The Christmas Tree, Styled: 9 Festive Trees Dressed by Designers to Help You Reimagine a Holiday Classic for Christmas 2025

Christmas trees are a holiday staple. They're a pillar of festivity, a place to gather, and are always at the center of happy holiday memories.

We all love putting up the tree – from the scent of pine to twinkly lights and unwrapping ornaments collected over time. And while we all have our sentimental favorites, the Christmas tree is a great place to get creative with Christmas decor ideas.

This season, I wanted to take a more design-led approach. So, I turned to some of my favorite designers to see how they’re interpreting Christmas decor trends for 2025. Whether your style is minimalist or maximalist, modern or classic, if you’re looking for Christmas tree ideas that go beyond the expected, you’ll find plenty of inspiration here.

The Christmas Tree, Styled

Of course, Christmas decor is personal, and everyone has traditions they like to follow, but that's not to say you can't be inspired by new ideas.

'When I was little, my mom always used MacKenzie-Childs ribbon on our tree; the hand-painted checks made everything feel so whimsical and magical,' says designer Kailee Blalock from the House of Hive Design Co. 'That sense of layered nostalgia, mixing old with new, whimsy with elegance, is still how I approach holiday decorating today.'

To get you started, she suggests treating the tree like a room. 'Start with structure, layer in texture, and end with sparkle,' she advises. 'Layer lights deep inside the branches, not just on the surface, so it glows from within, and always tuck a few sculptural or ceramic pieces at the base to tie it back to the home’s design story. It’s less ‘themed’ and more collected, like it could live in the house year-round if it wanted to.'

To help you build on your family traditions and create a truly special Christmas display, these 9 super stylish trees should bring you plenty of inspiration for 2025's festive season.

1. Try a Touch of Chrome

In this traditional English home, the calm Green Blue walls by Farrow & Ball painted the perfect backdrop to create a playfully sophisticated Christmas scene.

Balancing the room's decorative architecture with shine, the designer, Marcelina Janiszewska of Project London, introduced chrome decor for a contemporary take on Christmas.

'Dressed with chrome ornaments, paper ornaments, and wooden bead garlands, the tree anchors the scheme with a balance of elegance and organic charm,' says Marcelina. 'We were careful to keep the color palette refined and consistent throughout with accents of burgundy and forest green repeating across the tree ornaments, ribbons, and even the wallpaper-wrapped gifts under the tree, helping to weave a sense of cohesion and deliberate styling throughout the space.'

'There’s a strong sense of texture,' she adds. 'From the velvet-wrapped gifts and upholstery to the mix of ribbed glass and unexpected chrome finishes on the tree. This interplay of materials adds depth and visual interest, elevating the overall festive scheme without overwhelming the eye.'

2. Lean Into Nostalgia

For Nicole Yee of NY Interiors, who grew up in New Hampshire on a Christmas tree farm (can you imagine!), the festive season has always been about nostalgia, and her abundant tree reflects that in droves.

'Our tradition is to put the tree up on Black Friday while we watch holiday classics. We start by stringing oodles of lights (can’t have too many), then we layer in simple round ornaments and basic tinsel garland. These elements create a base of color. Next comes our enormous collection of homemade and sentimental ornaments – the most important layer.'

'We have laminated drawings our kids made, homemade dough ornaments, cut paper snowflakes, keepsakes from school projects – there’s even an ornament that I made in first grade that we display each year,' she adds. 'Whenever we travel (which is a lot), we’ll also pick up a local keepsake ornament.'

'Our tree is a collage of memories that marks our family’s travels, and holds so many of our meaningful moments.'

3. Nod to Your Surroundings

While there are so many things you can take Christmas inspiration from – think movies (try a Nancy Meyers Christmas on for size) to fashion designers (or the Ralph Lauren aesthetic) – one easy place to start is your surroundings.

Designer Becky Shea did just that to create this cozy and charming Christmas tree in this transitional dining room.

'Upstate New York is such a calming place, full of history and surrounded by nature,' she says. 'I wanted to create a bear-themed tree as a nod to the black bears that live in the area. To bring in a sense of warmth and charm, I mixed in brown teddy bears for a softer, cozier feel.'

'The theme carried through to the wrapping paper, which complemented the velvet ornaments in shades of green, cognac, and deep burgundy,' Becky continues. 'I always like my tree to feel cohesive with my interiors – festive, but still harmonious with the home.'

4. Keep Things Simple and Stylish

Of course, you can also totally pare things back and let your home's natural style do the talking.

Lauren Sullivan of Well x Design styled up her entryway, seen above, with a supersized Christmas tree and traditional Christmas stair decor to let the architecture shine. She explains how she 'wanted our holiday decor to feel elegant but not overly styled – a garland that drapes naturally, a few taper candles, and that deep red satin ribbon as a quiet nod to nostalgia.'

'The goal was to embrace the season without competing with the room’s architecture or palette,' she explains. 'Just a few evergreens, ribbon, and a sense of whimsy. Nothing is overly precious, but it still feels thoughtful,' Lauren adds.

