The Christmas tree is a cornerstone of holiday decor, but many people struggle with how to decorate it properly.
For Laurie Kane, owner of Treetime Christmas Creations in Lake Barrington, the most important starting point is size. Then, it’s time to look at design elements like color, style, shape and lights. As a manufacturer of custom Christmas trees and a retailer of trees and Christmas decor, Treetime has all the accents needed to create a dazzling holiday display.
“A lot of people look at the trees as just the tree and don’t think about how they’re going to decorate it,” Kane says. “You might like the tree as a tree, but really, is it going to work with your decorating style?”
Trees come in many shapes and sizes, from short and wide to tall and thin, so it’s important to make sure the tree doesn’t overwhelm a room, says Kane. To find your ideal size, Kane recommends rearranging the furniture and measuring the width of the space where the tree will sit. Subtract 12 inches to reveal your ideal tree width.
Trees also come in many styles, colors, needle types and density. Generally, a denser tree lends itself to a minimal amount of decoration, says Kane.
A low-stress technique commonly used by designers is to repeat a pattern of ribbons or floral picks. For maximum effect, repeat seven of the same item, says Kane. Add other focal points by clustering ornaments together.
Be sure that the lights, tree color and decorations fit the color palette of your home. In recent years, Kane has seen more customers seeking out neutral colors like whites or browns that combine with natural accessories such as pinecones, Santas and snowmen.
Education is baked into the sales process at Treetime, so Kane and her designers ask lots of questions to help assemble the right look. As a bonus, they offer in-store demonstrations and tutorial videos on Instagram.
“I’m all about traditions,” Kane says. “When people come in and find a tree that makes them happy and want to start traditions – that’s what I like.” ❚
Treetime Christmas Creations is located at 22102 N. Pepper Road, Lake Barrington, (847) 527-8880, treetime.com.