There is nothing I enjoy more around the holidays than DECORATING… (mostly because my skills don’t include cooking or baking—-so, I’m not someone who you will find in the kitchen making all sorts of holiday cookies and treats. 😉 Though, I do decorate a pretty good Gingerbread House!) Ever since I was a child, I enjoyed helping out with the Christmas decorations–making ornaments, decorating the tree, creating little holiday “vignettes” throughout the house, you name it. I was fortunate to have a grandmother who was exceptional at this, so I used to shadow her , and help out when she put out all the decorations every year. My mother has always been quite amazing with her decorating skills as well—year after year, I am forever impressed by what she comes up with. So, I guess its only natural that I would also love decorating the home for the holidays– I learned from some of the best!
Last year, I decided I should offer Christmas Tree decorating services, in addition to the Interior Design services I offer to my clients. We put so much effort into designing the rooms, that it’s such a nice touch to have the Christmas Tree match all the beautiful new decor! I decorated quite a few trees– each one different, and each matching the colors I used to design the spaces. Sometimes there is nothing more beautiful than color coordinated holiday decor! This year, I was able to decorate a few more really beautiful trees, and will be sharing them once I photograph them later this week!
I share a lot of photos of the Christmas Trees I decorate for clients (and myself) on social media, and people often ask me questions about decorating their trees…so I wanted to share a few of the things that I do, to make a Glamorous Christmas Tree for the home…
CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATING TIPS:
1) Real or Fake?
If you are buying an Artificial Tree, you save a lot of time with stringing the lights, and for me there is nothing better than assembling a fake tree in a few minutes— and then its already lit and ready to decorate. (Artificial Trees are my personal preference— I’m a bit of a perfectionist, and love the symmetry of a “fake tree”…unless I can go all “Edward Scissorhands” on a real tree..lol, the artificial trees work best for me! Though, I do love the scent of a nice, real Christmas tree too!)
Another decorating tip in working with Real Trees, is that the branches aren’t as strong, so lighter ornaments will work best on it. The heavier ones don’t work as well. I use a lot of lighter ornaments, ribbons ,and sprays on real trees to fill it up.
2) Size Matters…
Size it right– I like to choose a tree that is about a foot less than the ceiling height to leave room for bows or a dramatic tree topper. (this height rule is used for more traditional 8, 8.5, or 9 foot ceilings– if it’s over that, really, any tall tree works!)
3) Traditional or Unconventional?
I’ve been using a lot of White Trees this year– in some more modern spaces a white tree just looks so amazing! I am also a big fan of the more edgier trees— like the Silver Ombre one pictured above. Flocked trees (also pictured) are another favorite– they look so beautiful in traditional homes! You can really never go wrong with the classic Green Tree…it always works!
4) Ribbons & Bows
I absolutely love the look of ribbons on a Christmas Tree. Too much ribbon is never enough! I prefer to pick two different WIRED ribbons (wired works best, because you can really mold it into place perfectly) about 2 1/2″ to 4″ wide. I usually choose two different colors—sometimes one metallic, and then one in whatever you want the dominant color to be. Or, sometimes I mix one ribbon with a pattern, and then one in a solid color. Michael’s is the best source for this– with lots and lots to choose from. I usually buy ONE ROLL of RIBBON per drop, so that one roll will take you from the top of tree to the bottom, with just a little extra left over. Typical 8 foot trees take about 6 to 7 rolls of ribbon. So split that in half, and buy half in one color, and half in another. Side note: I set all the ribbons BEFORE I place the ornaments. It’s much easier this way.
5) Ornaments
It’s best to buy just a few boxes of beautiful, embellished ornaments, and then fill in the rest with “filler” ornaments. (this helps out the BUDGET a lot too!) The filler ornaments are the traditional christmas glass ball ornaments, in solid colors. I usually pick 2 to 3 different colors, and mix them together. Those can easily be found at Michaels and even Home Depot. The more decorative ornaments can really be from anywhere— I always love all of Pier 1’s Christmas Ornaments, definitely worth checking out!
6) Puttin’ on the Glitz
Once all the ribbons and ornaments are up, I like to fill in empty spaces with “Sprays.” These are those beautiful, glittery things that you stick in the tree to add some sparkle. Sometimes I use them at the top of the tree around the bow or star, and then add a few in all around the tree where there are empty spaces to fill. Again, Michael’s has a HUGE selection. But, be prepared….these things also create a beautiful, Glittery Mess!! A client of mine taught me the trick to spray them with hairspray to prevent the glitter from coming off, and that works wonders! I still always manage to be extra sparkly when I finish up decorating a tree though..lol.
7)Faux is the Way to Go…
Once the tree is all completed, I like to add a few fake presents and gift boxes under the tree to tie in the color theme of the holiday decor. Shoe boxes work very well for this. Use wrapping paper and bows that compliment the colors of your tree. It’s a small touch that makes it look extra fabulous, kind of like a “Department Store Tree”! (they are always the best!) Though just make sure no one accidentally opens one of the fake boxes, as they will surely be disappointed! lol.
Well, I hope you enjoyed some of the tree decorating tips…I can’t wait to share some of the beautiful trees I created for my clients this holiday season! Stay tuned for some of those photos a little later this week. Happy Holiday Decorating!!
–Alena 🙂
