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How to Decorate a White Christmas Tree: Colors That Show Up

How to decorate a white Christmas tree: color schemes that stand out, how to make white and silver work, and which ornaments show up on white branches.

By Christmas Trees editorial teamUpdated 3 min readHow we research

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Small rose gold ball ornaments, ribbed and faceted, with gold caps hanging on a white tinsel Christmas tree

Decorate a white Christmas tree with ornaments darker or shinier than the branches: blue, red, deep pink, gold or a mix of brights. Pale ornaments disappear against white, so mix in darker or more reflective pieces. For white and silver, vary the finishes and add one darker accent so the ornaments stand out.

Color schemes for a white Christmas tree

A white Christmas tree works as a plain background, so choose the color scheme that suits your room. Ashley’s XO blog suggests the blue and bright schemes below, and says colorful ornaments on white look playful and cheerful. Red with gold is our own addition.

Scheme on a white tree The look When it suits
Blue, teal to navy, with silver if you like Frosty, like ice A cool, pale room or cool white lights
Brights: pink, lime green or orange, or lime green with blue and silver Bold and playful A modern room, or anywhere you want a surprise
Red with gold The classic pairing, with strong contrast A traditional room with warm lights

Each color has its own guide. See blue pairings, pink decorations and red and gold decorations for more detail on balancing them. The full decorating order is the same as on a green tree.

Making white and silver work on a white tree

White and silver ornaments can look washed out on a white tree, because pale colors have little to stand against. All-white can still work: Nearly Natural describes an all-white scheme as elegant. The contrast has to come from texture rather than color.

  1. Use finish as your contrast. Hicks Nurseries recommends mixing finishes, and that matters more when the colors are this close.
  2. Choose silver over white for the largest ornaments, since metallic surfaces catch light that plain white does not.
  3. Add one darker accent in small amounts, such as navy or deep gray. A few pieces are enough.

Metal helps as well. Nearly Natural suggests mixing metal ornaments and adding metallic ribbon in its silver and gold scheme, and that carries over well to a white tree.

White and silver Christmas ornament sets

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Ornaments that show up on a white Christmas tree

Pale ornaments vanish on a white Christmas tree, while ones that differ from the branches in color, shine or size stand out. Step back after each size you hang and look for any that fade into the tree.

  • Depth of color. Saturated colors stand out most. Pastels look softer, so buy them in larger sizes.
  • Size. Old World Christmas says large ornaments work as focal points around the tree, with medium ones in the middle and small ones deeper in. Keep small ornaments in a stronger color so they stay visible.
  • Hooks and caps. Dark wire hooks can show against white branches. Clear hooks or thin ribbon loops are less noticeable.
  • Light-colored ribbon. A white or cream ribbon nearly vanishes on a white tree, so choose one with some color or metallic finish.

Lights on a white Christmas tree

One color of lights is the safe choice on a white Christmas tree, since Home Depot says single-color lighting goes with most ornaments. Use warm white for gold, red and pink schemes, and cool white for blue and silver.

Look for white wire if you are adding lights yourself, because dark cords show against white branches. The white tree section of our colored tree guide covers lights and how a white tree differs from a flocked one.

Check the strings first, and throw out any with damaged wires or cracked sockets, as the U.S. Fire Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission advise.

White artificial Christmas trees

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Frequently asked questions

What colors look good on a white Christmas tree?

Blue from teal to navy, red, gold or silver, and brights such as pink, lime green or orange all work. Pale ornaments disappear against white branches, so mix in darker or more reflective pieces.

How do you decorate a white Christmas tree in blue?

Choose any shade from teal to navy and let blue lead. Add gold or silver as the accent, so the metal catches the light between the blue ornaments.

How do you decorate a white Christmas tree in red?

Use red as the main color with gold or silver as support, because red stands out strongly against white branches. Start with large red ornaments, spread them evenly, then fill in with smaller metallic ones.

How do you decorate a white Christmas tree in white and gold?

Mix finishes so the white ornaments do not disappear into the branches, and let gold carry most of the contrast, since white on white shows the least.

How do you decorate a white flocked Christmas tree?

Use the same color advice as for a white tree: choose colorful ornaments so they stand apart, and pick shiny ones to set against the soft flocking.

Filed under DecoratingStart with How to Decorate a Christmas Tree, Step by Step

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