No Room for a Christmas Tree? Try One of These Creative Alternatives to a Traditional Evergreen

Wooden Dowel Tree

Similar to an artificial tree, this wooden dowel design can be assembled and disassembled year after year. To cut down on maintenance even further, fill the tree with honeycomb balls, which pack flat after the holiday season comes to an end. We love the monochromatic look achieved here with baubles and tinsel in various pink hues, but use any ornaments that call to you to decorate the wooden "fir."

Twee Twist Tree

Ask your children to help you with this Charlie Brown-inspired tree. They'll love knowing presents are being opened underneath their very own design on Christmas morning. For this alternative, set up a feathered sapling and adorn it with baubles picked out by your little ones. We love creating "candy canes" for a fun DIY ornament—they're made by twisting together two pipe cleaners in contrasting colors, cutting them in half, and bending them at the tips.

Feather Christmas Tree

Go vintage with a stunning feather tree in lieu of a bigger evergreen. The design became popular in American department stores in the early 1900s, but we think it's a worthwhile addition to your current holiday décor arsenal. To keep with the retro theme, adorn the tree with antique ornaments, which can be sourced from secondhand stores, flea markets, and garage sales. Here, we used glass ornaments in shades of green, bronze, and silver.

Icicle Christmas Tree

If you love a themed tree, this fuss-free creation is for you. We used an ice-blue lucite tree, but you can achieve the look by assembling acrylic dowel rods in the same shape as the one pictured here. Adorn the faux conifer with icicle ornaments and silver baubles to evoke the aesthetic of a white Christmas. Finish the Mother Nature-inspired design with a star tree topper.

Wall Mounted Tree

Conserve space in your home by opting for a two-dimensional tannenbaum. To make it, simply outline a Christmas tree on your wall with hooks, then lay pieces of lush garland on top. You'll want greenery that looks full and healthy to further the illusion of a real tree. Decorate it as you would a normal tannenbaum—we used a mix of miniature mercury-glass ornaments in silver and gold and bulb ornaments.

PVC-Pipe Tree

This truly creative look also pulls double duty as wall art during the holiday season. You'll need PVC pipe in different sizes to achieve the whimsical look—then it's all about coming up with the perfect color palette. Go classic and stick to rich reds and deep greens, or try something different and opt for bright, cheery colors, as we did here. Attach the pipe pieces to a piece of wood in the shape of a Christmas tree, then fill each with ornaments, toys, bows, and more.

Mini Christmas Tree Village

Why have one large Christmas tree when you can have a whole village of small ones? Dust a handful of faux conifers with white paint and you're well on your way to creating this snowy mantel masterpiece. We recommend using a variety of shapes, heights, and colors to give the scene more dimension. Complete the charming look with a few votive candles to make the display feel like a winter village.

Foliage Branches

Believe it or not, you can forage your own holiday tree. Simply take a walk through your neighborhood and gather up a handful of uniquely shaped foliage branches. Coat them in paint—we like bone white for an elevated look—and let them dry before arranging them in a vase. Hang your favorite ornaments from the branches for a simple, cost-effective Christmas tree. To replicate the jasperware ornaments we used here, use Paperclay modeling material and German springerle cookie molds (painting store-bought architectural ornaments works, too).

Paper-Punched Christmas Trees

Create a winter wonderland by grouping together a handful of homemade paper Christmas trees. This vignette might not replace a statement tree, but it can work in smaller spaces or other rooms as a nod to the tannenbaum.

To make the trees, use a craft punch to create circles in graduated sizes. Then cut the circles in half, roll them into cones, and secure with double-sided tape. Next, cut a skewer for the tree. Snip the tip off the largest cone and slide it down the skewer, securing with hot glue. Repeat with the progressively smaller cones. Instead of snipping a hole in the top cone, simply glue it onto the skewer. For the final step, put the skewer into the wood bead's hole and glue in place.

Woodland-Inspired Tree

If your least favorite part of a traditional Christmas tree is cleaning up the pine needles, this DIY project is a beautiful alternative. Three birch bare trees are adorned with glittering birds and surrounded by faux squirrels and snow for a grouping that looks straight from a winter fairytale.

Circus Wreath Tree

Have a built-in conversation starter at all of your holiday parties this year by setting up this circus-inspired wreath tree. The "tree" is made with a trio of white wreaths that are suspended from the ceiling with varying lengths of monofilament. Complete the decorative piece with paper circus performers and honeycomb paper balls.

Bonsai-Inspired Tree

Turn a faux bonsai into your family's Christmas conifer by using this display as inspiration. Adorned with a flock of colorful birds and Japanese-lantern ornaments, this artificial roost was spray-painted gold and accented with glitter to give it a tinsel-like shine.