When designing for the holiday in a corporate space it's good to be considerate of those who want to enjoy the space, but don't celebrate Christmas. To achieve a holiday look without being centered on religion, I thought about how this time of year makes me feel.

The imagery that came to mind and how I presented it to my client was through descriptive words and imagery.

warm gold glittery lights, a snowy winter street with trees, a book and woman dressed for a celebration

“The warmth and glow of illumination this time of year sets the tone for both calming & glamorous moments to come.

This is a time for leisure, a time to cozy up and enjoy winter stories, past memories, make new ones and celebrate the coming year.

The season’s palette calls upon the transition from Fall with remnants of red as well as neutral tones, snowy whites, and winter’s undressing of leaves from trees highlighting the natural beauty of sculptural bare branches.”

The favored materials for this modern holiday floral and tree install were presented in this way.

warm candlelight, gold and green garland, snowy white preserved florals, dark moody black and red floral arrangement

“The materials and palette I’ve chosen of rich dark red contrasted by whites and accents of gold & black are my nod to iconic holiday colors implemented with a sophisticated mod twist. The use of amaranthus loosely dangling and drawing the eye is my way of bringing nature and botanicals in place of the tinsel that was once so popularly draped in trees.

It also finds its way into preserved florals making one think of the season’s snowy winter whites.

Rich velvety ribbon will go from tree bow to florals in contrast to the neutrals and complimentary to the holiday palette featuring a stunning tone of red which Saint Nicholas is sure to fancy.”

Lastly, I’d like to share the resources used. I turned to local vendors in San Francisco, but many can be found in other cities and states and you can purchase online as well.

shipping package being received during the holiday — Tip!

Keep in mind shipping timelines and the increased demand during the holidays and be sure you order with plenty spare time in case something arrives damaged and you need a new item sent.

For the tree I worked with Guardsmen which provided excellent service and were able to deliver and have the live 18’ tree secured and standing the day before my studio arrived to decorate. Pottery Barn had the nicest tree skirt.

Modern Christmas tree with ribbon and dried floral decor — Tip!

It's a challenge to find a skirt that fits around the base of very large trees. You can solve this by adding decor or plants that hide the base.

Florals and hard goods came from my local San Francisco flower market, specifically the wholesaler Mayesh,Floral Supply Syndicate, and Mt Eden Floral Company

Hardware stores for mechanics, paint and other items needed for building custom features such as the bare winter branches with birds, Lowe’s, Cole Hardware, Target.

Tip!

It’s a good idea to buy work gloves for your team and require long sleeve shirts to be worn when working with pine trees.

Etsy for vintage candle holders and unique decor.

Additional resources for holiday decor and floral are Balsam Hill, Afloral.

The finished install came out beautifully!

How to Design a Holiday Floral Install for Corporate Spaces