Wow... such a fine line between cute and clean, and overcrowded and clunky....

That last tree is simply hideous.

I'm going to have to assume that the photography/lighting/etc. are doing these trees a disservice, because they really do look pretty bad, or at least like nothing special. Cookie cutter as it might be, I find a lot more Christmas tree inspiration in the pages of the Pottery Barn catalog than from these pictures. I try not to be a hater, but that's the truth.

Is there even a tree under all that stuff in the last one?

May I put out a call for respectfulness? I would like to remind commentators that the people who designed these trees can also see the comments. Have your opinions, but please have some respect.

I dont think these comments are disrespectful. If you put yourself under the banner of "inspiring" and then are quite the opposite of that, posters have a right to say so.
These trees are anything but inspiring!

This is not Apartment Therapy in the village of Stepford.

OK, my more respectful critique: Is there actually a tree beneath all the ribbons, fabric, and ornaments in that last picture? And the pink-burgundy-gold color scheme clashes.

Anyway, is there a respectful way to call something ugly? I don't think calling a spade a spade is inherently disrespectful.

The first thing I thought when I saw the first tree is that it's trying to send the following message: Got a wish? TAKE A NUMBER! hehe :)

If it weren't for the tinsel I'd like the third tree, it has the most class.

Although I agree that the trees are less than inspiring, I'm at least glad that they were in service of a good cause.

#2 is pretty cute.

but to me, a christmas tree shouldn't be something designer, it should show the lives, interests, history, and experiences of the family.

you simply cannot design such an heirloom.....

Thank you, Lindsey, for attempting to calm down the haters. I don't know what it is about this site that breeds so much hate and rudeness, but there it is. There is a difference between having a dissenting opinion and being straight up rude and/or hateful, and several commenters on this post have crossed that line. You would never go to someone's house and say out loud "God, that tree is so TACKY," so why do it over the Internet? As Lindsey stated, the creators of those trees may be readers, and to read the nasty things some of you have said can't be a good feeling. Spread goodness, not toxicity.

And for the record, I think tree#2 is pretty; I wish I could see a shot of the whole tree.

The trees may not be my taste, but that is why there is chocolate and vanilla. The fifth tree is very "high style" and might not be the most appropriate for somebodies house, but that isn't the point. These trees aren't meant to represent memories, they are the statement of the stylist that made them. The event costs $350 to attend, and if all anyone saw was cranberries and popcorn they probably wouldn't want to come back. Windows of department stores aren't appropriate for someone's house either, but that doesn't mean they aren't great to look at

The Magnolia-inspired tree is the only one which translates well in these photos. The last tree truly truly is one of the most hideous trees I've ever seen. I cannot decide if it's so bad it's laughing good. Perhaps with time I will be able to giggle at it's hideousness. Geesh! If this is the best DC could come up with is it any wonder that Washington's non-profits and charities are hurting this year?

Most commentators on AT aren't in or from the Washington, DC area. Well I've had the experience to live here off and on for 10 years now and I can tell you that the "professionals" of interior design, architecture, lol "fashion" and any other career where asthetics and artistic talent are necessary aren't very strong in this area.

In fact art, culture and design are near existent in Washington, DC. it's a very boring stuffy small town where everyone is concerned with their jobs and how much money they make or what kind of car theyr drive, what their zip code is and what school their children attend.

A lot of greedy pill-popping alcoholics and rip-off artists who get away with charging exorbitant fees for their interior design "expertise." They'd be exposed as frauds in NY and Cali where so many of the real talented artists reside but here they get away with it - it's ridiculous but maybe their clients deserve it. Bad taste is very in in Washington and seems to always have been (from the looks of the older homes I've been in).

Money and "breeding" cannot give one good style, sense or even common sense.

above should read: near NON-existent

Tree #2 might be "pretty" but it certainly isn't something any of us have never seen before or couldn't execute on our own. And therein lies the difference between real artists and the hacks. A real artist/designer would be awe-inspiring - which none of these trees can manage because they were not designed by people with talent or maybe even souls.

