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Courtesy Soho Home

85 Christmas Tree Ideas That Prove It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Whether you prefer the new or the old-fashioned way, these sophisticated Christmas tree ideas epitomize “merry and bright.”

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Nothing—and we mean nothing—captures holiday magic quite like the sight of a resplendent Christmas tree. Its glowing splendor has the capacity to cut through the bleakness of dark winter nights, provide a cherished holiday gathering space, and—of course—light the way for Santa to deposit presents. But the greatest gift of all (in our humble opinion anyway) is a Christmas tree’s endless decorative possibilities. You can go faux or spring for the real McCoy; you can opt for a traditional look or go wild with a maximalist themed tree. And if you simply can’t decide, you can always opt for four different Christmas trees, like Queen of Christmas Mariah Carey does.

No matter how you choose to spruce your spruce, virtually anything goes. But even still, there are a few tips and tricks to making your Tannenbaum show-stopping this year. Twin Cities–based designer Bria Hammel, for instance, recommends between 15 and 20 ornaments per foot of tree to achieve “a balanced look.” She advises piling on additional garlands and baubles if you’re going with a lighter color palette. “More is better, or else it will look too spotty,” she adds.

If you’re decorating as a first-timer this year or are merely one to switch things up, fortunately you’ll find ideas aplenty out there to help you achieve your dream living room scheme. You could take a page out of ELLE DECOR A-List designer Darryl Carter’s book and festoon your tree in citrus-colored ribbon. If it’s fantasy you seek, cover your Tannenbaum in whimsical animals or, in the case of party planner Bronson van Wyck, swans! Below, we’ve selected 85 awe-inducing Christmas tree ideas to keep your home merry and bright all season long.

1

Glowing Glass Christmas Tree

a living room with a christmas tree
Courtesy Soho Home

This towering parlor room, decorated with furnishings and fixtures from Soho Home, is the epitome of Art Deco elegance, with its Venetian glimmering chandelier, velvet seating, and deep tones. Needless to say, it doesn’t need much to get us into the holiday spirit. The tree, therefore, was kept relatively simple, with a string of twinkling lights and jewel-toned glass baubles, which nod to the delicacy of the glass fixtures and the hues of the surrounding room.

2

Lush Greenhouse Tree

a living room with a christmas tree
Lacey Sombar

It’s no secret that we love a green room. Clearly, interior designer Bradley Odom does too. In this light-filled apartment, he took “evergreen” to the next level with coordinating fabrics and lots (and lots) of plants. The Christmas tree was hung with similarly natural items, like dried orange slices, faux mushrooms, and simple wood garlands. But it’s the cheeky details in the rest of the room that heighten the fantasy: Look closely and you’ll even spy mini mushrooms in the planter on the cocktail table!

3

Pretty-in-Pink Christmas Tree

a christmas tree in a room
Katie Nixon Photography

Caitlin Wilson literally wrote the book on pretty, so it’s no surprise that her Christmas decor would be like a sugar plum dream. Here, she decked out everything—from presents to boughs to tree—in pastel ribbons. The tree, meanwhile, with its frosted branches, feathery birds, and poodle ornaments, looks straight out of a confectioner’s window.

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4

Winter Whites Christmas Tree

a christmas tree in a room
Courtesy The Enchanted Home

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas? So is Enchanted Home founder Tina Yaraghi. She opted to deck out her tree entirely in delft-inspired blue-and-white baubles, with a few cutesy dog ornaments thrown in for good measure. With its matching rug and a mantel resplendent with pine cones and paper whites, this look is keeping us staunchly indoors.

5

Celestial Stunner

a christmas tree in a room
Courtesy Anthropologie

ICYMI, a Christmas tree in the bedroom is a total thing, and we can’t get enough of boudoir beauty from Anthropologie’s holiday house. For some night-before-Christmas magic, its style experts hung this conifer with star garlands, moon-shaped ornaments, and wintry birds and pine cones. A sprinkling of flocked snow makes this look the stuff of midwinter dreams.

6

Full Glam Christmas Tree

christmas tree ideas
Balsam Hill

It doesn’t get more luxurious than New York’s Plaza Hotel. Which is why the experts at Balsam Hill decorated one of its suites with dazzling holiday decor. The show-stopping tree features a combination of gold, silver, and white ornaments and is artfully draped with glittering crystal garlands. Feathers, lights, and a wide gold ribbon add extra twinkle to this uptown tree. Bonus: For a starlit backdrop, drape the wall behind your tree with cascading lights!

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7

Decor of Yore

christmas tree ideas
Lucy Call

Nostalgia and the holidays go hand in hand, so why not bring a little old-world magic to your tree this year? Shea McGee of Studio McGee festooned her tree with handmade ornaments (we love the dehydrated orange slices), bead garlands, wicker bells, and whimsical ribbons. “Relaxed ribbons tied or draped onto the tree’s branches add a softness to the overall look,” she tells ELLE DECOR. “Loose, flowing textiles like velvet or silk feel fanciful and romantic—let them hang long or used oversize ribbon for an extra dose of drama.”

8

Silver, Gold, Something New, Something Old

christmas tree ideas
Julie Soefer

Looking to bridge old and new? We love how Houston interior designer Chandos Dodson Epley decked out her tree with a mix of vintage and contemporary baubles. “Our tree’s color scheme blends with our living room’s interior, filled to the brim with neutral metallics that glimmer and festive baubles in antique glass,” she says. “I wanted it to be festive while still being classic. I prefer lights that have a warm glow, and I draped beads to give it a more collected and unique aesthetic."

