The Secret to Decorating a Beautiful Christmas Tree

Learn the secret to decorating a beautiful Christmas tree this holiday season with these helpful tips and tricks.

Have you ever been scrolling social media and stumbled on those elegant and beautiful designer Christmas trees and thought to yourself, “I could never do that.”  I’m here to tell you that it’s actually easier than you think; all you need is the right formula and supplies.

The secret to a beautiful Christmas tree is to work in layers, adding ribbons or garland, varying the size, texture, and style of ornaments, and maintaining a cohesive color theme. 

The Secret to Creating a Designer Christmas Tree

For over 10 years, I’ve been working with some of my favorite brands to decorate and showcase Christmas trees.  And, each year I learn a little bit more and hone in on my personal style.  I have been using this same basic method for decorating my trees over the years, and I want to share my top tips and steps with you.

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Step 1: Light it Up

Investing in a quality pre-lit artificial tree will help you achieve this professional look.  It is essential that before you start adding decorations, you fluff the tree branches.  Separating all of the tips within the individual branches. Pulling them apart and positioning them in different directions creates a full, fluffy look on the ends of your branches.

Even though your tree is pre-lit to get that designer look, consider adding additional sets of cluster lights. Light it up with strands of mini LED bulbs that are heavily concentrated to give you the WOW factor! I am obsessed with these cluster twinkle lights; they have 8 functions, so you can set the lights in “waves” if you prefer a soft twinkle. 

Step 2: Add the Ribbon

The ribbon is my favorite element of the Christmas tree.  It adds texture, color, and the WOW factor you see in designer trees.  It’s also the thing that intimidates most people, but this video and these tips will help you add the ribbon like a pro.

The style of ribbon is important.  Use 4″ wide (or wider) ribbon as the base and layer it with 2-3 other ribbon styles.  Start at the top of the tree.  I like to layer wide, wired ribbon together and create loops and bows to add dimension and texture. 

I cut the ribbon into 10-12″ long strips to maintain control over where the ribbon goes, looping and tucking them between branches.  Use floral wire to secure your loops and bows; this will help maintain a full look and help you secure them to the tree.

Layer your patterns and be sure to alternate your ribbon from the top of the tree down in a zig-zag pattern.

If you want to see a step-by-step tutorial, you can watch this video.

Step 3: Add Large Ornaments

These oversized shatterproof balls are great as a filler and look amazing tucked back inside the tree.  They create interest and fill any blank holes in the branches, and also help conceal the pole of the tree. 

When using oversized, heavy ornaments like these, be sure to use floral wire to secure them together and attach them to the tree.

Step 4: Add Floral Sprays 

Floral spray, also known as picks, creates texture and adds a natural element to the tree.  Clustering your florals is a great way to achieve that designer look.  When I’m using a green tree as my base, I like to add in clusters that give the illusion of snow-covered branches. Or if I’m using a flocked Christmas tree like this design, I will add in a few clusters of floral sprays with greenery to give it a natural element.

To create a cluster, you will need a mix of 3-5 different floral sprays.  Layer 3 different varieties together, separating them so the bottom one is pulled forward a little bit and the top two are angled out to the sides.  

When placing your floral sprays on the tree, work in a zig-zag pattern from top to bottom.  A good rule of thumb is one per foot of the tree, so a mid-size 8’ tree would use 8 floral spray clusters. 

Step 5: Add Decorative Ornaments

Now is the time to add any of the decorative ball ornaments that you have.  Incorporating a variety of sizes and textures, like these brown flocked ornaments, helps create visual interest in your tree.  When hanging ornaments, work in a triangle pattern and hang them in groups from top to bottom.  

Hang specialty ornaments on the ends of the branches where they will be front and center.  If you need to adjust where the ornament hangs, wrap the string around the branch a few times to adjust the length. It will also ensure the string is not a distraction to the design.

Remember to stick to a cohesive color scheme so that your tree has a visually harmonious and polished look.  When it comes to finding the perfect ornaments and ribbon for my tree, I always check my favorite Christmas store, the Decorator’s Warehouse, first.

Step 6: Finish it Off with a Topper

A tree topper is what will give your Christmas tree that designer, polished look.  I personally love the look of the gorgeous spray topper springing from the tree.  And this year, I added an LED Umbrella Light to the top of the tree.  I love how it lights it up and gives it an extra infusion of elegance.  But if you don’t like the look of sprays, there are lots of options for toppers, including stars, angels, or bows. Just be sure you add something to the top to finish it off.

With these tips, you’re all set and ready to create your own dream tree this holiday season.  Whether you choose to create a glam tree with a neutral color palette like this one, or you opt for a jewel-toned Christmas classic using this formula, you’ll have a beautiful designer tree in no time.