For many of us, the festive season doesn’t really start until the final decoration is placed upon the Christmas tree. Depending on when you put up your Christmas tree, this will be the centrepiece of your home for a time. That’s why it’s important to stay up to date with trendy and timeless Christmas tree decorating ideas. Here at Home Beautiful, we love Christmas too so we’ve compiled our favourite pieces of experts advice to help you out.
How to decorate a Christmas tree to look full
If you’re wondering how to decorate a Christmas tree to look full, you’ve come to the right place. Firstly, fluff and shape your Christmas tree. If you spend time thoroughly shaping each bough, working from the top up, your tree will look fuller. Secondly, group your ornaments together. You don’t have to simultaneously use all the Christmas decorations you’ve acquired over the years. “Organise your decorative ornaments into groups based on size, colour, or style, and apply each group as a separate layer, ensuring even distribution,” suggests Jennifer Derry, Chief Merchandising Officer at Balsam Brands.
“Step back frequently to check for empty spots and to make sure the decorations are well spaced on the tree.”
Jennifer Derry, Chief Merchandising Officer at Balsam Brands
Christmas tree decor trends
This season, Jennifer Derry, Chief Merchandising Officer at Balsam Brands has unquestionably seen decorations in mixed metallics fly off the shelves. Golds, champagnes and silves are all popular (and all tend to work in any home). “Another sophisticated trend mixes natural elements with golds – think earthy tones like soft greens and browns juxtaposed against champagne gold for an organic yet luxurious feel,” she explains. “Pastels are also having a moment.”
Decorating with texture
“Mixing and matching different materials in your ornaments such as glass, velvet, wood, and metal can add a lot of texture and visual interest,” says Jennifer. “Natural elements like pine cones, berries, dried citrus, and snow can also add texture and warmth. Lastly, adding on a set of lights in a different size, shape or colour bulb can create a multi-dimensional effect.”
A step-by-step guide to Christmas tree decorating
- Step 1
“A game-changing technique is replacing traditional ornament hooks with florist wire,” says Jennifer Derry, Chief Merchandising Officer at Balsam Brands. “It allows you to position each ornament exactly where you want it, securing them snugly against the branches for a more refined, clean and tailored look.”- Step 2
“Decorate your tree from the inside out, starting at the trunk and working toward the branch tips,” adds Jennifer. “Place your solid-coloured ornaments deeper within the branches to create the perfect backdrop for your more elaborate decorations on the outer layers.” This adds depth and dimension, while also filling gaps.- Step 3
Now pull these components together with a unifying element. “This could include a set of sparkling snowflakes or icicles, or even a set of clip-on LED tree candles,” explains Jennifer. “These can help bring the tree together and create a harmonious flow, especially if you’re decorating with an eclectic mix of ornaments that you have curated over years.”- Step 4
Purchase decorations in line with colours and styles you already know you love and you can’t go wrong. As Jennifer puts it, “Colour can be a unifier in your tree so if you buy into key colour themes, you’ll more likely find the perfect placement. And if your taste is relatively consistent, it will come together beautifully in the end.”
Try these Christmas tree decorating ideas
In preparation for the merriment to come, we’ve put together a list of some of our favourite Christmas trees from the pages of Home Beautiful. They showcase a range of styles, palettes and moods. In other words, there’s truly something for everyone. You’ll even see a few friendly and familiar faces. So scroll on and let the inspiration flow. Welcome to our 12 trees of Christmas! And who better to start with than our very own editor-in-chief, Elle Lovelock?
European touch
A berry merry Christmas
The ‘Monterey Pine Slim’ Christmas tree from Balsam Hill, which comes with lights attached, commands attention in the living room of Home Beautiful editor-in-chief Elle Lovelock. The ornaments that adorn this tree are the perfect blend of traditional and unexpected. Elle has layered a palette of metallic decorations and blue ribbon with a pop of red berries. “Perhaps it’s my northern European heritage, but I love using red berries. They’re in my tree, on my door wreaths, around candles, and as garlands attached to the pendant light above my dining table,” she says. The French Blue velvet tree ribbon from Balsam Hill is Elle’s favourite tree decoration.
Alfresco beauty
A Christmas tree with a view
An alfresco Christmas tree might not be the norm but with this one making use of stunning pastoral views, it could certainly start a trend. Homeowner Ali, from Ali Griffiths Interiors was originally from the UK before making a home in NSW’s Byron Bay. Instead of coastal views, it’s the hinterland that makes a stunning backdrop for their Balsam Hill Christmas tree, displayed proudly beside their alfresco dining area. Tactile touches reign supreme here. Paper decoration from Norsu Interiors and David Jones are paired with handpainted baubles, in soft tones of browns, greens, blues and neutrals.
Classic yet comfortable
A polished look meets practical styling
For stylist and designer Kate Nixon, the act of decorating the Christmas tree is important in creating cherised family moments. Most of the ornaments on her Balsam Hill ‘Fir’ tree have been collected from the family’s travels. “There are so many precious memories when the decorations are carefully unwrapped each year. This is one part of my life I don’t try to style! The kids get creative with their craft and my husband, Tim, loves to load up the lights,” she explains. These treasures are displayed beside poem baubles and beaded flowers from the Kate Nixon store. The tree has a pared back appeal, with classic motifs such as nutcrackers, Santas and snowmen. “I love an earthy palette of natural materials, tones and textures, and gathered pieces and treasures that will patina with age,” shares Kate.
