Whether it's a live tree or a trusted faux, decorating for Christmas each year is the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit, and happens to be a favorite moment of Michael's with his family. To start the festivities off a bit early, here are the Michael Aram tips for a magical décor moment and elevating your holiday traditions.
Want to get creative with your tree? Try an artistic approach with an Espalier Christmas Ornament Tree. This Michael Aram decor piece is great for small spaces or if you'd like to make the ornaments the star of the show.
STEP 1: PERFECT THE TREE SHAPE
FAUX: What makes faux trees great is that they can be changed around and manipulated to the shape you like. The branches are bendable, and you should be able to separate the branches so that they look more organic and natural. This will also help create space for your decoratives!
LIVE: If you like your tree to have a bit more character, a natural tree is the best option! Live trees are gorgeous, and the smell is unbeatable! But they are not as easy to perfect when it comes to shaping. Make sure to find the tree's good side and showcase it when you set it up--This is where the tree looks the lushest and most symmetrical.
STEP 2: ADD YOUR LIGHTS
FAUX: If you have a faux that already comes with lights, turn them on to check if they’re working. Unfortunately, sometimes the lights do not always last so make sure to adjust the front of the tree so that the lights are showcased as equally as possible. You can also adjust branches depending on working lights to create more space for them to show.
LIVE: There is nothing better than a classic white light to elevate a natural tree. Take your lights of choice, and starting at the top, evenly wrap the wire firmly around the branches. The more evenly covered the tree, the better the brightness you will get. We suggest warm white LED lights for the perfect glow!
STEP 3: PLACE YOUR ORNAMENTS
This is where the fun part starts! Some people have a method to the madness, while others like free-range. Whatever your strategy, this step is all about creating memories and carrying on traditions with the ones you love. It’s better to be visual with this part, so lay all your options out by size. Start with your larger ornaments first around the center of the tree and the bottom. To create more depth, spread out the remaining larger ornaments around the top of the tree.
Next, place your medium ornaments. Depending on your style you can create even sections of medium ornaments towards the ends of the branches. If you’d like to add more character to the tree, we suggest placing medium ornaments in different areas of the tree to evenly disperse colors and shapes. This will also help you to continue creating symmetry on live trees.
Make sure you’re leaving space for special ornament in the center of the tree, or at viewing height. Maybe you have some new Michael Aram ornaments that you know will spark conversation. These pieces can also hold sentimental value, like capturing the memory of a passed pet or family member. Whatever value these ornaments hold, it’s important that they get the recognition they deserve!
Finish the decor with the small ornaments, making sure these are mostly placed around the top of the tree and then in the remaining spaces.
STEP 4: BRING OUT THE STAR
The star of the show often ends up being the angel or family ‘heirloom’ topper. If you are creating new traditions with a modern topper, make sure you keep the weight and height in mind! We do not want your gorgeous tree to lose its shape because the topper is too heavy...or doesn't exactly meet your ceiling height requirements. Need some inspiration? We love this modern, metal tree topper from Anthropologie living.
Follow along for more holiday entertaining and decor tips at Michaelaram.com or on our blog!
