It’s no surprise that when it comes to holiday decor, we take a “more is more” approach. (In fact, we’ve already shared that we’re fans of having not one, but two – or more – coordinated Christmas trees in the home). And while we love nothing more than a tree dripping with hand-embellished ornaments, ribbon, tree picks and lots of lights, we know it doesn’t suit everybody’s style. So, we’re sharing our tips to perfectly decorated trees at three different levels: a little, a lot and over the top.
A LITTLE
A sparsely decorated tree is also an opportunity to do something a little different. Here, we started with large bows of ribbon with long tails interspersed throughout. Adjacent to each ribbon we included tree picks in the same color palette. Ribbons and trim add visual interest while maintaining a minimal look. Most noteworthy is the absence of ornaments! Should you choose to include them, place them sporadically (and evenly) around the tree. Or, for a fun and unexpected touch, place your coordinated ornaments in the dining room tablescape or an oversized bowl or glass vase on the buffet.
If your room features lots of holiday decor (think garland, wreaths and Santa figures) – or your style tends to be more minimal – you may choose to stop here. If you want to keep the merry-making going, grab another mug of egg nog and continue on to A Lot.
Get the look
A LOT
At this point, it’s most important to balance out any blank spots and make sure the tree is well covered from every angle. Add lots more ornaments and another style of tree pick throughout. Once you’re finished, crown the tree with a tree topper. To many, your tree could be considered complete here, but for the most ambitious holiday decor lovers of all, a third and final round is crucial.
OVER THE TOP
The key to this step is coverage – to an extreme. Fill every open space with more ornaments and tree picks, or an additional layer of ribbon bows. We want very little of the greenery below to peek through. If you started with a tree covered in lights, you’ll notice their shine seems to amplify here. The lights reflect off the abundance of ornaments and shiny extras, making it seem as though your tree has even more lights (our favorite bonus of an over-the-top tree!).
Can’t get enough? Here’s another one of our lifelike trees at three different levels of decorating. How do you decorate your tree? Follow us @frontgate and share your photos featuring #frontgate to show off your decorating skills.
