1. GET THE COLOR SPOT ON
Picking the perfect colored Christmas lights has been years of trial and error for me, and I have finally found the perfect warm white lights that don't change color year on year so I can add new sets to my collection too. They aren't too yellow (a lot of 'warm white' lights really are just yellow) and not too blue either. Plus they are the perfect size, rather than being bulbs they are small, tiny even LED lights that really have that twinkly effect.
2. GET THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF LIGHTS
Simpliest way to ensure your Christmas lights look more expensive? Make sure you have enough. More than enough even. This goes for your Christmas tree, but also anywhere else you want to use lights - the mantle, around windows and doors, along shelves, around wreaths - you don't want it to look like the lights are really stretched to fill the space with just a glow every now and then, you really want them to create a lovely even all over glow.
3. DISGUISE THE WIRES
One way to really bring down the look of your Christmas decor is for wires to be super visible and distracting from the lighting itself. So disguise all wires! There are some really simple ways to do this, firstly just get the right color cord for where you are hanging your lights. 'I prefer a subtle green flex that can bend around the branches of your Christmas tree, making it look as if the lights are almost magically suspended in place. The bulbs sit closely together to create a richly lit, tinsel-like effect when illuminated.' explains Chrissie.
4. KEEP YOUR LIGHTS CLASSIC AND COHESIVE
This is why I like buying all my lights from the same brand, because 'warm white' can vary so much depending on where you get your sets from. So find a shade you like and stick with it, as Amy recommends, 'Make sure your lights are all the same brand for consistency in color and spacing.'
5. PERFECTLY POSITION PLENTY OF LIGHTS
'To make Christmas lights look more elevated, go for lots of light and spend lots of time placing them,' recommends Amy. 'If you've ever looked at professionally decorated spaces, they use so many lights and really dial in the placement. Lights at regular intervals are key, you can use twist ties and various cables to keep it all together.'