Equestrian Inspired Christmas Tour : The Tree
Happy Friday, friends! Today, I wanted to give you a closer look at our Christmas tree as we move along with my annual holiday tour. As you already know, I leaned into chestnut hues, horses, a warmer palette, and plenty of texture this season. I definitely think that is reflected in my tree, as well! Click through for a detailed peek at some of my ornaments, garland, and a few more views of our living room this holiday…
If you missed my equestrian inspired living room decorated for Christmas, definitely go back and have a look at the entire space! We’ve been spending lots of time in here and I’ve already had the fire going. Is there anything better than snuggling up to admire the twinkling lights of a Christmas tree? I’m a big fan. Something about that gives me the warm & fuzzies this time of year. Anyway, scroll on for a zoomed in look at the tree!
Ornaments
I’ve been building my ornament collection for over a decade, and I love pulling out my tried & true favorites each holiday. If you’re working on curating your own assortment, check out this post for 30 classic ornaments to collect & how to style them! I always add a few new varieties to the mix.
This season, I added some darling little horses, bronze tinsel, and I pulled out my birds which haven’t made an appearance in a few years. There are definitely more feathers on the tree this year, than in year’s past, which make for a nice textural element. Can you spot them? I’d love to know how many horses and birds you find, ha!
I really enjoy mixing all metals this time of year, so you’ll find gold, brass, bronze, silver, sparkles, gold leaf, copper, and even some etched mercury on the tree this season. I honestly would have kept adding, but Emmett walked by and told me the tree was looking “clunky”, to which I gave him a death stare. In the end, he’s right though… an editing eye is always appreciated, as it’s easy to get carried away!
The Oversized Basket
So far, I’ve received more questions about the basket our tree is sitting in, as opposed to the ornaments, the tree itself, or the topper…
This giant basket was a lucky estate sale find! It’s HUGE. I’ll admit- I snagged it with the intention of styling a Christmas tree inside. Many passerby at the sale asked why anyone would ever need a basket that big or questioned where I’d put it… Christmas, obviously. Click here to read about how to find & shop home estate sales.
Emmett also questioned my big basket madness. He was convinced there was no way this would work. Luckily, I don’t take no for an answer and we put our heads together to engineer a pedestal or stabilizer of sorts. Emmett built this handy pedestal with edge bumpers to ensure the tree can’t slip out or shift. It’s honestly super secure and probably more sturdy than it has ever been resting on the floor.
The basket / pedestal combo also elevated the tree so the dogs no longer walk under it and bump the lower branches, rustling ornaments. Basically, the basket was a happy accident that I’m quite thrilled about, as well!
Textural Garland
Another cool and unexpected find I stumbled across was this textural pampas grass garland. Although, it’s not real pampas grass, but rather some sort of synthetic fiber- I really like the texture. It’s on sale at Target for $7 and has terrible reviews, but I absolutely love it. It gets rave reviews from me- and you can’t beat the price.
Emmett & I both agreed it reminded us of horse hair. I spiraled it around our tree, which added the perfect softness and unique fluffy texture. The color also worked well with my existing palette. It’s nice, right? I got the matching wreath for $10… which you’ll see next week in my holiday office tour! I think they both look super high-end.
Sources & Christmas Tree Decorating Tips
As always, I’ve got sources for you! I wasn’t able to link my cute little horse ornaments, but those came from World Market. I’ll link what I can below.
Click directly on each item below to be redirected.
Here are five of my easy tips for Christmas tree decorating, if you’ve yet to decorate…
- Layer the garland first – I always wrap or spiral my garland first. It’s easier than trying to maneuver around breakable ornaments later in the styling session.
- Style the largest items next – Larger items take up more visual space and hold more weight… put those elements on the tree first for a balanced look. It will make decorating the rest much easier!
- Fill in gaps as you go – I always step wayyy back to see if I’m missing any holes or gaps in the tree. It’s more difficult to identify those sparse areas when you’re closely decorating. Consider this your reminder to stand back every once in awhile.
- Consider a variety of materials – I always strive for multiple finishes… some items that absorb the light, some that bounce or reflect it, and others that softly illuminate. Mix in softer finishes, shiny finishes, glass, metal, wood, sparkles, tinsel, crystal, etc. The more the merrier!
- Insert your personal touch – don’t forget to include ornaments or elements that are special or meaningful for you and your family. That’s the magic of the holidays.
FAQ
I separated the tinsel into sections (because I couldn’t handle the mess), then tied it into little parcels with a piece of tinsel. Then, I draped them over branches throughout the tree.
Those are old (~10 years), but I found an Etsy shop that makes handblown glass ornaments with feathers inside… they’re gorgeous and look super similar! Find my favorites here, here, and here.
I’m going for a monochromatic chocolate look this year, so I purchased this brown paper, and I’ll be using the same brown ribbon seen throughout the living room (that I decorated with). Honestly, I don’t have any gifts yet, and I’m thinking it will be a last-minute process this year… gift wrapping, that is. This Amazon gift wrap board I pulled together may be helpful for some of you!
I love having our tree in the formal living room, near the fireplace. It’s located in the heart of our home, where we most often gather… and it just feels super cozy & festive. If anything, maybe we would add a second tree to our entryway, so it could be viewed from our front door / exterior?
That’s another vintage estate sale find, and I just thought it looked pretty there! Can’t you imagine it filled with gifts, or presents stacked on top of it? A treasure trove of gifts.
I hope you enjoyed this detailed look at our Christmas tree! The next stop on my holiday tour will be my home office… that’s coming on Monday, so be sure to check back. It’s decked out for the season and is looking so cozy. Cheers to a beautiful weekend ahead! I’m cramming in a giant to-do list before we leave for vacation. It’s always a bustling time of year.