The Best Baubles in Town

Go for the luxe look with our selection of good-looking baubles in eye-catching metallics and glamorous darks

These clear baubles hold sparkling glitter and are illuminated from a warm white LED within. Glitter illuminated Christmas bauble, £11.99 for three, Lights4fun. Image: Oliver Perrott

An animal print is always glamorous and eye-catching. Shiny gold Christmas bauble with leopard spots, £8, Rockett St George.

Introduce a sense of opulence with this bauble featuring gold bead swags. Smoked glass bauble, £3.99, Gisela Graham London.

Made from glass in rich-toned black, these six baubles each feature a vibrant glittered starburst design that will add a shimmer to any festive scheme. Six baubles, £32, Cox & Cox.

Interesting facets give these baubles a unique and modern look. Roca set of six faceted baubles, £6, Habitat.

These glass baubles, in a variety of colours and styles, are part of the Enchanted Forest range. From £2.99 each, Dobbies Garden Centres.

Deck out your tree with an on-trend style. Acorn hanging decorations, £22 for a set of eight, Ella James.

Layered gold ruffles add texture and interest. Metallic sequin feather bauble, £2.99, Dobbies Garden Centres. Quirky, fun and greatlooking, these baubles feature iconic people and images. Black and gold Christmas tree decorations, from £8 each, Rockett St George. • Did you know that there’s maths involved in decorating a Christmas tree? According to Wired magazine, you should use about 100 fairy lights and 6.2 baubles to each foot of tree, though this may depend on how bushy your tree is and – of course – your personal preference towards the gaudy or the minimal. Start the decoration by winding the lights around, switching them on first so you can see exactly what you’re doing. • Choose a colour theme for the decorations. While many of us opt for gold, silver or red baubles, recent years have seen a trend towards pastel colours, peacock shades and, conversely, minimal, Nordic-style white or natural paper, wood or raffia.

Or how about a dramatic and opulent look that includes bold, metallic colours, animal prints, swags, sequins, glitter and starbursts? If you’re going to go over the top, you may as well do it with complete conviction, after all. • Hang the larger, heavier decorations towards the bottom of the tree, so it doesn’t look out of balance. It adds visual depth (and aids stability) to hang them near the trunk. Then you can sprinkle the medium-sized and smaller decorations nearer the ends of the branches and at the top of the tree, not forgetting to place your favourites at eye level for maximum impact. • Mix up the bauble shapes and colours so they’re not all grouped together.

Finally, add a statement tree topper and hide the base with an attractive skirt.

STOCKISTS

Dobbies: 0131 561 6406; dobbies.com Gisela Graham London: 020 7708 6396; giselagraham.co.uk Lights4fun: 01423 816 040; lights4fun.co.uk Cox & Cox: 0330 333 2123; coxandcox.co.uk Ella James: 01572 759 190; ellajames.co.uk Habitat: 0344 499 4686; habitat.co.uk Rockett St George: 01444 253 391; rockettstgeorge.co.uk