It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… and as the first weekend in December approaches, we asked Jennifer Derry, interior design expert and Chief Merchandising Officer at Balsam Hill, to give us her top tips to make your tree look like a pro’s.
Firstly, the number of baubles you need to cover your tree is dependent on both the size of your tree and the size of your decorations.
First, look at the width and height of your tree – is your tree full or slim? Taller, fuller trees will need more decorations. The coverage of decorations on your tree is also down to personal preference; some people prefer a maximalist look while others may want to opt for a paired-back look which enables more of the tree to be visible.
You next want to think about the size of your decorations. The larger the bauble the less you’ll need but mixing up different sizes is a wonderful way to create continued interest as your eye moves over the tree.
Balsam Hill has its very own Decorations Calculator to help you accurately work out how many baubles you might need for your tree but, generally speaking, a 6ft tree with a full shape is going to need around 135 baubles for standard coverage.
In order to decorate your tree like an expert you first need to build a theme. Having an element – be that a colour palette, bauble collection, or interest (such as this year’s coinciding of the football with the festive period) – that ties everything together is a surefire way to make your tree look professionally decorated.
This year, two of the big trends in decorations are the Roaring Twenties and quintessential Christmas Red & Gold.
The Roaring Twenties sees a dramatic mix of metallics, using gold with accents of silver set against the opulence of beads and feathers, as well as crystal garlands that hark back to the headiness of the era as well as eclectic finishes such as capiz shell which adds a pearl-like shimmer.
Within the Red & Gold trend, we see the return of vintage Christmas favourites such as nutcracker ornaments that provide warmth and nostalgia. This colour trend is also great as it can really be tailored to suit any style; maxed out like a Hollywood film, or given a modern twist with merry minimalism.
Once you’ve settled on your theme, you’ve secured your tree and strung your lights, it’s time to start decorating. Start by dividing your tree into three sections, starting from the top and working down to the middle and then bottom section. You’ll also want to divide your decorations accordingly to ensure there is enough of each type of decoration for each section, helping you to create a balanced and cohesive overall look.
It’s a great idea to start with your largest decorations. A top tip to create more depth is to layer your decorations, placing these larger baubles deeper into the foliage and building up around them, filling the gaps with smaller decorations as you go. For a professional look, you’ll want an even spread of baubles with different textures and tones, so be sure not to place decorations that look very similar too close to one another.
Finally, add a tree topper to complete the look! Your topper might be a family favourite that you’ve used forever, but don’t be afraid to change up your topper to compliment your chosen theme. You can look beyond the classic angels and stars and try creating custom toppers for example by using paper or card.
