Elegant Christmas Ornaments: 16 Grown Up DIY Designs That Look Like Pricey Store Baubles

Elegant Christmas ornaments do not have to come from a fancy department store with a price tag to match. Right now more grown ups are searching for handmade trims that feel calm, refined and a little luxe, and the good news is that most of them start with cheap supplies. Think pearl beads, real leaves brushed with gold, thrifted chandelier crystals, silk ribbon and plain paper folded with care. The secret is a tight color story and a slow, tidy finish. Below you will find 16 ideas that look like they cost a small fortune, each with a short supply list and easy steps, so you can make one this weekend or a full set for the tree..

Elegant Christmas Ornaments Made With Pearl Beaded Snowflakes

Pearl beaded snowflakes are the first trim people reach to touch when they see a refined tree. They catch the light like jewelry, weigh almost nothing and never break when a branch gets brushed. You build each arm on thin craft wire, so the shape stays crisp for years. Use ivory pearls with a few clear crystal beads for a soft winter look, then add a tiny gold ribbon loop. If you love giving tired trims new life, our ornament makeovers roundup pairs well with this one..

You will need: 28 gauge silver craft wire, 4 mm ivory pearl beads, 4 mm clear crystal beads, a snowflake wire form or six cut wire lengths, round nose pliers, thin gold ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Cut six 4 inch wire lengths and twist them together at the center into a star. 2. Thread pearls and crystals onto each arm, adding a short side branch halfway up. 3. Curl each wire end with pliers to lock the beads. 4. Tie a gold ribbon loop to one arm.

A Soft White and Gold Palette

The fastest way to make a tree look expensive is to shrink the palette. Pick white, gold and one soft accent such as blush, then stick to it on every branch. Plain baubles from the dollar store look custom once they share the same three colors. Mix finishes too: matte white, gold glitter and a little shine from a satin pink. Hang the biggest pieces deep inside the branches and the small ones near the tips. Our Christmas crafts for adults list has more calm projects that fit this look.

You will need: Plain plastic baubles, matte white spray paint, fine gold glitter, decoupage glue, a soft brush, blush pink baubles, gold ribbon for hanging.

How to make it: 1. Spray half of the baubles matte white and let them dry. 2. Brush glue on the lower half of a few white ones and roll them in gold glitter. 3. Add blush pink pieces for warmth. 4. Hang large ones deep in the tree and small ones near the tips.

Gilded Magnolia Leaf Bundles

Magnolia leaves have a glossy green top and a soft brown suede back, so a touch of gold leaf turns them into something you might see in a high end florist window. Gild the top side only and let the velvet brown show as the leaves turn. Tie three together at the stem with a silk ribbon loop and they hang like a little bouquet. They pair beautifully with plush trims from our velvet ornament ideas. Store them flat in tissue and they keep their shape for years.

You will need: Dried magnolia leaves, gold leaf sheets, gilding size or leaf adhesive, a soft dry brush, cream silk ribbon, hot glue.

How to make it: 1. Brush a thin coat of size on the top of each leaf and wait until it turns tacky. 2. Lay gold leaf over it and press down with a dry brush. 3. Brush away the loose flakes. 4. Glue three stems together and wrap them with silk ribbon, leaving a loop.

Elegant Christmas Ornaments With Silver Swirls on Pink

Hand piped swirls make a plain pink bauble look like a heirloom from a European market. The trick is dimensional paint in a fine tip bottle, which lets you draw raised lines the same way a baker pipes icing. Practice on paper first, then work in loose scrolls and dots instead of perfect shapes. A few loops of silver glitter catch the light beautifully. These are the kind of elegant Christmas ornaments that guests pick up to study. For more freehand ideas, browse our hand painted ornament designs.

You will need: Pink satin finish baubles, silver dimensional paint with a fine tip, fine silver glitter, a foam egg carton for drying, paper for practice.

How to make it: 1. Practice a few scrolls on paper until your hand feels steady. 2. Pipe loose swirls and dots around the top half of a bauble. 3. Dust wet lines with fine glitter and tap off the extra. 4. Rest it in an egg carton until fully dry, then pipe the bottom half.

Chandelier Crystal Drops

Old chandelier crystals turn up in thrift stores, estate sales and online lots for very little, and they make some of the most luxe trims you can hang, true elegant Christmas ornaments. Each prism throws tiny rainbows when daylight hits the tree. Wrap the top with thin gold wire to cover the old hook, then hang it on wide satin ribbon. Mix long drops and small octagon beads for variety. If you collect old pieces, our vintage ornament ideas gallery shows more ways to use them.