I just spit the water I was drinking all over my keyboard while reading the above posts.

These poor tree designers went from being merely talentless earlier in the comments to being greedy pill-popping alcoholics and even people without souls.

Ah, the Internet. So glorious.

Wow, can't wait to see all your inspiring DIY trees...

I predict cat hair/toys, "Hands Off Baby" signs, lots of recycled hand-knitted crap, Etsy bird-themed crap, curbside finds, IKEA hacks, and LED lights. Cuz they're green.

Seriously, though... c'mon. Aside from the photos not necessarily capturing the essence of these trees, they were done for a charity, by designers donating their time.

And a very special shout-out to Paulette... girrrrrrrrrrrrrl, you got some issues. At least get your facts straight... these were from last year.

Yeah, I wouldn't go to a friend's house and call his/her tree "tacky" or hideous, but their trees aren't being put on a website as inspiration for others. Nor are they being paid by someone else to produce a decorated tree.

Anyway, while it's rude and uncalled for to disparage the creators of these trees, I don't think it's rude to comment negatively on the trees themselves. Any design professional worth their salt won't be too scarred by random internet commentary.

That's a really idiotic rationale.

@patrick: That's a really idiotic response.

You get what you deserve.

Actually, slowdown, I should have followed the lead of your rationale...

What I *should* have said was that your COMMENT was idiotic. You, I'm sure, are just lovely. (How's that work for you?)

And once again, get your facts straight... these designers were NOT getting paid for their efforts.

Jeez, Patrick. Did you design one of the trees?

The fact that they're not being paid doesn't negate the argument I put forth. They still designed those trees in their capacity as designers. Though their time was donated, the end results are public advertisements for their style and skills, which they surely realized. They're being put up on websites (and who knows where else) as exemplars of taste. Pointing out that one or all of them are ugly or tasteless is entirely fair. I never criticized the designers themselves, just one tree (which I don't really see anyone else defending as particularly lovely, by the way). So I don't know why people are racing in on their high horses about this.

This is a design blog and people have different opinions about what constitutes good design. Everyone should be allowed to express their opinions about the ideas or items presented here without being rudely shouted down by a few self-appointed manners police.

Is this really worth arguing over? I'm pretty sure insulting each other isn't the idea of commenting on a 'design' blog.

They're trees for charity and I don't think the designers intended for you to pop a copy in your lounge room. Besides, not all art is beautiful or even tasteful - but like these trees it's sure got you lot thinking an awful lot about them, hmm?

Seriously, I was really first just pissed at Paulette, but since you stood up to be the poster person for the negativity, I felt compelled to respond...

Funny, but the argument "everyone is entitled to their own opinion" is often used around here when someone wants to slam something... but then when a fellow poster disagrees with *them,* suddenly the free forum of opinions is an issue.

That seems to be the case here.

I guess I would expect a bit more decorum on this specific post for the reasons I already cited.. it's Christmas (trees), it was a charitable event, and people donated their time, and the trees are taken completely out of context (with somewhat questionable photography). So this is not purely a style statement specifically designed for you or anyone else to just anonymously yay or nay.

But I think what irked me the most was your thinking that you can divorce the product of a creative person's from the creative person themself, and they'd take no offense whatsoever from words like "hideous" and accusations of pill-popping ineptitude. Mindboggling.

And for the record, no, I did not design one of these trees. But when I lived in Florida, I regularly designed and donated wreaths for a fundraiser for the Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Art, and designed a tree for a similar event in Miami. So I guess that;s the root for my sidetaking with these designers.

I have an HGTV made-for-tv movie idea: AT commenters who try and steal Christmas with their ludicrously cynical blog posts. Then a magical elf named Vern Yip comes to town to teach them the meaning of the holiday. Kelly Wearstler guest stars as the ghost of Christmas decor past (the 1970's specifically). The comedic interludes of Candice Olson were, mercifully, cut for time.

