17 Jewel Tone Christmas Tree Ideas for a Rich, Moody Holiday
Your apartment is small, the walls feel close, and every December you worry that a big, colorful tree will make the whole room feel crowded. Here’s the thing: jewel tones are actually your friend in a tight space. Emerald, sapphire, ruby, and plum look rich and deep, so a few well-placed pieces do the work of a dozen random ornaments. I’ve pulled together 17 Jewel Tone Christmas Tree, each with one simple trick you can copy. Most are renter-friendly, budget-friendly, and easy to pack away in January.
1. Let Dark Walls Make Your Colors Glow
Jewel tones look richest against something dark. In this cozy living room, the deep green-black walls make every magenta, purple, and emerald ornament glow like stained glass. Dark walls also blur the corners of a small room, so it feels deeper, not smaller. The magenta velvet sofa and emerald pillows repeat the tree’s colors right up front. A plum velvet ribbon spirals around the branches, and a gold star finishes the top.
Pro Tip: Renting and can’t paint? Hang a floor-length velvet curtain in emerald or navy behind the tree for the same dark backdrop.
2. Tie Velvet Bows Instead of Garland
Garland wraps around and around, and on a small tree it can look busy. Velvet bows are simpler. Here, burgundy bows with long tails sit evenly across the branches, between navy, purple, and silver ornaments. Each bow adds color and softness in one spot, so the tree looks full without feeling heavy. The plum and navy velvet pillows on the gray sofa pick up the same shades, and a woven basket hides the stand.
Pro Tip: Space your bows in a loose zigzag pattern, about 12 inches apart, so they never line up in stiff rows.
3. Stick to Two Shades of Blue-Green
Too many colors can make a narrow room feel noisy. This tree keeps it calm with just sapphire and teal ornaments, plus a few gold glitter sprays. A wide navy velvet ribbon falls down the front in loose curves. The teal velvet pillows with gold embroidery on the gray sofa repeat the palette, and the seascape painting in its gold frame ties right in. Two related jewel tones feel rich, but never chaotic.
Pro Tip: Choose one dark shade and one brighter shade, like sapphire and teal, so the tree has depth instead of looking flat.
4. Let Ribbon Fall in Waterfall Loops
Vertical lines pull the eye up, which makes a ceiling look taller. On this slim tree, burgundy velvet ribbon with gold edges drops from the top in big, soft loops, almost like a waterfall. It frames ruby, emerald, and sapphire velvet ornaments and gold glitter sprays. The floral curtains behind the tree echo the deep red. Meanwhile, the gray sofa with emerald and gold pillows keeps the rest of the room quiet.
Pro Tip: Use 2.5- to 4-inch wired ribbon and pinch each loop onto a branch, so the curves hold their shape all season.
5. Warm It Up with Amber Glass Ornaments
Jewel tones can lean cool, especially blues and greens. Amber glass warms them right up. This tree mixes amber and copper ornaments with ruby and emerald ones, and the lights glow through the glass like honey. It suits the terracotta accent wall and brown leather club chairs perfectly. A burgundy velvet bow on top sends long tails down the tree, and emerald velvet pillows on the chairs repeat the green.
Pro Tip: Hang amber glass ornaments deeper in the branches, close to the bulbs, so the light shines through and makes them glow.
6. Tuck the Tree Beside a Bookcase
A colorful bookcase and a jewel tone tree are natural friends. In this small corner, the tree stands right next to white shelves full of books, plants, and blue-and-white pottery. The bright book spines already add red, teal, and green, so the tree feels like part of the room. Teal velvet ribbon wraps the branches, with plum, ruby, and gold ornaments. The orange velvet sofa with teal and purple pillows completes it.
Pro Tip: Leave about 6 inches between the tree and the shelves, so you can still reach your books without knocking off ornaments.
7. Mix In Shaped Ornaments
A tree full of only round balls can look a little flat. Shaped ornaments add interest fast. This tree mixes emerald and purple balls with cobalt teardrop finials, gold glitter stars, and gold filigree pieces. A purple velvet ribbon falls in loose loops from the gold starburst topper. Nearby, the gray sofas with emerald, plum, and mustard velvet pillows bring those same colors into the whole living room.
Pro Tip: Use one shaped ornament for every four or five round ones, so the special pieces stand out instead of crowding the branches.
8. Hang Gold Bells for Old-World Charm
Gold bells give a jewel tone tree a cozy, vintage feel. On this tree, little brass bells hang between ruby, emerald, and amber glass ornaments, while a burgundy velvet ribbon swoops around the branches below a big velvet bow. The bells catch the lights with a soft shine. The pine armoire, striped curtains, and mustard knit throw with burgundy pillows make this small room feel like a country cottage.
Pro Tip: Hang bells on the outer tips of the branches, where they can swing a little and catch more light.