You will need: Chandelier crystal prisms, 24 gauge gold wire, ivory satin ribbon, flat nose pliers, mild soapy water, a soft cloth.

How to make it: 1. Wash the crystals in soapy water and dry them with a soft cloth. 2. Wrap gold wire around the top hook several times to hide it. 3. Form a small wire loop at the top. 4. Thread satin ribbon through the loop and tie it to a branch.

Fluffy White Feather Picks

White feathers add movement and softness, the same trick designers use on hotel lobby trees. Buy loose craft feathers or feather picks, then tuck them between branches near your best baubles. A single plume can look like snow drifting through the tree. To turn one into a hanging trim, glue the quill into a small gold bead cap and add a loop. Feathers also suit the gentle mood of our angel craft ideas for a soft heavenly theme.

You will need: White craft feathers or feather picks, small gold bead caps, jewelry glue, thin gold cord, tweezers.

How to make it: 1. Trim each quill to about 2 inches. 2. Add a drop of glue inside a bead cap and press the quill in. 3. Thread gold cord through the cap loop and knot it. 4. Tuck loose picks between branches near the larger baubles.

Elegant Christmas Ornaments From Embossed Foil

Embossed metal medallions look like antique pewter, yet they start as thin craft foil you can cut with old scissors. Draw a snowflake or dot pattern on the back with a dry pen and the front rises in neat relief. A quick rub of dark paint, wiped back, makes every line pop. These elegant Christmas ornaments feel weighty and heirloom without the cost. Hang them on narrow velvet ribbon so they turn and catch light. For layout ideas, see our ornament tree ideas.

You will need: Thin craft metal foil sheet, a round template, old scissors, a dry pen, a mouse pad, black acrylic paint, a soft rag, a paper punch, narrow velvet ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Trace a 3 inch circle on the foil and cut it out. 2. Lay it face down on a mouse pad and press a pattern into the back with the dry pen. 3. Rub black paint over the front and wipe it back with a rag. 4. Punch a small opening at the top and add ribbon.

Woven Straw Stars

Straw stars come from old Scandinavian and German traditions, and they still look refined on a modern tree. They are light, natural and pale gold, so they blend with white, red or green schemes. Soak the straws so they bend without cracking, then tie them in layers with fine red or white thread. A few on every branch give the tree a calm, handmade rhythm. You will find more cozy projects in our handmade ornament guide.

You will need: Natural craft straws, a shallow pan of warm water, fine red or white thread, small sharp scissors, a pin board and pins.

How to make it: 1. Soak the straws for half an hour, then flatten them. 2. Lay four straws across each other in a star and pin the center. 3. Weave thread over and under each straw around the center and knot it. 4. Trim the tips into points and add a thread loop.

Quilled Paper Medallions in White and Gold

Quilling makes elegant Christmas ornaments too. It is the old art of rolling narrow bands of paper into coils and scrolls, and in white and gold it looks like lace. Each medallion is made of small coils glued around a center, so you can make it as simple or as detailed as you like. It is relaxing work for a quiet evening with a cup of tea. Once you have a stack of them, try displaying them with our ornament hacks. A spray of matte sealer keeps the paper crisp.

You will need: White and metallic gold quilling paper, a slotted quilling tool, white craft glue, a toothpick, a circle template board, matte spray sealer, thin gold cord.

How to make it: 1. Roll eight white paper bands into loose coils and pinch each into a teardrop. 2. Glue the points together around a tight gold coil center. 3. Add gold scroll shapes between the teardrops. 4. Spray with matte sealer and tie on gold cord.

Elegant Christmas Ornaments Folded From White Paper

Folded paper stars, often called Froebel stars, look delicate and sculptural, yet they come from four plain bands of paper. Pure white paper gives the cleanest look, especially against silver tinsel or a frosted backdrop. Once you learn the weave, each star goes quickly. These elegant Christmas ornaments cost almost nothing, so you can make a dozen for gifts. If you enjoy cut and folded shapes, our paper cutout ideas gallery offers more inspiration.

You will need: Four bands of white paper about 1/2 inch by 17 inches per star, a bone folder, small scissors, a needle and white thread for hanging.

How to make it: 1. Fold each band in half and trim the ends to a point. 2. Weave the four folded bands into a tight square. 3. Fold the loose ends into flat points, then twist the remaining ends into the raised cone points. 4. Thread a needle through one tip for a hanging loop.

Eucalyptus Mini Wreaths With Silk Bows

Tiny wreaths are a sweet surprise inside a big tree, and silver dollar eucalyptus gives them a soft blue green tone. Fresh stems dry right on the wire, so they last through the season and smell clean. Finish each ring with a long silk ribbon bow in dusty blue or blush and let the tails hang free. They look like the details in a designer boutique. For more ring shaped projects, see our ornament wreath ideas.

