Six Looks from Our 17 Themed Trees

Christmas Tree Theme Ideas: Six Looks from Our 17 Themed Trees

The tree is up, the lights work, and then the boxes come out: twenty years of ornaments in every color, a few you love, a lot you don't, and a tree that ends up looking busy instead of beautiful. That's usually the moment people start searching for a theme. Every fall at Candy Cane Corner in Richardson we dress 17 trees top to bottom, each in its own theme, and these are six of them, with what makes each one work.

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From Candy Cane Corner at Plants & Planters · Richardson, TX

A themed Christmas tree uses one palette, usually two or three colors plus one metallic, repeated from the top of the tree to the skirt in the ornaments, ribbon, picks and topper. Six themes on our floor this season: Woodland (forest greens, pinecones and soft browns), Champagne (golds, creams and soft shimmer), Blue (deep blues with silver), Silver and White (whites, silvers, glass and frost), Gingerbread (warm browns and candy colors) and Burgundy Velvet (deep reds, velvet ribbon and gold).

How Do You Pick a Theme for Your Tree?

Start with the room, not the ornaments. Look at the colors already in the space: the sofa, the rug, the wood tones, the wall color. A theme that repeats one of them looks like it belongs there. Then look at what you already own and keep the pieces that fit; you’ll need less than you think to finish the look. Last, decide on the mood. Rustic and warm points to Woodland or Gingerbread. Elegant points to Champagne or Silver and White. Traditional points to Burgundy Velvet.

How Many Colors Should a Themed Tree Have?

Two or three colors, plus one metallic. More than that and the tree starts to read as random again. Instead of adding colors, add variety inside the palette: mix matte, shiny and glitter finishes, and mix sizes, with the biggest ornaments tucked deep toward the trunk and the smaller ones near the tips. Ribbon is the easiest way to pull it all together, because it carries the palette across the whole tree in one line.

Woodland

Forest greens, natural textures, pinecones and soft browns. This is the tree for a home that leans rustic and warm. Build it with matte green and brown ornaments, pinecones and natural picks, and keep the shine low so the texture does the work. Woodland looks its best on a real tree, where the needles are part of the theme; a fresh Fraser fir holds the heavier pinecones without sagging. To finish, wrap the base in a plain burlap or faux fur skirt, top the tree with a simple star or a cluster of pinecones, and leave out anything glossy that would break the forest look.

Champagne

Golds, creams and soft shimmer. Champagne is elegant and layered, and it’s made to glow in evening light. The trick is layering several golds and creams in different finishes so the tree looks rich rather than flat. Warm white lights matter here more than on any other theme, since they’re what makes the gold glow. To finish, choose a gold or glittered topper with some height, a cream or gold skirt in a soft fabric, and a wide champagne ribbon wound loosely so it catches the light at every turn.

Blue

Deep blues with silver accents. Blue can go two directions: icy and modern with silver and white, or classic with navy and gold. Pick one direction and stay with it. Silver keeps it crisp and wintry; gold makes it warmer and more traditional. Let the finishing pieces follow the direction you picked: a silver or clear glass topper and a white skirt for the icy version, a gold topper and a deep navy skirt for the classic one.

Silver and White

A winter palette that works in any home: whites, silvers, glass and frost. Because it doesn’t fight with any room color, it’s the safest theme on the list and one of the most striking. Glass and mirrored ornaments catch the lights; frosted and glitter finishes add depth so it doesn’t look stark. To finish, use a silver or white topper, a snowy white skirt and a sheer or metallic silver ribbon. Cool white lights keep it crisp; warm white softens it in a room with warm wood tones.

Gingerbread

Warm browns, candy colors and cookie charm. Gingerbread is the tree children pull their parents toward first. It’s playful by design, so this is the one theme where more is more: cookie shapes, candy colors and a little whimsy at every level of the tree. To finish, a big bow in candy colors makes a playful topper, and a red and white skirt keeps the bakery feel going down to the floor. Striped or polka dot ribbon works here when it would look too busy on any other tree.

Burgundy Velvet

Deep reds, velvet ribbon and gold. This is traditional Christmas at its richest. Velvet ribbon does most of the work here, wound through the tree or tied in bows, with gold ornaments to light up the red. Our designer ribbon is where this look starts. To finish, add a gold topper, a deep red velvet skirt, and a few gold picks tucked where the bows meet so the color runs unbroken from top to bottom.

Where to See All 17 Themed Trees

These six are a start. Candy Cane Corner dresses 17 themed trees in all, and the rest are revealed when the store opens for the season. The trees, and the ornaments, ribbon and toppers to build your own, are at Candy Cane Corner, inside Plants & Planters at 1050 N Greenville Ave in Richardson, October 24 through January 1.