9. Ground It with an Emerald Velvet Skirt
The bottom of a tree often looks unfinished. A deep emerald velvet skirt fixes that and anchors all the color above it. In this high-rise apartment, the green skirt sits under a tree full of ruby, sapphire, and emerald ornaments, sapphire velvet ribbon, and gold glitter sprays. The navy and red velvet pillows, the red lacquer cabinet, and a bowl of pomegranates echo the tree’s gem colors.
Pro Tip: Pick a skirt about 48 inches wide for a 7-foot tree, and smooth the velvet so the nap faces one direction.
10. Layer Two Ribbons in Your Bow Topper
A star isn’t your only topper option. This tree wears a big bow made from purple velvet and gold metallic ribbon layered together. The two textures make the bow look rich, and its long tails run all the way down the tree. Gold, emerald, and purple ornaments fill the branches. The olive velvet sofa with plum and mustard pillows, the snake plant, and the soft peach walls keep this corner warm.
Pro Tip: Make each bow loop with velvet on the outside and metallic ribbon tucked inside, so a little gold peeks out.
11. Add Frosted Berry Picks
Frosted berry picks bring a wintry touch that makes jewel tones feel crisp. On this tree, sugary-looking sprays with dark berries poke out between navy, purple, and silver ornaments. A wide burgundy velvet ribbon wraps around in loose diagonal bands. The plum and navy velvet pillows on the gray sofa match perfectly. Across the room, the glass dining table, white chairs, and glowing candles keep the space light.
Pro Tip: Angle berry picks outward and slightly upward from the branch tips, so they break the tree’s outline and add texture.
12. Tuck Gold Leaf Picks Between Ornaments
Gold leaf picks add sparkle without adding more round shapes. On this tree, large gold glitter leaves sit between ruby, emerald, and pink ornaments, with burgundy velvet bows tied down the branches. The gold picks connect to the brass dome floor lamp right beside the tree. The navy velvet sofa with emerald pillows and the navy tablecloth carry the jewel tones into the dining area.
Pro Tip: Place gold picks in a loose triangle pattern around the tree, roughly three per row, so the shine looks balanced.
13. Let a Patterned Rug Repeat the Colors
A Persian-style rug can do half your decorating work. This deep red rug already holds ruby, navy, and cream, so the tree feels at home right on top of it. Burgundy velvet ribbon cascades down the slim tree, between ruby, sapphire, and emerald ornaments and gold berry sprays. The patchwork armchair with an emerald velvet pillow adds more color, and dark walls with gold-framed art keep things moody.
Pro Tip: Pick ornaments in the two strongest colors of your rug, so the tree and the floor feel planned together.
14. Choose Matte, Moody Ornaments
Shiny ornaments are lovely, but matte ones feel calmer and more grown-up. This tree uses soft matte balls in plum, teal, and olive, mixed with purple glass finials and pinecone ornaments. A burgundy velvet bow and ribbon add a deeper red. Around it, the brown leather armchairs, the dark botanical wallpaper, and the glowing electric fireplace make this apartment feel like a cozy, moody library.
Pro Tip: Keep roughly two matte ornaments for every shiny one, so the tree still catches light without looking glittery.
15. Hang Gem-Shaped Ornaments
For a true jewel tone tree, hang ornaments that actually look like jewels. This tree is covered in faceted ruby, emerald, and sapphire pieces, some shaped like diamonds. Royal blue velvet ribbon wraps the branches in wide bands. The stained-glass pendant lamp repeats the same colors overhead. The dark walls, the gray sofa with red and green velvet pillows, and the leafy plants frame everything beautifully.
Pro Tip: Hang gem ornaments on clear fishing line instead of metal hooks, so they look like they’re floating between the branches.
16. Swag a Gold Bead Garland
Gold bead garland is an easy way to add sparkle in a small room. On this tree, it hangs in soft swags between emerald, ruby, and purple velvet ornaments, while a dark velvet ribbon winds down from a small bow on top. The beads reflect the lights without taking up any space. Nearby, the dining table set with magenta roses and red glassware repeats the tree’s rich reds.
Pro Tip: Start at the top and let each swag dip about 4 inches, getting slightly deeper as you work toward the bottom.
17. Drape a Plum Knit Throw Nearby
A tree looks more at home when something nearby shares its colors. In this apartment, a chunky plum knit throw is draped over the armchair facing the tree. It repeats the purple ornaments and connects the seating area to the tree corner. Green velvet ribbon falls in loops from a matching bow, around purple, emerald, sapphire, and gold ornaments. The teal accent wall and mustard bar stools add even more color.
Pro Tip: Choose a throw in the tree’s darkest shade, so it grounds the seating area instead of competing with the ornaments.
Final Thoughts
A jewel tone tree doesn’t need a big room or a big budget. It needs a clear color story and one or two smart details, like velvet bows, amber glass, or a rich velvet skirt. These deep shades make a small apartment feel cozy and intentional instead of crowded. Don’t try all 17 at once. Pick one or two ideas, try them this weekend, and let your tree glow.