I think the photography is the problem, too close. The last one was surely not photographed where it would be placed for Xmas, all that pink and red against red brick? About the disrespect thing what is the point if you can't express an opinion and the fact that they were done for charity is irrelevant.

AT comments might not be so harsh if the bloggers didn't (a) chose hideous photos and (b) present said photos as inspirational and wonderful and gorgeous,etc.

But I lived in DC for years, and I think there's plenty of culture, as well as cultured civilized people. They just don't have anything to do with working for the Feds.

Patrick(the other one) you rock!

I like the second one.

The 2nd one looks pretty. I wish I could see more of it to be sure if I really like it or not.

A little bit of "Grace" could go a long way here.

As an artist, NY born and bred, I am of the opinion, and it is based on my traveling experiences, that there are talented artists living all over the world.

(And I have visited homes in DC that are spectacular)

Stereotyping is never a good idea.

I think there's almost always a way to voice your opinion constructively without making it a personal attack about another person, even when you think something isn't working. It does require a bit of tact, thought, and thoughtfulness, all which I believe AT readers are all capable of.

Just because someone shares their design, home or idea does not mean you have to resort to the most cutting of remarks. The question is why does one go out of the way to effortlessly tear another down under the guise of "saying how it is" when that energy could be used positively to improve upon the idea, constructively phrased to actually invite others to progress and improve?

I find some of the negativity particularly disappointing here considering the charitable element of the post and topic. One may ask ourselves if we're so quick to judge taste, should we not ask ourselves if our own comments are made in good taste? I would rather know one with horrible taste in decor than one lacking in taste of decorum.

Dear Patrick (the other one) and all the other delicate AT flowers, I don't know why you should be "pissed" at me for expressing my opinion. If you don't live in Washington then you don't know how awful the interior design/ artist scene is. There are a lot of drug addicts/alcoholics old and young in Washington many claiming to be professional designers, artists etc.....it is a serious problem. 90% of these self-professed interior designers are talentless. Their only art being how to manipulate and con others out of thousands of dollars not to mention stealing expensive materials from their clients as well. This is my experience and the experience of several of my friends all in Washington.

If you live in a place where the interior designers are ethical then good for you. If you live in Washington and are offended by my words then I sincerely apologize and think you are very lucky. I hadn't realized anyone would be upset by opinions on the internet about "designer" Christmas trees. How strange to get your panties in a twist by words written by someone you don't know.

To the other delicate soul: I never said the above designers from last year had substance abuse issues but with their lame designs for charity I could not help but wonder. And since when does a project done for charity mean that it can be less than? That's just a sad excuse for bad taste &/or shoddy work of which there is a lot of in this region.

And to whoever the person was who made mention that these are last year's trees? Yes I know. Thanks for pointing that out. redundancy has a beauty to it. So once again I will repeat: perhaps it's uninspired pretentious stuff like this which has hurt rather than enhanced donations to charities in Washington. LAST YEAR'S sponsors/participants would have a direct influence on this year - get it?

Happy Christmas to All (even those who liked the ribbon tree)

Wow.

Um, so I wonder whether Darryl Carter, Thomas Pheasant, and Jose Solis Betancourt pop pills, shoot up or just drink??

If what you say is true, perhaps the market for talented designers is limited by the client pool, which, if you are representative, seems quite shallow.

And as far as the beauty of redundancy, it seemed far more like back-pedaling to me.

And to quote you, "How strange to get your panties in a twist by words written by someone you don't know." Seems like you're gonna need a spelunker to get up in there and pry 'em out.

OMG, did any of you even attend and this includes you apartment therapy? Here is a link to the actual trees at the Jingle.

http://www.dcdesignblog.com/2009/12/georgetown-jingle-christmas-tree.html