How to Decorate Your Christmas Tree Like a Professional Designer

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By Kerry Fletcher ASID
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Decorate Your Christmas Tree Like a Professional Designer

Would you like to know how to decorate a Christmas tree to be the focal point of your room and not just a place to hang your family ornaments? This article will teach you how to decorate your Christmas tree in a professional manner to compliment your decor using your family ornaments and a few extras, just as a designer would.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Decide on the overall designer color scheme of your Christmas tree. It could be all gold, red & gold & green, red & silver, pink & white - the options are endless. The color scheme should compliment the color scheme of the room it is going into. There are many non traditional ornament colors available, such as aqua, plum, olive green, and navy, that will give your tree an updated look.
Step 2

Decide if your Christmas tree is going to have a theme. The theme could be angels, Disney characters, stars, nutcrackers, snowflakes, or anything you can dream up. Having a theme is optional.
Step 3

Purchase Christmas ornaments, garland, florals, ribbons, feathers, and any other designer items that compliment your color scheme and theme, if you have a theme. Select ornaments and trims that are over sized. Christmas ornaments in a multi-pack work great because they are usually less expensive, however purchase different types of multi-packs so not all the ornaments look exactly alike. You can get multi-packs at hardware stores, craft stores, discount stores, and online. I would suggest 10 large Christmas ornaments per foot height of tree. Consider using natural elements on your tree such as pine cones, grape vine, or twigs. You can also use artificial natural elements such as Christmas ornaments shaped as birds or butterflies.
Step 4

Once you have all your materials, you should put on your Christmas lights first before you decorate with ornaments. Make sure you put the lights on evenly, both towards the trunk of the Christmas tree and towards the outside of the tree. Use approximately 100 lights per foot of tree. If you have a 6' tree, you should use 600 lights (6 strands of 100 count lights).
Step 5

After the lights are on and you have checked that they are working properly, it is time to decorate using the garlands, florals, ribbons, and any non-ornament that you have purchased. There are many ways to add garlands to your tree. You can add the garlands running from the top of the tree down, tucking the garland into the tree about every 2 foot going down. Another option is to run garlands in a circle around the outside of the tree. A third option is to run the garlands in a circle around the trunk of the tree.
Step 6

Next, decorate your Christmas tree starting with a single multi-pack of ornaments (if you have purchased multi-packs) and attach those ornaments evenly over the tree. Move on to decorating with the next box, periodically stepping back and looking at your progress. Keep decorating with the ornaments evenly until you run out. I would suggest placing larger ornaments towards the bottom and inside of your tree and your smaller ornaments towards the top and outside of your tree.
Step 7

Now it is time to decorate with your family ornaments. Whether it is a craft your child made in school or an ornament from your last vacation, a Christmas tree should be decorated with memories. Consider purchasing a new ornament each year for your tree that will remind you of something special. An popular option is to make your yearly ornament a small ornament photo frame with this year's photo with Santa.
Step 8

Add a tree topper and tree skirt to finish off the tree decor. The Christmas tree topper could be a traditional star, angel, Santa, fancy designer bow, or anything else that will top off your tree.
Step 9

For extra special designer flair, you can color coordinate your gift wrap to your tree. Use multiple colors, textures, and patterns of paper and ribbon for interest. Brown craft paper with fancy bows is always a designer favorite.