Creative Ways to Hang Ornaments

Beautiful ornaments inspire us to get creative. Decorating a tree with them is all well and good, but there's no reason to limit yourself to the branches of a pine tree when there are so many other possibilities!

I've searched around and grouped the most interesting and practical ideas into categories below: Chandeliers, Mobiles, Windows, Props. Let me know if I left out something you love.

Chandeliers

This idea is from "A Fabulous Fete" blogger, Lauren. She wanted to dress up her chandelier, so she hung sparkly ornaments on baker's string from the "arms". They are hung at different lengths, and nicely fill the space above the table.

Ornaments suspended from a high chandelier
fill the space above a holiday table.

Another take on hanging ornaments from a chandelier comes from Vanessa and Valentine. I love her sense of style. Although too embarrassed to show the actual chandelier (vintage 80's, not in a good way) she shows the ornaments hanging ffrom the chandelier suspended by ribbons in a tight cluster. Nice photo collection, Vanessa!

When ornaments are hung closer together
they give the impression of being one large ornament.

Ornament Mobiles

My personal favorite is this virtual Christmas Tree made entirely of ornaments and invisible line.

It takes patience to hang so many ornaments
but the stunning effect is worth it.

This idea comes from "Not Martha", which is a great idea in its own right. The tree has caught the attention of other bloggers around the web, so you may have seen it elsewhere. "Not Martha" is a real professional when it comes to organization and clarity of description. She even explains how to store the components of the tree when you take it down, for easy reassembly the next year. I was most curious about what was used to hang the ornaments. The key to building this creation is a steaming rack purchased at a restaurant supply store.

You can get the full directions from "Not Martha"

A simpler, yet very attractive mobile comes from Elle Decor. Wire rings for hanging the ornaments can be found in craft stores. These have hooks, which make it easy to space the ornaments out evenly. Fishing line, which is nearly invisible, is recommended for this decoration.

Photo: Elle Decor

There are lots of devices for hanging and displaying photos that can double as ornament holders. Here's one from Good Housekeeping. Each wire has a little clip for holding a photo. The clip can be used to hold the top wire loop of the ornament. It's important to use small, very lightweight ornaments with this type of hanger.

Photo Mobile idea from Good Housekeeping

This photo mobile would be fantastic for hanging ornaments at dramatically varying lengths. Just be sure the ornaments are not too heavy!

Photo Mobile that can double as an ornament hanger.

Ornaments in Windows


There are some tricks to making this look good. Use some attractive ribbon to suspend the ornaments. Hang the ornaments at varying lengths, so they fill the space behind them. For example, if the ornaments are hanging in front of a large window, they should be spaced in such a way as to occupy the full area of the window. There should be a big difference between the length of the shortest ribbon and the length of the longest. To give the arrangement a finished look, adorn the curtain rod itself by wrapping some festive fabric or evergreen roping. The perfect example of this comes from Salvage Savvy.

The spacing of these ornaments
gracefully fills the window space.

Ornaments and Props

Picture Frame as a Prop for Ornaments

Picture Frame Prop for Ornaments

A Huge Mirror Frame as a Prop for Ornaments

Inspiration for Home

I like the idea of the wire tree for displaying ornaments. A classic design consists of a flat base, vertical rod, and one wire that spirals around it. See below:

Hang the ornaments from bottom to top
and they will hold each other up.

Hanging Ornaments from a BranchI found this idea on the Desire to Inspire web site.

Not every branch has to be evergreen during the holidays!

This lovely decorated branch idea comes from The Decorologist. I love her! If you wanted to add lights, see the suggestion below.

Branch + Ornaments = Instant Chandelier!

I hope this post has shown you one or two ideas that you haven't seen before. Just remember Cultural Intrigue has ornaments that are difficult, if not impossible, to find elsewhere. We import them from Bali, India, and China for your decorating enjoyment! Happy decorating and celebrating!

Happy Holidays from Cultural Intrigue!