You will need: 4 inch gold wire rings, silver dollar eucalyptus stems, thin green floral wire, pruners, dusty blue silk ribbon, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Cut eucalyptus into 3 inch pieces. 2. Lay a piece on the ring and wrap the stem with floral wire. 3. Overlap the next piece to hide the wire and keep going around the ring. 4. Tie a silk bow at the top, leaving long tails.

Gold Painted Wooden Stars

Unfinished wooden stars from the craft store turn rich and polished with two coats of metallic gold paint. Choose a warm champagne gold instead of a bright yellow gold for the most grown up finish. Sand the edges lightly between coats so the paint looks smooth and even. Hang them from the tree, tie them to gifts, or string a few at different heights in a window. Our Christmas ceiling decor ideas show how lovely hanging stars look overhead.

You will need: Unfinished wooden stars, fine sandpaper, white primer, champagne gold metallic paint, a soft flat brush, jewelry glue, gold ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Sand the edges smooth and wipe off the dust. 2. Paint one coat of white primer and let it dry. 3. Brush on two thin coats of gold, sanding lightly between them. 4. Glue a gold ribbon loop to the back of the top point.

Elegant Christmas Ornaments in a Mid Century Starburst

Starburst shapes bring back the glamour of 1950s and 1960s holiday design. These are made from thin wooden skewers painted gold and glued around a small center bead, so they look like vintage metal pieces. Vary the stick lengths for a lively, sparkly outline. A set of these elegant Christmas ornaments looks striking on a slim tree or a bare branch in a vase. For bigger statement pieces, look through our giant ornament ideas.

You will need: Thin wooden skewers, a 3/4 inch wooden bead, small cardboard circles, gold metallic spray paint, hot glue, small scissors, thin gold cord.

How to make it: 1. Cut skewers into lengths from 2 to 4 inches. 2. Glue them in a ring around a cardboard circle, alternating long and short. 3. Glue the bead over the center on both sides. 4. Spray everything gold, let it dry, and tie on gold cord.

Silver Hearts on Natural Cord

Small silver hearts tied with natural cord feel simple and romantic, perfect for a couple’s first tree or a gift tag. Thin metal or resin hearts are easy to find at craft stores, or paint wooden hearts with silver leaf paint. The plain cord keeps the look relaxed, while the silver adds polish. Ask a friend to stamp initials on the back for a keepsake. Our personalized ornament ideas show more ways to make a trim truly yours.

You will need: Small wooden or metal hearts, silver leaf paint, a soft brush, natural jute cord, small jump rings, jewelry glue, a letter stamp set, optional.

How to make it: 1. Paint wooden hearts with two coats of silver leaf paint. 2. Add a small hanger to the top of each heart. 3. Thread natural cord through two hearts at slightly different heights. 4. Knot the cord into a hanging loop and trim the ends neatly.

Jewel Tone Thread Wrapped Baubles

Thread wrapped baubles take their look from Temari, an old folk craft where colorful threads are wound into patterned spheres. Read more about the history on Wikipedia. Rich emerald, ruby and sapphire threads with a little gold look stunning against green branches. Start with a foam sphere wrapped in yarn, then lay thread lines in a simple star. They also make thoughtful gifts, see our ornament exchange gifts for more.

You will need: 3 inch foam spheres, fine yarn, sewing thread, embroidery floss in jewel tones, metallic gold thread, long pins, a large eye needle.

How to make it: 1. Wrap a foam sphere in yarn, then cover it smoothly with sewing thread. 2. Mark the top, bottom and four side points with pins. 3. Wind floss from top to bottom through each pin to form a star. 4. Add gold thread lines between them and knot a loop at the top.

Elegant Christmas Ornaments in Champagne Gold Glitter

End with a set of champagne gold glitter baubles, the finishing touch that pulls every other trim together. Use clear or matte gold baubles and add glitter only to the lower half for a dipped look, which feels more refined than full sparkle. Group three in one spot on the tree for impact. These elegant Christmas ornaments also look lovely in a bowl on the coffee table. If you want to fill clear ones too, browse our fillable ornament ideas.

You will need: Matte gold or clear plastic baubles, decoupage glue, ultra fine champagne gold glitter, a foam brush, painter’s tape, a cup for drying.

How to make it: 1. Wrap tape around the middle of each bauble as a guide. 2. Brush glue on the lower half. 3. Pour glitter over it, tapping off the extra onto paper. 4. Remove the tape while the glue is wet and let each bauble dry upright in a cup.