Decorate Your Christmas Tree Like a Designer in 6 Steps

With the festive season being just around the corner, we’re first in queue for all the chic decorations to fill up our home this year. Now, if the high street is anything to go off–few brands are holding back on getting us excited and ready for what to come over the next few month. Main event being: Christmas. As with everything that you’re wanting to create or design, deciding exactly what theme you’re going after for can work wonders in both inspiring ideas of how to make it happen, and work as a guide on what you need to make it happen.

Once you’ve got an idea of the vibe you’re going for: the Christmas tree, festive home decor, mantel piece setting, and the idyllic tablescape can all fit into place.

How to style a Christmas Tree

It almost goes without saying that the Christmas Tree is the centrepiece; it’s the luminous piece that gives a home that warm glow and festive feel. This year’s trends show the moments of togetherness and what’s been important for us over the last year will be making Christmas extra special this time round, and we’re here for it. Whether you love a dramatic look or a sophisticated modern feel, there’s a stunning array of baubles, lights, tree skirts, and tree toppers that will give your Christmas tree that designer edge you’ve been dreaming about.

1) Choose the theme you’re going for

First things first, let’s decide on the theme you’ll be going for this year. Inspiration for Christmas trends are our favourite to yet, from eclectic opulence to classically nostalgic to sophisticated elegance. Whatever your style, imagination and celebrations are at the forefront of the looks we’ve found most popular and considering the year we’ve been through we’re full embracing the variety of trends for 2021.

Our favourite trend to hit the shelves at Inspiration Wholesale has to be the homely colour palette of red and white with their fun, bold ornaments that you’ll swoon over. While their traditional range has kept to the stunning candy cane and gingerbread men that we’ll never tire of, they have a pink and white range offers a modern take on traditional pieces, and quite simply, oozes glamour.

2) Spend time on getting the tree right

Choosing a base for your tree if the best place to start before adding the decorative elements to it. That is, do you prefer a faux tree or a real tree? If you’ve chosen a real one, you may want to consider taking a look at how full the branches are and if there are any gaps between them. A couple of gaps isn’t necessarily a bad thing; just keep them in mind when you source your decorations. A few larger statement pieces can make all the difference to fill the gaps.

Now that you’ve chosen your tree, make it a home somewhere in the living room or another room depending on the layout of your home. The secret to a perfectly dressed tree is in the preparation that goes into it. That’s why we’d always recommend to spend more time than you think shaping the tree and fluffing out the branches–it makes a huge difference when it comes to decorating and making extra room for sparkle. Lastly, to keep the tree sturdy, add a fabric tree skirt or baskets to the bottom of the tree to set the scene for the rest of the look. Bonus: They work a treat for hiding any unwanted wires from the lighting.

3) It’s all about the lighting

Once the tree is secure, switch the lights on and evenly wrap the lights around each layer of the branches. This way it’s easier to see where you’re placing them and how it looks. Drape one set from the top, and another starting from the bottom. Generally, there’s no such thing as too many lights when it comes to adding a warming glow to your tree. That said, the tone of lights are important to consider when it comes to achieving a look and feel you’re going for.

Christmas is all about the feeling, and lighting plays a huge part to getting that just right. Say you’re going for the ultimate Winter Wonderland look, soft white/blue LED lights will create that dazzling glow the perfect be the perfect way to bring the theme have the scattered around the tree to bring out the decorative pieces on the tree. Whereas if you’re going for darker colours to create a cosy ambiance, opt for warmer LEDs.

Also, consider the shapes of the bulbs themselves to the size of the tree. Smaller LED light strings are ideal for ones that are an average sized, but if you’ve snapped up a larger tree, consider going for the ‘globe’ shaped bulbs to compliment the scale of the branches.

4) Wrap the tree up in ribbons

When it comes down to choosing between tinsel or ribbon, we’d usually recommend going for the latter; unless you’re going for a more traditional theme. Ribbons work across all different styles and are the designers choice when it comes to decorating a luxurious Christmas tree. To make the best use of the lighting around the tree, opt for a solid colour ribbon. Not only do they help to bring they look beautiful but the solid colour means there’s an ambient glow when the lights reflect off the ribbon, making it all the more cosy, all season long.

5) Layer baubles, ornaments, and personal pieces

Generally, there are few rules when it comes to how many decorations to have on your tree. Whether you prefer a minimal, organic aesthetic for your tree or one that embraces maximalism, you can add as much or as little as you like. It’s your tree. There are, however, some handy tips that will help with layering your design ideas and avoid the tree looking out of sync with the intended theme.

• Arrange large statement pieces of a similar design across the face of the tree, Thunderbolts style: top, sides, and bottom
• For all statement ornaments it’s better to purchase four of the same to create a layered affect across the tree
• The repetition of where you place the baubles and ornaments will keep the tree looking balanced and will help to avoid clumping them together
• Use solid-coloured baubles to keep the colour palette you’re going for consistent, and use any smaller baubles or ornaments as fillers
• Side note for dog owners: If you have baubles that bounce, place them at the bottom and the others that are more fragile towards to top to avoid them, likewise secure any foam and polyester pieces tightly on the branches especially if your dog love a nibble

6) Top your tree with something special

We’re naturally inclined to gaze at the very top of the tree before looking at everything else surrounding it–making the tree topper all the more important. Whether you’re going modern or traditional, glam disco ball or classic star, there’s an abundance of different styles when it comes to adding the ‘cherry on top’ and tying the look together in a harmonious way.

At this point you’ll be half way through the Michael Bublé Christmas playlist (of course) and you’ll have all the lights on, ribbon sewn through, and all the baubles added on to your Christmas tree. Now, it’s time to add the tree topper on. If like us, you’ve had our favourite tree topper slope to the side or fall off, you’ll be pleased to know by tying pipe cleaners, cable ties, or ribbon have been known to do the trick.

Photo credits: 1. Inspirations Wholesale 2. Studio McGee 3. Inspired by Charm 4. Janie Molster 5. Emmerson & Fifteenth