There’s a specific kind of Christmas tree that feels less like it was bought as a matching set and more like it was gathered piece by piece over years of good taste and a little whimsy.
That’s the whole appeal of an Anthropologie-style tree — velvet ribbon, jewel tones, odd little ornaments shaped like mushrooms or teacups, all sitting together in a way that somehow just works. It’s a style that rewards a slightly imperfect approach, since the mismatched charm is really the point rather than something to avoid. If your usual red-and-green setup is starting to feel predictable, this is a fun direction to take your tree this year. Here are 15 ideas to get that artistic, collected look.
1. Layer Colorful Glass Ornaments
Instead of sticking to one or two shades, build your tree around a mix of jewel tones, soft pastels, and warm metallics all layered together. The variety is what gives the tree its playful, gathered-over-time feeling rather than a matched set fresh out of a box. Glass baubles in different sizes add depth, since larger ornaments toward the bottom and smaller ones near the top create natural visual balance. Handle them gently while hanging, since the more delicate finishes tend to be the prettiest ones.
2. Add Oversized Velvet Bows
A few large velvet bows scattered through the branches instantly make a tree feel softer and more luxurious than one dressed only in ornaments. Burgundy, dusty pink, emerald, and mustard all work beautifully depending on your color direction. Let the ribbon tails hang loosely rather than pinning them flat, since that relaxed movement is part of what makes the look feel intentional rather than stiff. A mix of bow sizes throughout the tree keeps the eye moving from top to bottom.
3. Try a Jewel-Tone Palette
Skip the traditional red and green entirely and build your tree around sapphire, ruby, emerald, and amethyst instead. A few gold ornaments mixed throughout keep the deeper colors from feeling too cool or heavy. This palette reads as rich and a little dramatic without tipping into anything formal or stiff. It’s a strong choice if your living room already leans toward darker, more saturated colors during the rest of the year.
4. Mix In Floral Ornaments
Floral-shaped baubles and embroidered blooms bring a romantic, slightly unexpected quality to a Christmas tree that most people don’t think to try. Tuck a few directly into the branches alongside your regular ornaments rather than clustering them all in one spot. Varying the flower sizes helps the arrangement feel more like something that grew in naturally, not like a matching set. This idea pairs especially well with a softer, blush-and-gold color scheme.
5. Use Vintage-Inspired Pieces
A tree built around antique-style glass baubles, tiny house ornaments, and faded metallic finishes feels like it’s been collected across several holiday seasons, even if everything’s brand new. Mixing genuinely old pieces with newer vintage-inspired ones adds real depth and a sense of history. Old-fashioned Santa figures or woodland-style ornaments work particularly well here. This is a great direction if your home already leans toward antique or heirloom-style decor.
6. Weave in Multiple Ribbons
Rather than wrapping one single ribbon evenly around the tree, try weaving several different types through the branches at once. Velvet, plaid, striped, and floral ribbons layered together create the kind of textured, slightly chaotic look that reads as curated rather than sloppy. Let the ribbon dip and rise naturally instead of pulling it too tight against the branches. This is one of the easiest ways to add personality without buying a single new ornament.
7. Add Whimsical Animal Ornaments
Small animal ornaments — birds, rabbits, foxes, deer — bring a playful, storybook quality to a tree that otherwise leans traditional. Look for pieces with interesting texture or a slightly handmade look rather than smooth, mass-produced shapes. Scatter them between your regular baubles instead of grouping them together so they feel like a natural part of the design. This idea works especially well if you’re decorating for a household with kids who’ll enjoy spotting each little creature.
8. Build a Pink and Burgundy Tree
For something softer but still festive, combine blush pink, dusty rose, deep burgundy, and warm gold throughout the tree. Velvet bows and floral ornaments reinforce the romantic feeling this palette naturally leans toward. It’s a lovely combination in a room with neutral walls and warm wood furniture, since the pinks and burgundies stand out without clashing. This direction tends to photograph beautifully too, especially against a plain, light-colored wall.
