Krebs Guide to Ornaments

Ornaments set the tone for your whole tree. The right mix of sizes, finishes, and materials creates depth and sparkle, while the wrong mix can look flat, cluttered, or uneven. This guide walks through the choices that matter most, with practical rules you can apply to any tree.

THE 5 CHOICES THAT MATTER MOST

  1. Material: glass for brilliance and tradition, shatterproof for durability in high-traffic homes.
  2. Size range: small fills gaps, medium creates body, large creates focal points.
  3. Finish mix: combine shiny, matte, glitter, and specialty finishes for dimension.
  4. Shape mix: use rounds for continuity, then add statement shapes for character.
  5. Color strategy: choose a palette first, then shop within it to keep the tree cohesive.

ORNAMENT SHAPES, FINISHES AND SIZES

Round ornaments (balls)
These are the foundation shape. Use these to establish your color story and fill most of the visual volume.

Finials and drops
These add vertical lines and elegance. Use them as accents, not as the bulk of the tree.

Figurals and novelty ornaments
These add personality and storytelling. Cluster them in small groups so they read as intentional.

Icicles and elongated accents
These add shimmer and movement, especially near lights.

If you want a simple rule: build the base with rounds, then add 10% to 20% statement shapes.

Ornament sizes, shapes, and finishes

SIZING AND QUANTITY PLANNING

A practical sizing plan (works for most trees):

  • Small: fills gaps near branch tips and in dense areas
  • Medium: makes up most of the tree’s body
  • Large: creates focal points and helps the tree read well from across a room

A practical quantity plan (rule of thumb):

Start by deciding your coverage goal:

  • Light coverage: let branches and lights dominate
  • Medium coverage: ornaments are clearly the hero
  • High coverage: a richly layered, ornament-forward tree

Then concentrate your volume in small and medium ornaments, and use large ornaments as punctuation.


Have a large tree to decorate?

We recommend 50% coverage with ornaments,
whether shatterproof or glass.

To reach 50% shatterproof coverage:

To reach 50% glass coverage: