For almost 10 years now, Claridge’s Hotel in Mayfair has been wowing its guests and visitors with its yearly Christmas tree design. The first tree was designed in 2009 by John Galliano, Dior’s designer. It was unique, stunning, high-fashion, beautiful, and certainly not your typical take on a Christmas tree. From that point on, designers were selected each year to give their take on a Christmas tree. This year’s tree is labelled the Tree of Love and was designed by Diane von Furstenberg. The tree is meant to “celebrate all aspects of love and life” and takes a more traditional approach than some of the previous years. The tree sits at six metres tall and is placed right in the hotel lobby where all can enjoy its beauty.
The Tree of Love Oozes Uniqueness – Just as you would come to expect from the famous designer, the tree she has created is as unique as her clothing designs are. The tree is made up of an incredible 8000 silver leaves, each of which shimmers and reflects the light. There are also 150 glass hearts and blue glass spheres that adorn it, giving it almost an ethereal glow.
As far as extra decorations go, all you’ll find is a dove and an owl, each resting on a branch. The dove is meant to signify peace, while the owl stands for knowledge. Next to the base of the tree stands a peacock, which is meant to represent beauty, and a horse for endurance and strength. It is simple, yet stunning and intricate all at the same time.
The design was carried ever further as the walls that the tree stands next to are also covered in a customised wallpaper that shows the zodiac and constellations. This is because von Furstenberg’s design is meant to show that everything starts in the universe and the tree is in fact working its way upwards towards the heavens.
Let the Tree of Love Dictate Your Christmas Colour Palette – Now that the yearly tree has been unveiled in Claridge’s Hotel, it makes it possible to use this design and concept as inspiration in your own home as you decorate for the festive season. While replicating the tree isn’t a possibility, there are elements of the design that you can use as little touches in your home.
A great place to start is by removing clutter so that you’ve got a clean slate. In order to make a statement with your décor, you can’t have other elements fighting for attention. The Tree of Love is made up of silver and blue glass, which can act as your starting point. A colour palette of silver and blue is quite simple to achieve nowadays thanks to the selection of décor pieces available.
Creating a Statement with the Dining Table – If you happen to be in the market for a new dining table, this may be the time to invest in one and opt for something with a silver touch. The blog found on Fishpools’ website titled “Getting Your Home Ready for the Festive Season”, found here: https://www.fishpools.co.uk/blog/2018/11/getting-home-ready-festive-season/, offers plenty of tips and advice, including a fabulous example of a dining table that could work with the whole Tree of Love colour palette.
The Cantania Extending Dining Table, which the blog points out, features silver chrome touches and the chairs are white and a soft dove grey; again this has that same modern and contemporary feel as the von Furstenberg tree. With just a few table décor elements perhaps in a blue glass, you will be able to create something really special and Tree of Love’esque.
For many people, eating meals together is a huge part of the holiday season, so placing emphasis on the table can be an important feature in the design concept.
Set the Tone and Atmosphere with Lighting – When you think of Christmas lights, it’s normal to think about bright multi-coloured strings of lights that are flashing and really creating quite the stir. Christmas lights don’t have to take on the traditional look though; instead you can focus more on the atmosphere you are trying to create which is soft, warm, welcoming, and loving.
Grabbing a few new light fixtures can be the perfect route to take. Look for warm white lights that feature delicate and soft features. Again, it’s all about capturing the beauty of the Tree of Love. Silver light fixtures are probably the best option, and will look absolutely ethereal when they glow with that soft white bulb. The light will reflect off the silver/chrome just as the Tree of Love does with its silver leaves.
Christmas Décor Straight Out of a Design Magazine – These tips will help you to put together Christmas décor that is inspired by Claridges’ famed tree, and will look like something straight out of a design magazine.