of those ornaments on the tree at the same time to ensure that they are equally distributed before proceeding to a different ornament.
About every 5 minutes, step back and admire your tree from a distance. Ensure that everything is looking the way you intended before going back to decorating.
Extra Additions
If your tree does not look as full as you like or you want a bit more texture or sparkle, you can add extra additions to make your Christmas tree extra interesting.
Consider adding more evergreen fillers, berry floral sprays, metallic items, crystal items, pine cones, jingle bells #ad, dried fruit, grapevine, or other items that are not ornaments.
Make sure to apply the extra additions evenly throughout your tree.
Designers know that you don't have to shop in the Christmas section for items to decorate your Christmas tree. Some of the most interesting trees use items like uniquely colored florals, vintage items, figurines, or other unique items that show their personality.
Don't Be Too Trendy
It seems that there is a new Christmas trend every year that people tend to gravitate towards.
Adding a few trendy ornaments to your Christmas tree is fine, but keep in mind that the more popular the trend the more out of style it will become.
Avoid spending all of your Christmas decor budget on items that you will not want to use in the future because they look dated.
Designers know that it is often best to spend your Christmas decor budget on a few high quality special pieces that you will want to reuse year after year. Decorating with pieces from many different years gives your tree a more quality look and is more sentimental than buying all new decor every year.
Top and Bottom
Don't forget about the top and bottom of your tree.
Your Christmas tree topper and tree skirt should be in the same style as your tree (a Christmas tree topper is optional).
Some people like to use a Christmas tree collar #ad either with or without a tree skirt.
You can choose a proper tree skirt to put around your tree that is at least the same diameter as your tree or you can simply gather a blanket or other large piece of cloth to drape around your tree since it will soon be covered up with gifts.
Some popular Christmas tree toppers include ready-made toppers bought at a store (such as a star), bows, or unique DIY creations using ribbon, floral picks, and creativity.
Finish off your Christmas tree decorating by wrapping gifts for under the tree in gift wrap and ribbons that complement your tree decorations. Consider selecting at least 3 wrapping papers and at least 3 ribbons that complement your tree, then mix and match the paper and ribbons to create different pairings when decorating your gifts.
Instead of decorating with gifts (or before you have a chance to wrap your gifts), consider decorating under your tree with poinsettia plants.
Other Articles You Might Like:
How to Fluff an Artificial Christmas Tree into the Correct Shape
How to Create a Sophisticated and Elegant Christmas Collection
