Artificial Christmas Trees Catalog Picks

Ever wondered how our featured artificial Christmas trees on the Balsam Hill website get their designer look? Below we share expert decorating tips to help you make your tree look like it came straight out of a Christmas tree catalog.

How Do Professionals Decorate Christmas Trees?

Follow these tips to make your tree look like one of our featured Christmas trees in the Balsam Hill holiday catalog.

1. Pick a theme
For your Christmas tree to look professionally decorated, it needs one element that ties everything together. It could be based on a color pallet, a collection of ornaments, or one of your interests. Browse home decorating websites, interior designer blogs, or Pinterest for inspiration. From there, create a mood board that you can use as reference when picking out decorations.

2. Fluff and shape the branches
The best Christmas trees are fluffed and shaped properly to ensure they appear full and realistic throughout the holiday season. This takes time, but it’s an essential part of the tree decorating process. It could take around two hours to set up and shape a tree for the first time, so we highly recommend asking family and friends to help.

3. String the lights
If you prefer to string your own lights, begin at the bottom of the tree and circle your way upwards, weaving in and out of the branches. How many lights you need depend on the height and shape of your tree. Your personal style and preference are also factors in determining light count. As a general rule of thumb, plan for at least 100 to 150 lights for every foot of tree then just add or remove as you see fit.

4. Decorate in sections
It’s easier to decorate a Christmas tree if you divide it in sections: top, middle, and bottom. Style each section beginning from the top and work your way towards the bottom. You can also segment the tree into quadrants to ensure that no two similar items are too close together. This ensures that the Christmas tree decorations look balanced from every angle.

5. Style with ribbons
Ribbons elevate the look of any Christmas tree and they’re one of the easiest ways to make yours look professionally decorated. Choose two ribbons with different styles and widths, then layer them together to create texture. We recommend using wired ribbons because they’re easier to shape into rolls or loops and they hold their shape much better than non-wired ribbons.

6. Start with classic ornaments
Silver, gold, red, white, and green are classic holiday colors that never go out of style. They can be mixed and matched with other color combinations to create a different theme every year. We also recommend investing in basic globe ornaments and pairing them with themed collections for easy decorating. Make sure to catalog your inventory so you know exactly what you have the next time you decorate your tree.

7. Combine large and small ornaments for depth
Tuck larger ornaments deeper into the foliage and hang smaller ones on the tips to create depth. You can also cluster three ornaments together for visual interest, either similar or contrasting pieces. The number of ornaments depends on how light or heavy you want the coverage to be. If you have a standard 7.5-foot tree, start with 100 to 105 pieces for light coverage and around 140 pieces for heavy coverage.

8. Fill in gaps with picks and sprays
Using Christmas tree picks and sprays is a great way to fill in the gaps of your Christmas tree. They also add texture to the overall theme while giving a sophisticated effect. Balsam Hill offers a beautiful assortment of sprays and picks from florals to berries, as well as pinecones, leaves, and glittered or snowy branches.

9. Complete the look with a tree topper
A striking tree topper completes the designer look of your Christmas tree. It can be anything from a classic star to more intricate ones like floral bouquets or animated toppers. Just make sure to leave enough space between the ceiling and the tree topper.

10. Dress it up with a tree skirt or collar
Christmas tree skirts puts the final finishing touch to a designer Christmas tree and also conceals the tree stand. Choose a skirt that complements your decorating theme and ensure it’s at least six inches bigger than the full diameter of your tree.

Request a copy of our catalog to receive more decorating inspiration and to see this year’s featured artificial Christmas trees. You can also sign up for our email newsletter to get notifications on Balsam Hill’s best Christmas tree deals, latest promotions, and new arrivals.

Related Articles:

Choosing an Artificial Christmas Tree: The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide

Christmas Decorating 101: Everything You Need to Know