9. Add Handmade-Looking Decorations
Felt ornaments, embroidered pieces, paper stars, and small clay shapes bring a handcrafted quality that fits the Anthropologie aesthetic perfectly. These pieces don’t need to match precisely — the small imperfections and variations between them are actually part of the charm. Mixing several different handmade-style materials throughout the tree keeps things from feeling too polished or uniform. It’s a good direction if you want the tree to feel personal rather than store-bought.
10. Hang a Beaded Garland
A long beaded garland made from wood, glass, or pearl beads brings texture that traditional tinsel just can’t match. Drape it loosely so it follows the natural curve of the branches instead of pulling it tight in a straight line. Wooden beads add warmth, while glass or metallic beads catch the light more dramatically. This is a simple upgrade if your tree currently relies only on lights and ornaments for texture.
11. Go Maximalist
If restraint isn’t really your style, fill every visible section of the tree with a mix of shapes, colors, sizes, and materials. The trick to keeping a maximalist tree from feeling chaotic is repeating a handful of core colors throughout, even as the ornament shapes and textures vary widely. Finish with generous ribbon woven through the fuller sections to tie everything together visually. This approach works best if you genuinely enjoy the process of layering and adding rather than editing down.
12. Add Woodland and Mushroom Details
A tree built around mushrooms, acorns, pinecones, and tiny forest creatures brings a cozy, storybook energy that feels a little different from typical holiday decor. Warm browns, cream, rust, and muted reds support the woodland theme without needing anything bright or metallic. This idea works particularly well if your home already has a rustic or cottage-style feel throughout the year. It’s an especially charming direction for a tree in a reading nook or a smaller, more intimate room.
13. Choose Unique Shaped Ornaments
Move beyond round baubles entirely and add shapes like teacups, hot-air balloons, tiny cakes, or miniature books scattered through the branches. A handful of statement pieces surrounded by simpler ornaments keeps the tree feeling artistic rather than cluttered. These unusual shapes are also a nice way to reflect a hobby or interest, whether that’s baking, reading, or travel. It’s one of the easiest ways to make a tree feel genuinely personal rather than generic.
14. Top It With a Statement Piece
Skip the traditional star and finish the tree with something a little more unexpected, like a large velvet bow, an oversized floral cluster, or a sculptural ornament. The topper sets the tone for the whole tree, so it’s worth choosing something with a bit of personality rather than defaulting to whatever’s easiest. A cluster of feathers or a decorative sunburst both work beautifully in this style. This small change alone can shift a fairly traditional tree toward something more artistic.
15. Balance Neutrals With Bright Pops
If a fully maximalist tree feels like too much, start with a base of cream, ivory, and warm beige ornaments, then add small accents of coral, green, or burgundy for contrast. Natural textures like woven ribbon, wooden pieces, or soft fabric decorations round out the neutral base nicely. This approach gives you a calmer tree that still has personality and warmth, rather than looking plain or unfinished. It’s a good middle ground if you like the aesthetic but don’t want to commit to a fully bold palette.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, a tree like this isn’t about following a strict formula — it’s about layering things you genuinely love until the whole thing feels like it tells a story. Some years that might mean leaning into jewel tones and velvet, and other years it might be woodland creatures and cream-colored ornaments. Don’t worry about getting every branch perfectly even or every color exactly matched, because that’s honestly not the point here. Pick two or three ideas from this list that speak to you, and build outward from there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What colors are typically used for an Anthropologie-style Christmas tree?
Jewel tones like emerald and sapphire, soft pastels like blush and dusty rose, and warm neutrals like cream and gold are all common, often mixed together rather than kept separate.
Q: Do I need expensive ornaments to get this look?
No, mixing handmade-looking pieces, ribbon, and a few statement ornaments can create the same collected, artistic feel without a large budget.
Q: How many ornament styles should I mix on one tree?
Three to five different styles or textures, like glass, felt, and beaded pieces, is usually enough to feel layered without looking disorganized.