To achieve a similar look, it's the scale that makes the impact here. If you can, try to fit in as tall a tree as possible and style it with some Warm White Cluster Lights and use the zig-zag Christmas tree lighting hack for maximum effect. To finish the look, add this plush Wine Red Velvet Tree Skirt from Wayfair.

5. Pair Velvet Bows with Felt Ornaments

If you live in a historic or country home, this traditional English country living room in designer Sean Symington's home is a real lesson in decorating with personality and abundance.

'I love to make Christmas trees colorful and full of personality,' says Sean. 'Last year, we added velvet ribbons in playful, pretty colors for a whimsical touch, along with charming little critter ornaments and festive ornaments.' Note the two faux pheasant toppers for added English flair.

With a mix of colorful ribbons in non-traditional colors and kitsch felt ornaments, this Christmas living room feels like stepping into a nostalgic movie set. 'It felt joyful and layered, a tree that really came to life with color and character.'

6. Add Colorful Christmas Lights

Bethany Adams of Bethany Adams Interiors also takes on a colorful Christmas mixed with nostalgia. Her styling technique focuses on layering with filler pieces.

'Our family Christmas tree is bedecked by a combination of ornaments from my own childhood, those we pick up on our travels – always a favorite souvenir of the children – and some festive fillers such as snowflakes, mirrored glass balls, and multicolored satin ribbons tied into bows,' she explains.

'I have an affection for the large, multi-colored Christmas lights I grew up with, and luckily, these days, they're available in LED form,' Bethany adds. 'The overall effect is joyous, just like the holiday season.' These 210FT Color Changing Tree Lights from Amazon boast over 6,000 positive reviews and come with 640 LED bulbs with 11 modes.

Outside of the tree, Bethany loves to use bows for her decor. 'There is no holiday decoration simpler – and more statement-making – than a large satin bow,' she adds. 'The effect is enhanced by a dozen or more lovely bows marching up and around the staircase, holding fragrant holiday garland with candles safely tucked into outdoor lanterns, guiding the way up the staircase.'

The HGTV Home Collection Flameless Heritage Pillar Candles from National Tree are a great flame-free alternative.

7. Embrace Retro Lametta Tinsel

We've noticed a resurgence of this retro, icicle-like tinsel this year. This string tinsel, also known as lametta, can be elegantly layered on a Christmas tree to create a glorious, shimmering effect.

Gray Walker Interiors adorned their tree, seen above, with hanging tinsel, creating a beautiful draped effect and layering in some vintage Christmas decor.

'I love it when a Christmas tree feels like an extension of the room,' says Gray. 'This tree blends my home’s color story, rich reds, pinks, and golds – with an easy mix of old and new. The tinsel catches the light beautifully and gives it that classic, old-Hollywood shimmer. I mixed family ornaments with finds from local shops and vintage markets, so it feels festive, layered, and personal.'

Whether you decide to cover the whole tree for maximum effect or hang a few strands for a glistening finishing touch, this style of tinsel can create a magical design. To help the environment, remember to reuse your tinsel year after year or opt for eco-friendly tinsel made from recycled PVC plastic.

8. Bring Your Soft Furnishings into the Scheme

While we've talked about taking inspiration from traditional Christmas schemes, your childhood, or local surroundings, you also want to bring your biggest decor pieces into the palette.

'Let your Christmas tree be a joyful extension of your room’s personality, an expression of the colors and textures already woven into the space, says Tasha Green, founder of Weaver Green.

'Echo the tones of your cushions, picking up the warmth of the rug, and weave them into the decorations on your tree with tree ornaments, ribbons, and lights that feel like a natural continuation of your home’s color palette,' she suggests. 'This thoughtful approach brings a beautiful sense of harmony and celebration, making the tree feel not just festive, but part of your home.'

'To enhance the magic, lay a soft rug beneath the tree to zone the space, creating a cozy, cocooning space perfect for gathering to unwrap gifts on Christmas morning.'

If you don't have a rug in your space, try a pretty Christmas tree skirt like this Black White Ric Rac Border Tree Skirt from National Tree Company, or the Chunky Woven Tree Skirt Green Plaid by Joanna Gaines for Target for some festive plaid.

9. Create a Unique Tree with Faux Flowers

Forgo tradition and choose a Christmas tree idea styled with beautiful blooms. This Christmas tree is covered entirely in dried floral branches.

Rob Copsey from Atlas Flowers, who provided the beautiful stems for this unique setup seen above, explains, 'Dried flowers are strikingly effective when used to decorate for Christmas. With so many different products available, they are perfect for matching to your chosen seasonal color theme and style, adding an eye-catching difference to any design.'

If you're unsure how to embrace florals and combine them with your Christmas tree, Rob explains exactly how.

'For Christmas trees, we would recommend the simple use of floristry wire, as you can cut stems to the lengths required and attach them to fixed branches deeper inside the tree. This way the flowers extend out beyond the foliage for maximum visual impact.'

Of course, there really is no “right” way to decorate for Christmas. Whether you favor color or neutrals, what matters most is how it makes you and your home feel. The best Christmas tree designs always carry a little story – a mix of memories, mood, and a little Christmas magic. For more inspiration, take a look at our edit of chic Christmas mantel ideas and Christmas garland ideas.