10 Tips for Creating an Elegant, All-White Christmas Tree

Designer Casey Noble adds sophisticated, tone-on-tone style for the holidays with a Christmas tree covered in shades of white.

By: Brian Patrick Flynn

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Photo By: Brian Patrick Flynn

Try an All-White Holiday Theme

In keeping with its understated, elegant decorating style, the living room features an eight-foot-tall artificial tree completely decorated in shades of white, cream, dove gray and silver.

Layer Various Shades of White

What sets white-on-white Christmas trees apart from others is their restrained use of color, relying on different tints and shades of the same hue rather than complementary or contrasting colors.

Add Length With Yarn

Layers can help widen, lengthen or even add reflective qualities to Christmas trees. To add length, consider draping strands of yarn along the branches. When choosing yarn, it's best to look for styles featuring shades of white and cream which are slightly off from the coloring of the tree. The yarn will also help fill the gaps between branches, resulting in more fullness.

Fill In With Tulle

Tulle is a decorator's secret for adding fullness to a Christmas tree. To do this effectively, purchase approximately three yards of tulle, cut into eight-inch squares, then stuff each square into any visible gaps between the branches. In addition to adding fullness, the tulle will also introduce texture.

Keep the Look Cohesive

Once the tree is decorated, choose wrapping papers, ribbons and bows in different shades of white to carry the tree's look down to its coordinated gifts. Here, a combination of white, gray and silver wrapping paper and metallic ribbon are used to keep the gifts cohesively layered.

Dress Up Gifts

While many styles of white wrapping paper feature patterns, plain white kraft or butcher paper are more simplistic alternatives. To help keep focus on the tree, consider mixing in plain white wrapped gifts dressed up with metallic bows and ribbon.

Update Natural Accessories

Update pinecones with holiday flair by lightly misting with white spray paint along the entire body until they take on a snowy, frosted appearance. Once dry, layer whitened pinecones onto branches either with rope added as hangers or simply placed loosely throughout the tree.

Add Metallic Accents

Metallic accents on an all-white tree create a stunning play on light, and they also add elegance. During the day, silver or gold ornaments add a cool, sparkling effect. At night when a Christmas tree is lit artificially, the metallic accents cast a warm glow onto the tree.

Use Textured Ornaments

A key element in the success of an all-white Christmas tree is the use of textural ornaments to break up the monochromaticity. Although it's ideal to stick with organic ornaments in shades of white, cream and dove gray, natural tones such as greige or parchment work, too.

Mix In Gifts

When wrapped boxes are added around the base of a tree, they can take over and detract from the tree itself. To keep below-the-tree decor balanced, it's wise to mix in large, unwrapped gifts with interesting shapes that break up the linearity of rectangular and square boxes.

Hit the Lights

When it's time to light up the tree, white twinkle lights will emit a warm glow throughout the living room, resulting in a cozy, seasonal ambiance.

10 Tips for Creating an Elegant, All-White Christmas Tree

Related To:

Shop This Look

Try an All-White Holiday Theme

Layer Various Shades of White

Add Length With Yarn

Fill In With Tulle

Keep the Look Cohesive

Dress Up Gifts

Update Natural Accessories

Add Metallic Accents

Use Textured Ornaments

Mix In Gifts

Hit the Lights

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