GA INTERIORS: How To...DECORATE A CHRISTMAS TREE

2009 CHRISTMAS DECORATING TRENDS

Are you one of those people whose decorations are bursting from the box with excitement to be displayed in all their finery and glory the first day of December? Or is the thought of decorating a total nightmare and you’ll leave it until the very last minute.

For many people, like me, decorating a Christmas tree is an absolute pleasure but for others it’s a total challenge - all that mess, all that time and all for one day!

To help you out this year, here are my top tips for styling your tree in the quickest way with minimal fuss. That’s not to say your tree will be any less glamorous because we all love opulence during these festive times.

TIP 1: DECIDE ON YOUR STYLE

Before you decide on the style of decorations for your Christmas tree, you should firstly decide in which room it’s going to go. Your tree can then compliment the interior design and size of your room.

Having the tree compliment and co-ordinate the room will maximise the tree’s effect and flatter the room.

If it’s a traditional room - your decorations would be homely.

If it’s a contemporary room – your decorations would be modern.

If it’s a cottage – your decorations would be scaled down to size.

If it’s a mansion – your decorations would be large and impressive.

For 2009 there are 4 main trends (http://www.christmasworld.messefrankfurt.com/):

AIRY

Airy is characterized by lightness and transparency with glass vases, baubles and crystal a must. A white or silver tree would look stunning with airy decorations.

The emphasis is on simple structures and pure lines.

COMFORT

Comfort revolves around nature, from natural wood ornaments to animals such as deer’s, stags and hedgehogs. A traditional green tree would compliment beautifully this natural theme.

SWEET

Sweet is fantastically kitsch with feminine décor, pink floral patterns and a multicolour palette. Decorations revolve around plastic, varnish and porcelain, alongside tulle and satin ribbons.

How inspiring is this trend! It’s a dream come true for all of us big kids and totally out of the ordinary and expected!

I’m incorporating the sweet trend into the school grotto that I‘m designing this year.

Imagine the children’s faces when they enter a grotto and arrive in sweet heaven – droplets of lollipops hanging everywhere from sugar candy ribbons, and they also get to take a lollipop home! Pure bliss.

OBSESSION

Obsession is glamour and glitz for Christmas, pure Hollywood! It’s a mix of curved lines with ornate objects, luxurious silk and sumptuous velvet.

A black tree would look stunning, and you could even up end it for a total quirky designer look.

TIP 2: DECIDE ON YOUR COLOUR SCHEME

As with anything in interior design, a strong colour scheme is fundamental to a great look.

As with tip 1, the colour scheme of the decorations should compliment the interior of the room in which it’s going to be placed. This will not only maximise the tree itself but also the overall glamour and style of the room.

Looking at the colour scheme for each of the trends for 2009:

AIRY - The lightness and transparency of the Airy trend is complimented with translucent colours of chalky pastels ranging from buttercream and dusty pink to powder blue and soft grey, all on a base of snowy white.

COMFORT - This natural trend is complimented with touches of ruby red or marmalade orange to enliven the decor.

SWEET - A sweetie extravaganza is created with a milky palette that extends from sand, aqua and turquoise to violet, lime and slate grey.

OBSESSION - Glamour and glitz is fashioned with Quartz pink and rich mauve complimented with mahogany, aubergine, violet and gold. It’s a mix of metallic opulence and the latest high street fashion colours.

TIP 3: DECIDE ON YOUR TREE

A major decision is real or fake tree?

This is a personal decision that is usually made from deciding whether you want a coloured or a green tree and then whether you want to be environmentally friendly with a tree from a sustainable forest or a fake tree that will last for years.

If you want an instant tree then you could opt for a fake tree that has lights or fibre optics for added effect and ease.

TIP 4: ADD THE LIGHTS

Once you have decided upon the tree, your colour scheme and preferred look and feel for the festive season, it’s time to add the lights!

Remember to test the lights before you put them on the tree as it’s so much easier to find a faulty bulb when it’s not wound around a Christmas tree!

This is generally the tricky bit my top tip is to put on some Xmas music, grab a pair of extra hands to help you and, most importantly, take your time.

You are one side of the tree and your helper is the other side of the tree so that you can pass the lights to and from each other.

Start at the bottom of the tree and unwind the lights around the tree working your way up towards the top.

Remember to test the lights again once you have them in place. If you have adjustable lights with a variety of settings then decide how you want them to flicker and shine.

Review the lights before you add any further decorations. Ensure that they shine evenly on the tree and make any adjustments before going onto the next step.

TIP 5: ADD THE STRANDS

Once the lights are up and working, it’s time to add strands of decorations. This may include strands of balls or strands of tinsel or strands of paper chains.

Wind the strands around the tree starting from the top of the tree to the bottom of the tree. I love to loop the strands as I work so that they casually drape and add an additional element of interest to the tree.

As strands generally come in specific lengths, remember to create a continuous flow from one length to the next.

TIP 6: ADD THE SPECIAL DECORATIONS

You may be some special decorations that you’ve had since childhood, or maybe they were a special gift or are one-off pieces.

These need to be added to the tree so that they are in key positions and can be easily seen.

When adding these decorations, remember that the tree is generally seen from at least two angles. As you add each piece of decoration, move about and view the tree from all angles.

Here are some decorations (http://www.johnlewis.com/) that compliment the Xmas trends for 2009:

AIRY:

COMFORT:

SWEET:

OBSESSION:

TIP 7: ADD THE BAUBLES

Once your special or favourite decorations have been added, it’s time to add the baubles.

Start adding the baubles with the largest first and the smallest last. As with the special decorations, remember to view the tree from all angles as you add the baubles.

TIP 8: ADD THE TREE TOPPING

The final decoration to add is the tree topping.

The tree topping should match your style, eg: a star for a modern design scheme and a fairy for a traditional design scheme.

TIP 9: ENJOY YOUR EFFORTS