It’s Christmas — Let’s make it beautiful!!

It’s Christmas — Let’s make is Beautiful. Here at MMID, we’ve got 5 tips for trimming the perfect Christmas tree! The Christmas tree is the perfect way to light up the space. It’s important to remember basic interior design principles, while considering hidden depths to make your space unique. The space is all about the personal touches and it’s a time filled with purpose and meaning.

One of the first things to catch your eye when it comes to Christmas trees are the lights. It doesn’t matter if you favor white LEDs, Yellow Twinkle Lights, or bubble lights, you want people to take notice. The key is to get a full, even coverage. But this can’t be achieved if you don’t have enough lights, so when you think you have enough, buy three more strands! We bought extra strands for our client here, and every reel was used!

Once you have your lights, the next thing to do is test them. There’s nothing worse than perfectly positioning your lights and plugging them in, only to find a huge dark section at the top of your tree. Testing your lights beforehand can save you a trip to the store in the middle of your project and the headache of having to redo all of your hard work.

As soon as you’re sure all of your lights are in working order, you can begin layering them on your tree. Be sure to drape them loosely. The slack gives you the ability to stand back and adjust the lights to fill in dark and uneven areas, guaranteeing your tree looks great from every angle!

One of the biggest mistakes people make when trimming their trees is loading up all of their decorations on the outermost layer and neglecting the depth a tree’s branches have to offer. By pushing some of your strands to the trunk, and tucking some ornaments among the branches, glimpses of sparkle and color peak through, adding intrigue and interest to your tree. You can see this showcased on our client’s tree!

Once you have your lights, the next thing to do is test them. There’s nothing worse than perfectly positioning your lights and plugging them in, only to find a huge dark section at the top of your tree. Testing your lights beforehand can save you a trip to the store in the middle of your project and the headache of having to redo all of your hard work.

As soon as you’re sure all of your lights are in working order, you can begin layering them on your tree. Be sure to drape them loosely. The slack gives you the ability to stand back and adjust the lights to fill in dark and uneven areas, guaranteeing your tree looks great from every angle!

Whether you’re using ribbon, popcorn, garland, or tinsel, be thoughtful and purposeful with your placements. When it comes to laying your trim elements there are many options to consider.

Though regardless of whether you choose vertical, horizontal, scalloped, or diagonal, the last thing you want is your tree looking like it was trimmed by a tornado.

An approach we took with this client’s tree was using the tails from the tree topper bow. We snaked the ribbon down the tree in a natural zigzag, allowing us to fill in the places that needed more gold.

These will allow you to have diversity in your ornaments while keeping them organized and focused. It’s good to have a wide range of sizes, shapes, materials, and hues, but also be sure to repeat ornaments to maintain consistency.

Moreover, your tree has a natural focal point—the top! The tapered shape of the tree brings your eye directly to it’s point.

Spacing your ornaments throughout the tree as opposed to in horizontal lines will create movement, accommodating your eye’s natural tendency to travel from point to point rather than along an outline.

At MMID, we design homes, not museum houses! So we don’t want to limit ourselves to store-bought ornaments. Don’t hesitate to incorporate your sentimental ornaments: include that mess of a popsicle stick Santa with the cotton ball beard and those inescapable wisps of hot glue still attached, throw on that slightly faded wooden snowman with the crooked grin that’s been in your family for generations. After all, the Holidays revolve around family, and what better place to reflect than your tree!