By Mary Ellen Nichols, Co-Owner
It’s the most wonderful time of the year
Full disclosure: I am one of those people who loves to go “all out” with decking the halls for the holidays. We’re talking trees, lights, garland – every room in my home gets to share in the spirit of the season. It’s part of the reason why I wanted to get into the decorating business! And using festive touches of decor to help families and businesses make their own holidays a little happier brings me joy as well.
We deliver that joy through Design Decor, a full-service decorating dream team based here in Knoxville that’s able to transform your space with designer-quality decor customized to fit your personal style.
One tradition many of us share during Christmastime is displaying a decorated tree. And since I am not personally a designer (I hire the team at Design Decor!), I asked Linda Heaton Ridings, Design Decor’s designer and co-owner, to share her top tree-trimming tips:
Size it up
Since it’s likely the biggest decoration you’ll have in your home for the holidays, the tree is the star of the show. But, it still needs to fit the stage… er, space… where it will spend the season. If you have tall ceilings, a 4-foot tree isn’t going to have the same impression as one that stretches the height of the room.
In a pinch, tables can help small trees feel larger. Or, if it’s a particularly large open space, you might even consider grouping multiple trees of varying widths and heights to combine for a larger unified focal point.
Top it off
To decorate the tree, start at the top and work your way down. That means the topper, whatever you’re planning to have at the tippy top of the tree, goes on first, that way there’s no chance of knocking off any ornaments while climbing your way to the pinnacle.
Linda suggests having in mind a color scheme or a theme before placing anything on a branch. She likes to use toppers that stand out and draw the eyes up to the top. Big bows or sparkling twigs can help have that effect and help tie the whole tree together.
Keep things in perspective
The lights are on, the topper’s on, now it’s time to fill the branches with ornaments. Keeping the theme you picked in mind, Linda says you can create a more visually interesting tree by mixing up shapes and textures. For example, pair flowers with glass ball ornaments. We have lots of different options here in our showroom.
But, the thing to keep in mind here is that the placement of each piece is key. Larger ornaments are best on the bottom branches where the tree is widest, with smaller ornaments toward the top. This strategy helps create a flow from top to bottom and is easier on the eyes.
Tucking a wide ribbon around the tree helps fill any bare spaces without ornaments and is another way to add texture and dimension.
Or just call us!
Let’s be honest, bringing the tree and decorations out of storage is a chore in itself, then when you add in having to put everything together and display it… it can be exhausting and take some of the “happy” out of the holidays. But, that’s why Design Decor is here!
Our team of decorators can deliver and set up a fully decorated Christmas tree, plus other accent pieces to sprinkle some more spirit into your home or business, in four hours or less, giving you time to enjoy the wonders of the season and your designer-quality decorations.
Plus, after the holiday is over, we’ll take down the decorations and store them for you. It’s a win-win!
Our showroom has more than 4,000 square feet packed with different styles of decorated trees and decor you can use as a starting point to choose from so we can create a look that fits your style. Or, you can just shop individual pieces and add them to your own decor.
Linda and I are committed to making designer decor available to everyone with any budget. One way we do that is by offering the option to purchase or lease items, so you don’t necessarily have to have the same decorations every year! It’s a great way to keep things fresh and exciting.
We also offer Designer Workshops to give you the chance to express your inner designer and make your own custom floral pieces under Linda’s guidance as a Master Florist.
There’s always something beautiful happening at Design Decor! Come visit us in our showroom to see for yourself how we’re “dedicated to distinctive decorating!”
Design Decor
627 American Glass Way
Knoxville, TN 37932
865.896.3450
DesignDecorKnoxville.com