We are discussing decorating your Christmas tree and mantle tips and tricks as well as sharing our favorite decor for this holiday season.
How many of you immediately think of The Holiday when you think about Christmas. That adorable cottage with all of its charm. All defined by a variety of patterns that gives a warm and cozy feeling when combined with the rustic architecture.
Nancy Meyers is exuding so much idealistic holiday inspiration that we can't take it! It jump starts the imagination and paves the path to your very own Christmas Winter Dream! Luckily, all of those classical elements that we so enjoyed growing up, are finding their way back in this ever changing world.
Fashion and design are so closely related that where you see one, the other shall follow suit. This is especially exciting when trends come into play. Think rich lush tones of Oak, Navy, Light Blue, Brown, Amber, deep reds or burgundy's. That texture with a little jewelry embellishment and you have the perfect tree.
What does this mean for the ultra traditionalist who wants to see all of those ornaments from your child's school or those we have collected overtime? Traditional means so much that people have a hard time stepping away from that. So how do you bring an ever changing palette to a traditional theme? We are here to walk you through that process so you hopefully get that stunning tree!
It is known we have stepped into what is being coined the Dickens Era. Instead of opting for the bright red, trends are leaning more into the deep reds and silver. Silver and gold are quintessentially classic. Here are all the steps needed to create a beautiful tree and mantle that can make all of that overthinking and accidental breaking of your favorite pieces a thing of the past.
Christmas Tree
Step 1:
We likely have all made the purchase of the bushy, full body tree. You were probably made to believe that you do not want spacing because that likely means your tree is old and the brissels are on the floor more than your tree. Let's debunk this theory and let me tell you why! The body of your tree in an ideal world should have spacing. This does not mean let your 15 year old tree go bald! The spacing, when considering purchasing a new tree, will allow all of those beautiful ornaments to show.
Here are a couple of options I love at different price ranges and functionality!
Balsam Hill Yukon Slim for up to 12’. This tree in its slimmer nature is perfect for high ceilings so you don’t have to remove as much furniture. Having a smaller footprint allows you to maximize the height without sacrificing your surface area.
Step 2:
You have your tree. Now it's time to decorate. You can come at this two ways. At this time you consider if you are blending the traditional tree with the glam or maybe you do the traditional tree some where like a family gathering place such as basement hang out space or kitchen and alot the elegant glam tree for the livingroom.
Step 3:
Let's pick the ornaments. You will first want to take stock of the tones in your room and pull from there. This will guide your ribbon and ornament selections. Theatrical ornaments and picks are making more of an exit as we see those classic ornaments coming back. Don't worry! We love the picks in mantle garland and staircase rails!
Pro Tip:
Start with 5” ornament at the bottom and then ombré to 3” from the middle section to the top with your base color (silver, white, gold, brown, red). These are the ornaments you will want to bury deep in the tree in those spaces that have emptiness. It allows the tree to show its depth.
You will not want to spend a fortune on these because these are buried deeper. Ideally you will want 6-8 style variety's.
Next will be the investment pieces. The gorgeous, classic, timeless ornaments that will be placed on the outside branches.
Pro Tip:
Purchase the number per foot of tree when you buy ornaments.
Example: 8’ tree means 8 ornaments.
Step 4:
Fasten all ornaments using wire. Invest in those gorgeous ornaments and wire it in. Don't be scared to use a hot glue gun to make sure the tops of the ornaments do not pop off. Nothing is more disappointing then when your favorite ornament crashes to the floor.
If your budget is tight, you can always do ribbon bundles in silk and velvet. I suggest a 1"-2" ribbon in a silk velvet without the structured wiring because the drape is just so stunning. When placing on the tree keep in a triangular pattern for special placement perfection.
Mantles
Step1:
Completely clean mantle to ensure command hook sticks. Let them hang out there a little bit. Don’t turn on fire place for 24 hours. You want those hooks to adhere to the surface really well so you don't get that crash as all of your hard work falls to the floor. Trust me!!
Pro Tip:
Have on hand the heaviest weight command hooks and be prepared to double up for that extra heavy garland. Connect nice garland to cheap base garland from Amazon. I will attach links to some great garland options for base and show pieces.
Step 2:
After the garland is in place, this is where those beautiful picks can come out in all their glory. Pine, juniper, ribbons and bells layered create a dramatic and creative look! In this season, adding more with candles and decorative pieces creates a desired interest! Mantles when done right have really transformed into the show stopper!
Stocking
How cute is this stocking!! Velvet and fringe with that sweet bow detail is just the right amount of lux and sass meets a sweet innocence. I can't contain myself!!
For the lovers of vintage, I love the mix of velvet with the print that feels very old and telling of its own sweet history.
Happy Decorating Friends!
XOXO
Élevé Design Collective
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