9

Woodland Wonder

christmas tree ideas
Spacecrating Photography

Whimsical, woodsy touches—think forest creatures, mushrooms, and other adorable plucked-from-nature elements—are trending in a big way for Christmas this year, and interior designer Bria Hammel nailed the look in this festive forest tree. Here, birds perch on branches chock-full of acorns, pine cones, and berries—just how Mother Nature would want it.

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10

Regal Roost Christmas Tree

christmas tree ideas
Spacecrating Photography

For a more sophisticated variation on the nature theme, Hammel layered neutral-colored elements, like the white bells, light brown pine cones, and cream-colored birds. “We love to either wrap real (or faux!) garland around the tree or pop stems and branches into our trees for added fullness,” she tells us. “It’s incredible how much more lifelike your tree will feel.”

11

Velvet Goldmine

house of hackney
Michael Sinclair

Leave it to the Gothy-cool design duo behind House of Hackney, Frieda Gormley and Javvy M Royle, to create a tree look straight out of a Victorian tableau. Here in their London home, the pair decorated their Christmas tree with tiger-emblazoned ornaments—a reference to House of Hackney’s signature velvet pillows. And (our favorite part) they piled complementary cushions high beneath the tree in place of a traditional skirt.

12

Whimsical Wonderland

christmas tree ideas
Courtesy Houses & Parties

Rebecca Gardner, the tastemaker behind Houses & Parties, always has a few fanciful decor tricks up her sleeve. In the case of her Christmas tree, that means going all out with old-timey ornaments collected over the years. “I love to hang the ornaments and unwrap each with the excitement of seeing an old friend,” she tells us. “One of my favorites is a giant blown-glass moon. He’s magic.” Follow suit by sourcing whimsical vintage ornaments and festooning your tree with tinsel and strands of beads.

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13

Chic Charlie Brown

christmas tree ideas
John Derian

Like our favorite Peanuts character, John Derian knows that a little love (and a chic design sensibility, of course!) can transform even the scrawniest of trees into something special. Here, the decoupage artist set a charming mini tree into an antique urn and packed it with tinsel and metallic vintage ornaments. Other treasures, like the shell, print, and sculpture, give the mantel tableau a cabinet of curiosities vibe.

14

Frosted Abundance

christmas tree ideas
Courtesy of Pottery Barn / Shot by Seth Smoots

Ayesha Curry—television personality, cookbook author, and wife to NBA All-Star Steph Curry—recently teamed up with Pottery Barn to showcase her top tips and tricks for holidays at home. Our favorite idea is her glorious tree, a prelit Fraser fir faux beauty, which she decked out with soft nature-inspired garlands, snow-white accents, and gold and bronze baubles. “I love to incorporate natural greenery and lights throughout the house during the holidays, so every room feels festive and smells amazing,” Curry says. “We always deck out our couches with faux fur throws and swap in new festive pillows to add a cozy touch."

15

Knit-y and Nifty

christmas tree ideas
Jaime Viñas

Nothing is quite as cozy—and festive—as a holiday sweater. So why not bring the theme to your Christmas tree this year? ELLE DECOR A-List designer Ghislaine Viñas decorated her office’s tree (a long-standing tradition for her team) in adorable knit ornaments, pompom garlands, and whimsical mushrooms. We’d give this tree a hug if it weren’t so prickly.

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16

Blue Christmas

christmas tree ideas
Jaime Viñas

Viñas has a knack for the theatrical (just see her Pennsylvania house, as featured in ELLE DECOR), and her trees are no exception. Here, she opted for a trio of trees in varying shades of azure, set against blue curtains. Even if you aren’t ready to go quite as bold, you can still mimic the setup and match your tree to the color scheme of your drapes.

17

Au Naturel

christmas tree ideas
Anastasiya Pudova

Bling not your thing? Channel interior designer Devon Liedtke’s elegant look, which features delicate brown paper baubles, white candle-shaped ornaments, and a Scandinavian-inspired paper star. Bonus points for the adorable pooch!

18

Feathered Friend

jeweled interiors
Jeweled Interiors

Instead of traditional tinsel, consider fluffing your tree up with feathers, just like Jeweled Interiors’ Jewel Marlowe. For a touch of the tropics, the designer incorporated folded palm branches to live among the opulent ostrich plumes.

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19

Glimmering and Glam

christmas tree ideas
Courtesy Jonathan Adler

Jonathan Adler is never one to be a shrinking violet—especially when that most wonderful time of year rolls around. “The holidays are not a time for ascetic minimalism,” Adler declares. “Instead, embrace your inner Kardashian and don’t hold back: the more twinkle, the better!” In this vignette, Adler went all-out glam with silver-and-gold baubles, and his signature cheeky ornaments, which include a set of glazed porcelain pills (because let’s face it, you’re gonna need one after the in-laws arrive!).

20

Consider the Lobster

christmas tree ideas
Courtesy

Event planner extraordinaire Bronson van Wyck has a knack for the unexpected (look no further than his Manhattan home) and, obviously, the same applies to his holiday decor. “It’s fun to display trees in a nontraditional way,” he tells us. “Mount your tree on the wall, or hang it upside down to free up space and surprise your guests. Or try your hand at a unique theme.” In this case, the designer leaned into a Salvador Dalí look, decking the blood-red tree out in oodles of lobsters and topping it with a surrealist Joan of Arc–esque topper. Hero indeed!

Headshot of Anna Fixsen
Anna Fixsen
Deputy Digital Editor

Anna Fixsen, Deputy Digital Editor at ELLE DECOR, focuses on how to share the best of the design world through in-depth reportage and online storytelling. Prior to joining the staff, she has held positions at Architectural Digest, Metropolis, and Architectural Record magazines. elledecor.com 

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