82 Elevated Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas, According to Editors

Every now and again, we like to turn standard Christmas decor practices on their head. This charming faux tree, Pottery Barn’s pre-lit, flocked Vermont tree, looks fabulous with Christmas village houses interspersed between its branches. Because putting them on the mantel is so last year.

Feeling coquettish? You’re not alone. Bows are having a moment, trending on TikTok and rippling across the fashion and design world. So, of course, we are putting them on our Christmas trees. This year’s Anthropologie house revealed a festive display of Christmas trees with larger-than-life bow toppers that had us rethinking our traditional star adornments.

Whoever said a tree needed to take over 10 square feet at the base? For urban dwellers, two tall and skinny trees can offer just as much personality—without overtaking basic seating options.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.”

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.”

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.

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.”

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.

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.