14 Ralph Lauren Style Christmas Tree Ideas With Plaid, Velvet and Brass

Red Tartan Ribbon Waterfall From Top to Floor

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Wide red and green tartan ribbon spills from the top of a full green tree. It drops in loose, folded loops every 12 inches, all the way to the floor. Three strands fall down the front, spaced like stripes.

Ribbon does the heavy lifting, so fewer ornaments still look full. Pinch each loop and push it deep into the branches, then fluff the tips back over it. That small trick hides the wire and makes the plaid look woven in.

Copy it: Measure your tree height and buy three times that length in 4 inch wired tartan ribbon. (about 30 minutes, cost $$)

Burgundy Velvet Bows With Brass Bell Clusters

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Fat burgundy velvet bows sit on the tree in a loose diamond pattern. Under each bow hangs a cluster of three small brass bells. Velvet catches the light and goes almost black in the shadows.

Matte velvet next to shiny brass is the whole secret of this look. Tie the bows yourself from 2 inch ribbon, with tails cut on a slant so they never fray. Bells jingle softly every time someone walks past, which is charming until the cat finds them.

Copy it: Count the gaps on your tree tonight and tie one bow for every gap, usually 15 to 20. (about 45 minutes, cost $$)

Real Fir Standing in an Antique Brass Urn

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A real Fraser fir stands in a big brass urn instead of a skirt. The metal has a soft, worn glow, like it lived in a grand hall for decades. Polished floorboards and a tartan armchair sit nearby.

Raising the tree a few inches makes even a 6 foot fir look grand. Hide a regular water stand inside the urn and fill the gap with crumpled burlap. Keep it watered daily and away from heat vents, since dry needles catch fire fast.

Copy it: Check thrift shops and your own cabinets for any metal bucket or planter big enough to hide your stand. (about 20 minutes, cost $$)

Pheasant Feather Picks Tucked Deep

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Long, speckled pheasant feathers poke out from the branches at gentle angles. Their bronze and cream stripes echo the brass ornaments nearby. About twenty feathers spread across a 7 foot tree.

Feathers add a country estate mood without any extra color. Tuck the quills into the branch, not on top, so they look like they grew there. Buy them by the bundle in the craft aisle, where they cost far less than holiday picks.

Copy it: Grab one bundle of natural feathers and test five on the front of the tree before adding more. (about 15 minutes, cost $)

Tartan Wool Throw Bunched as a Tree Skirt

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A red and navy tartan wool blanket wraps the base of the tree in loose folds. One corner spills toward the room, showing the fringe. Two wrapped gifts sit on top of it.

Folding beats flat here, because folds give the plaid depth and shadow. Use a throw you already own, then move it back to the sofa in January. No sewing, no cutting, and nothing extra to store.

Copy it: Pull your favorite plaid throw off the couch and bunch it around the stand right now. (about 5 minutes, cost $)

Hunter Green, Gold and Red Glass Ball Mix

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Glass balls in hunter green, antique gold, and deep red cover the tree in three sizes. Big ones sit deep inside, while small ones hang at the tips. Nothing matches too tightly, so it feels collected.

Placing large balls deep gives the tree a rich, layered glow. Stick to three colors and mix shiny with matte finishes. Your oldest family ornaments can join in, as long as they fit the palette.

Copy it: Sort your ornament bins into green, gold, and red piles and set aside anything that does not fit. (about an hour, cost $$)

Tiny Oil Paintings in Gilt Frames

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Tiny gilt frames hang from the branches on thin red ribbon. Each one holds a small print of a horse, a hound, or a winter landscape. From across the room, the tree looks like a little gallery.

These add story, and story is what makes this style feel old. Print free public domain paintings at home and trim them to fit mini frames. Hang them at eye level, where guests will stop and look closely.

Copy it: Find six mini frames in a craft aisle and choose six old paintings with dark, moody colors. (about an hour, cost $)

Oversized Tartan Bow Topper

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A huge tartan bow sits where the star used to be. Its long tails run down the tree almost to the middle. Because the bow is wider than the top branches, it looks intentional.

Big toppers read as confident, and confidence is half of this style. Make the bow from wired ribbon at least 6 inches wide and secure it with floral wire. Bend the tails into soft S curves so they never hang stiff.

Copy it: Wrap ribbon around a 14 inch piece of cardboard to shape even loops, then tie the center tight. (about 20 minutes, cost $)

Cognac Leather Strips With Brass Buckles

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Thin cognac leather strips wrap the tree in slow diagonal lines. Small brass buckles show here and there, like old riding tack. Against the green, the leather looks warm and a little rugged.

Leather adds texture that ribbon cannot copy. Faux leather cord from the craft aisle works and costs much less. Go around only three or four times, so it reads as an accent.

Copy it: Look through old belts in your closet, since one or two buckles is all this needs. (about 30 minutes, cost $)

Tabletop Tree in a Silver Trophy Cup

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A 2 foot tree sits in a tarnished silver trophy cup on a hall console. Mini tartan bows and tiny brass bells dress it simply. Beside it, a stack of old leather books adds height.

This gives you the look in a small space or a second room. Tarnish is good here, so skip the polish. Estate sales often have old cups for less than a new vase.

Copy it: Set any small potted tree in a metal bowl or cup you own and tie on three bows. (about 15 minutes, cost $$)

Kraft Paper Gifts Tied With Plaid Ribbon

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Gifts under the tree are wrapped in plain brown kraft paper. Every box gets the same red tartan ribbon and a sprig of fresh cedar. Stacked in three heights, they look like a shop window.

Matching wrap turns a messy pile into part of the decor. Kraft paper is cheap and hides lumpy shapes better than shiny paper. Add a brass bell to the biggest box as a small reward for the eye.

Copy it: Buy one big roll of kraft paper and one spool of tartan ribbon before you wrap a single gift. (about an hour, cost $)

Gold Tipped Pinecones Clipped to Branches

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Natural pinecones with gold edges cling to the branches on small clips. They sit in pairs near the trunk and alone near the tips. Gold catches the lights, while the brown keeps it humble.

Pinecones bring the outdoors in, which this style loves. Brush only the tips with gold paint so the cone still looks real. Bake foraged cones on low heat for 30 minutes first to clear out any bugs.

Copy it: Collect a dozen pinecones on your next walk and lay them on a baking sheet to dry tonight. (about 45 minutes, cost $)

Warm White Lights Woven Deep to the Trunk

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Hundreds of warm white lights glow from deep inside the tree, not just the outer tips. The whole thing looks lit from the trunk out, like a lantern. No colored bulbs, and nothing blinks.

A common rule is 100 lights for every foot of tree. Weave each strand in and out along the branch, trunk to tip, before adding anything else. Cool white makes brass look gray, so check the box twice.

Copy it: Test every strand on the floor before it goes on the tree, so you never rehang a dead one. (about an hour, cost $$)

Red Berry Sprays and Magnolia Leaves

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Faux red berry sprays and glossy magnolia leaves fill the gaps between ornaments. Some leaves show their brown, velvety backs. Berries poke out in clusters of three.

Picks fill holes faster than any ornament ever will. Cut long stems into short ones with wire cutters, so one spray covers three spots. Mix the backs and fronts of magnolia leaves for that old southern house feeling.

Copy it: Stand back ten feet tonight and mark every bare spot with a clothespin. (about 30 minutes, cost $$)

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