Christmas Tree Ideas For Small Spaces

Gorgeous ideas for decorating our Christmas tree will be everywhere the next few months.

But most of these Christmas tree ideas – however stunning – just won’t work in a small space or apartment.

So if our home is a small studio or crammed with clutter we need to do Christmas trees a bit differently.

And what I have for you here are some fabulously clever – and lovely – Christmas tree ideas for small spaces.

These space saving Christmas tree ideas cover everything from 3 foot Christmas trees & even smaller to :

Tabletop Christmas trees
Wall Christmas trees
Christmas trees from cuttings
Miniature Christmas trees both artificial & real
PLUS super slim Christmas trees that will fit in the tightest corner.

I do hope you find loads of inspiration for how you can decorate a Christmas tree beautifully in even the smallest of spaces. If you love the ideas, please do share them.

And for more Christmas inspiration, check out my other simple Christmas ideas.

Table of Contents

3 Foot Christmas Trees & Smaller

The obvious choice when you’re looking for a Christmas tree for a small space is to go for a 3 foot Christmas tree.

But in a small apartment a 3 foot Christmas tree can still both be clutter and look cluttered.

A bushy three foot tree will still need floor space and some breathing space to look good. If you don’t have a garage, shed or loft you can temporarily store some furniture in, this can be a non-starter.

A super clever alternative is something that looks like a three foot Christmas tree but isn’t and actually makes use of existing furniture.

This example is just a few Christmas tree cuttings in a vase on a chair with some lights on – nothing more but its lovely. And the free cut branches can be arranged to fit in the exact space you have unlike a small tree.

If you are totally committed to a proper small tree go for a two foot or even a one foot Christmas tree that makes a bold statement and has the space to make the statement.

Both real and artificial Christmas trees can do this well.

A completely white one foot artificial tree in a white base with just a few single colour ornaments can seriously command attention without looking like a sad afterthought …

And if you’re really short on space, a one foot tree literally can go anywhere from a table top to the top of the fridge. If it needs to go somewhere quirky, quirky decorations can really help pull it off …

How To Decorate A 3 Foot Christmas Tree

If you have got space for a three foot Christmas tree, it can still be a challenge to know how to decorate it well.

Too many of the new Christmas tree trends for 2021 are non starters on a small tree.

So whether in a living room, kitchen or bedroom try these decoration tips for your 3 footer:

Steer clear of decorations & have lights only
Or in very neutral room you could even go for a bare tree with Christmas lights or ornaments around the base
Stick to a single colour or two contrasting colours only
Put it in a statement pot on a table top
Put it by a window – or even on a window sill – to shine some light on it and help make it the focus of attention
Add only your most precious & meaningful decorations, declutter everything else.

If you do want to decorate a 3 foot or tabletop tree in a more traditional style check out this picture tutorial on How To Decorate A Tabletop Christmas Tree which has wonderfully clear step by step instructions.

Wall Christmas Trees

Wall Christmas trees are a brilliant ideas if you are short on floor space for a real tree.

You can make a wall Christmas tree from just about anything you like but I love these incredibly simple wall trees that all use pine cuttings you can collect on one of my favourite family Christmas traditions, a winter nature walk.

If you have got a big wall free – it is OK to take pictures down for Christmas!! – you could actually have a 6 foot wall tall tree in a small living room …

But you don’t have to clear your walls totally to fit in a wall tree and can work around existing furniture and fittings from shelves to coat hooks …

If you are short on wall space as well as floor space you can still have something with all the feel of real tree complete with ornaments and star in just a few square feet of wall …

And even a cupboard door can be recruited for a lovely little natural Christmas wall tree like this one …

Obviously you don’t have to go completely natural with your Christmas wall tree. And there are loads more lovely ideas here for wall trees of all sorts …

Christmas Tree From Cuttings

Another wonderfully clever idea for fitting a Christmas tree into a small space is to create a Christmas tree from cuttings. You can fill any vase or container you have with Christmas tree branches or pine cuttings so your “tree” is exactly the right size and shape for the space you have.

But if you can’t find pine cuttings or branches in the woods and are having a frugal Christmas on a budget, the simplest of sticks are a beautifully simple minimalist Christmas idea that captures the spirit of a Christmas tree for free …

If you don’t have room for a big pot of sticks or cuttings that can hold large tree decorations, select just the most delicate decorations you have. Or if you are short on decorations you could easily use old earrings that have lost a partner or thread the tree with old beads …

Lots of the Christmas tree cutting ideas you’ll see on Instagram and Pinterest are heavily sprayed but cuttings pared down to their natural wood with sand paper or a knife can be more beautiful …

Super Slim Christmas Trees

A completely different alternative for a tree when you are short on space is a super slim Christmas tree.

The Scandinavians have really mastered the art of squeezing a tall, spindly Christmas tree into a cluttered space and making it look great as in these right and left below from Norregard.

But in a small apartment you can also just get clever and fit a super slim Christmas tree into a corner or even behind a door as Pieced Pastimes did in the centre …

Miniature Christmas Tree

In a truly tiny space, miniature Christmas trees can be cosy or fun or stylishly minimalist. It is totally up to you.

There are loads of miniature tree ideas here for your inspiration …

And you don’t even need to decorate a miniature tree because pulling them can be all about placement.

Whether artificial or real, you can make them a standout feature on a bare shelf or unapologetically cram them in wherever you can find space amongst the clutter …

Model Christmas Trees

If you are not into the natural miniature Christmas tree look – it has been very popular – and can’t a miniature artificial tree you actually like, model Christmas trees can be a great minimalist Christmas look.

And if you want to have a more zero waste Christmas you can easily make your own mini model trees from old cardboard boxes with with this handy tutorial from Craft & Creativity.

I do hope you found some inspiration from all these different Christmas tree ideas for small spaces.

And for more lovely simple Christmas ideas for the festive season check out these posts:

Original images by rawpixel.com unless otherwise stated.