A tall order
Extra height commands attention
Interior designer and experienced renovator Carlene Duffy likes to slowly add to her collection of Christmas decorations as the years pass by. Her latest addition? The Balsam Hill ‘Fraser Fir’ tree. “The high ceiling dwarfed our previous tree, but now it’s nearly three metres tall,” she says. A complementary ‘Winter Meadow’ garland from Balsam Hill graces the fireplace, a type of Christmas decoration that Carlene utilises throughout the rest of her home, especially around the railing of her staircase. Classic ornaments such as stars, reindeer and hearts are hung upon the tree beside bows of blue and red ribbon.
Pared back glamour
Understated yet elegant style
Tim and Anna Robards shot to fame in Australia as the original winning couple of The Bachelor so it makes sense that their Christmas decorating style is all about marrying two aesthetics. In this case, it’s understated style mixed with glamour. As Tim describes it, “Minimalist chic, but at the same time throwing in touches of glam with shining elements of silver and gold.” Their Christmas tree is classic, with touches of faux snow on the leaves and a palette of metallic and green baubles from The White Christmas. The shining star atop is the final flourish!
A touch of frost
Green, red and blue hues
Amy Spargo of Maine House Interiors gets her Christmas tree decorating ideas from traditional tableaus. “My decorating style is traditional in a classic palette of green, red and gold,” she describes. These warm tones receive a breath of fresh air in the form of coastal blues. Light blue ribbons tied in bows appear beside candy cane striped baubles and delightful skiing polar bears (complete with festive scarves). A gold star completes the picture atop the tree, while personalised santa sacks sit below.
Vintage twist
A mix of tarnished and twinkling finishes
A ‘European Fir’ tree from Balsam Hill is the centrepiece of interior stylist Kayla Gex‘s living area. It has a sparse design that at once mimics the look of a real tree and also spares room for beloved ornaments. Kayla uses a woven Christmas tree collar from Balsam Hill to hide the fir’s base and heighten the illusion of a real tree. “I try to create a classic Christmas feel in our home with red, green, vintage touches, tarnished brass and twinkling lights,” shares Kayla. “I miss the nostalgia of Christmas in the United States where it is decoration overload everywhere you go.” A Balsam Hill glass-bead tree garland adds a classic touch, wrapped around the tree.
Riot of colour
Eclectic and joyful
Ivy and Piper interior designer Melanie Parker describes her Christmas decorating style as “happy chaos.” “I love to do a mix of vibrant colours and then pare it back with touches of gold and white for an elevated feel,” she shares. Gold and a warm white are essential to this palette, to help ground the space and avoid overwhelm. “My tree is very eclectic and colourful but I do have a rule that we must only use warm white fairy lights on it,” Melanie explains. “Everything else is a wonderful personal mix of colourful memories.” Ribbons in an array of colours drape across boughs, beside round baubles and diamond-shaped ornaments.
Hamptons style
A bowtiful approach
Interior stylist Samantha of Beautiful House adds a touch of Hamptons style to her Christmas tree, with lashings of blue and white as far as the eye can see. “My colour scheme is shades of pale blue, navy and white,” she shares. The Christmas tree is artificial and has been in the family for years. Due to its size, it often takes Samantha two days to both construct and decorate it. Her favourite ornaments are from Adairs and Provincial Home Living. Samantha’s handmade stockings, available through Beautiful House, are hung by the chimney with care, complete with pretty blue bows. As to the question of whether a star or angel graces the top of the tree, Samantha chose neither. Instead, a white bow takes the crowning glory.
Pops of green
Sage advice
Neutral and green should always be seen in interior designer Katie Sargent’s living room. Here, these two tones meld with warm, honeyed hues. Although the Balsam Hill ‘Fir’ tree is the hero of the space, it’s the gifts hiding inside the Country Road present sacks that catch her children’s eyes. “I love anything textural,” Katie explains. “Lots of linen, ribbon.” Ornaments in the shape of classic Christmas symbols, including snowflakes, doves and trees, grace the tree alongside ribbons.
The real thing
Traditional, wintry tones
For interior designer Lisa Burdus’ first Christmas in England, she wanted to embrace the traditional wintry aesthetic. As such, she adorned the tree with Käthe Wohlfahrt decorations. She describes her Christmas decorating style as, “Layered, textured and colourful with a twist of tradition thrown in.” White and red baubles hang beside metallic, green baubles, with accents of gold coming in the form of stars and hearts. Her favourite decorations are the ribbons she has tied on the ends of the boughs. “It’s beautiful velvet ribbon tied into a bow with the names of special people attached,” she describes.
Golden baubles add a gilded touch of glamour to this otherwise understated yet impactful Christmas tree. Photography: Nicki Dobrzynski / Styling: Imogene Abady
Natural beauty
A country Christmas with gilded accents
It’s a country Christmas for homeowner Karon, who lives in the Southern Highlands of NSW with her family. Her Christmas decorating style reflects this, undoubtedly allowing the natural beauty of greenery to shine through a pared back palette. A majestic Balsam Hill tree is bedecked in glittering gold baubles from Suzie Anderson Home. It takes pride of place in the living room, where natural textures and neutral tones abound. Finally, soft, warm white lights keep the tree looking cosy while a garland atop the nearby fireplace complements the pastoral scenery.
Extend greenery throughout your home for the festive season. Add a complementary garland to your surfaces, such as this Balsam Hill ‘Fraser Fir Foliage’ garland. Top with a range of your favourite candles, ornaments and even a sneaky bottle of Moet for a festive and fun scene.
Christmas decorating tip
This article originally appeared on Home Beautiful and is republished here with permission.
