The tree is usually the heart of a Christmas scheme, and the right one depends far more on your home than on any trend. A tree that looks magical in a tall Victorian drawing room can overwhelm a contemporary flat, and a sparse, modern tree can look lost beneath ornate cornicing.
This is how I approach choosing a Christmas tree style that feels as though it belongs in the room.
Start with the room, not the tree
Before thinking about colours or decorations, look at the space itself.
- Ceiling height. The high ceilings of many Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian London homes can take a tall, full tree. Lower ceilings suit something shorter and slimmer. Either way, leave space above for a topper.
- Width. Trees spread wider than most people expect. Measure the floor space you can give it, including room to walk past.
- Position. A bay window, which so many London terraced houses have, is a classic spot because the tree can be seen from outside. Beside the fireplace works beautifully too, as long as it’s kept well away from the heat, and from radiators.
Real or artificial?
Both can look beautiful when they’re well chosen and well styled.
Real trees bring scent and a natural, irregular shape. A Nordmann fir holds its needles well and has soft, full branches. A Norway spruce has the classic Christmas scent but drops its needles sooner, so it suits a later installation. A Fraser fir has a slightly slimmer silhouette, which can help in narrower rooms.
Artificial trees can be reused for years, suit anyone with allergies and can be shaped exactly. If you choose one, look for varied needle tones and a natural shape rather than perfect symmetry, which is what makes an artificial tree look convincing.
Let the architecture guide the style
Period homes. Cornicing, panelling and original fireplaces suit a fuller, more traditional tree. Think antique-style glass baubles, velvet ribbon, brass and deeper colours such as burgundy, forest green and gold.
Contemporary homes. Clean lines suit a lighter touch: a sparser tree, a restrained palette and fewer, larger decorations, with plenty of natural texture from wood, linen and dried foliage.
Somewhere in between. Many London homes mix both, with a period building and a modern interior. Here I usually take the palette from the furniture and art, and the scale from the architecture.
Choose a palette from the room
The most successful trees feel connected to the space around them. Take your colours from the upholstery, the rugs, the art on the walls or the tones of the wood, then choose two or three colours and one metallic. Limiting the palette is what makes a tree look considered rather than busy.
Decorate in layers
The order matters as much as the decorations themselves.
- Lights first, more than you think you need, woven in towards the trunk as well as along the tips of the branches.
- Ribbon or garland next, so it sits within the tree rather than on top of it.
- Larger ornaments, placed deeper into the branches to create depth.
- Smaller ornaments and special pieces, towards the front where they catch the light.
- The topper and finishing touches last, stepping back often to check the balance.
Make your existing decorations part of it
You don’t need to start again every year. Most collections simply need editing: grouping pieces by colour or material, setting aside anything that doesn’t suit this year’s scheme, and adding a handful of new pieces to tie everything together. The ornaments with a story behind them are often what make a tree feel like yours.
Christmas tree styling in London
If you’d like a professional eye on your tree this year, my Christmas tree styling service is designed for exactly this. Your existing collection is edited, arranged and styled, with additional pieces sourced where needed, for homes across London and the surrounding areas.
For a tree as part of a wider scheme, including the mantelpiece, staircase and dining table, complete Christmas home styling brings everything together. You can read more about how the process works, or get in touch to talk about your home.