The ribbons, sprays, and stems you incorporate into your client’s holiday displays can make — or break — your design. But with the right accents, these decorative touches combine everything into a cohesive style, allowing you to fill out an installation regardless of your budget. 

Let’s explore how these embellishments can help you round out your design (and cover some quick tips to make the most of your accents).

Image credit: Baker Design Group 2022

Considerations when ordering holiday decorating accents

Prioritize quality

As an expert designer, you know quality is your top priority when investing in accents and décor. Beautiful holiday décor starts with sturdy, full sprays and wired ribbons made from rich fabrics. Making sure that your materials are long-lasting and durable means there’s a higher likelihood you will be able to keep them in good condition and use them season after season.

Think about ribbon specifically: The material’s quality dictates the entire design’s appearance. Poorly made ribbon will fray and not hold its shape, leaving a tree looking unfinished or unprofessional. 

Identify accents that work within your client’s space

 Once the quality of the materials has been established, you can begin to accentuate the theme and take a design from ordinary to extraordinary.

Our designers recommend examining the space and needs of the design to begin incorporating other elements beyond ornaments. The width of the ribbon used and the number of sprays and stems chosen depends on the space available in the design canvas. For example, a wreath will require a ribbon width different from a tree’s. As the designer, you must evaluate which finishing touches are necessary based on each project.  

Think beyond the winter season

Unlike ornaments, ribbons, sprays, and stems can transition to other holidays and seasons throughout the year. Our experts suggest keeping sprays and stems on hand after the holidays to use as home décor. Picks and sprays in neutral colors (e.g., silver, gold, and metallic hues) can come together in a vase for a great home furnishing in any space for any season.

The beauty of high-quality decorative accents is their versatility. Ribbons, stems, and sprays from Vickerman transition beautifully across winter holidays when styled appropriately. This allows you to repurpose these pieces yearly for environmental sustainability and to save on costs.

Blend Christmas décor harmoniously  

It is crucial for designers to create harmony in their design, ensuring that each element shines individually. But as every designer knows, using statement ornaments alongside ribbons and other decorative features can be challenging to balance. A lack of texture can make a design look flat, while too much texture can take away from the unique beauty of each element. Use too many accents, and you risk cluttering your display. If you use too few, your design could look incomplete.

The golden rule: allow accents to enhance the design, not be the main focal point.

Image credit: Baker Design Group 2022

Choosing decorative accents and making them cohesive with the rest of the finishes and textures in the design shows the expertise of a designer. Bouncing different finish ornaments off rich textured ribbons in velvet or glitter, complemented by pearly dimensional sprays, can create a luxury experience in any design. 

The style of the tree itself will significantly impact your final result. Different elements will play differently with different tree textures. Some trees lean toward the extravagant, whereas some are more natural and should be decorated as such. Natural-style trees can handle a fuller design of picks and stems due to the branches having a familiar in-and-out shape. Fuller decorative elements highlight this shape beautifully. In a linear tree, finishing touches should follow the same shape, following a vertical pattern.

Though it can be tempting to go overboard, remember to use restraint and allow ribbons, sprays, and stems to enhance rather than overwhelm a design.  

The key to balanced holiday displays

To keep your main elements, such as your wreath, tree, or mantel, a focal point of your display, remember the following techniques when adding accents. All designers have different aesthetics, so considering the aesthetic of the client’s space is crucial.

Image credit: Baker Design Group 2022

Texture

The texture of your tree, ribbons, and other elements will drive your overall design. The best professionals understand what texture is and how to use it to their advantage. Modern and clean line designs should use less texture to create sleeker lines and play into a minimalist feel. Traditional designs can display whimsy and, as a result, will require more texture.

“Playing with texture allows a designer more control over the final outcome of design,” says Lance Deveraux, social media content creator and owner of Designs by Devereux. 

We estimate 20–40% of a décor budget goes towards these special touches that take a display from boring to bold. As they are the last items to go on a tree, garland, or wreath, their portion of the budget should comprise what is left after you’ve invested in your big-ticket items.  

Professionals estimate 20-40% of a décor budget goes towards these special touches that take a display from boring to bold.

There’s no magic number for how many sprays or yards of ribbon to use — let the individual display and desired aesthetic guide you. 

Ribbons

Wide ribbons can make a dramatic impact but use them sparingly in short bursts rather than overwhelming an entire banister or mantle. This is especially important when working with bold patterns, which can easily overwhelm a room or display if used sparingly. Ribbons can be used in trees and for impactful outdoor installations. In outdoor designs, layering ribbons is an excellent strategy to create maximum impact. It is essential to consider sizes, colors,  textures, and how to layer them effectively for the best results. Using ribbon in an entryway is a trendy way to create seasonal beauty.

Sprays and stems

​​Clustered sprays of metallic berries, pinecones, or holiday shapes create an elegant, coordinated look. Group 3–5 stems together in vases or tie onto wreaths and garlands. Be sure to disperse some single stems as well.

To add more texture to a tree, grouping picks and stems is also an amazing way to add interest, layering them to add even more impact. Any design can be amplified by sprays and stems to make it feel more professional and luxurious.

Our experts even enjoy using sprays and stems as a tree topper and repurposing the elements in an exciting, trendy way. This style can heighten trees that lack presence by extending the eye upward. When a tree lacks fullness, it can also be used to draw the eye outward.

As a unique way to create dimension for clients, Lance suggests “using picks around the base of the tree instead of a traditional tree skirt.”

Consider the heights and shapes of stems when compiling an arrangement. Intermingle tall glittered branches with fuller picks of pine or holly. Angle some stems in different directions for visual interest. The sky is the limit, so long as it all balances out.

Wholesale Christmas decorations for your next installation

When it comes to accents, the possibilities are endless — from a simple spray topping on an ornament-laden tree to an elaborate ribbon garland cascading down a staircase. This season, take your holiday designs to the next level with thoughtfully incorporated accents that wow. 

See how our products can elevate your next project.