How much space a tree takes

The bottom-tier diameter is the circle the tree occupies on the floor. It is what meets the sofa, the radiator or the door — and what you should measure in the room before ordering.

Diameter grows with height. A 2.3 m tree from the Ukrainian series has a bottom tier of about 140 cm — a circle more than 1.4 m across.

Two series, two widths

At the same height, the Premium crown is 10 cm wider than the Ukrainian. That is the whole difference between the series: the heights match, the fullness and the space needed do not.

When to choose a slim tree

A slim crown takes less floor at the same height. It suits a corner, a hallway or a gap between furniture — anywhere you need the height but lack a metre and more of width.

• Measure not only the ceiling but the free circle on the floor
• Remember that presents usually sit under the tree — a few more centimetres all round
• A door that opens inwards takes a whole sector of the circle, not a strip

How to measure the space for a tree

• Mark the point where the trunk will stand — usually the centre of a free corner or a stretch of wall
• From there, use a tape measure to find the distance to the nearest furniture, wall, radiator and door — in every direction
• The smallest of those distances, multiplied by two, is the largest diameter that will fit
• Compare that number with the bottom-tier diameter of the series and height you are considering

Height and width together

Diameter is worked out together with height, not on its own. Height is limited by the ceiling — you subtract 20 cm from it — and width by the floor. The right tree fits both measurements at once.

If, say, 2.3 m suits the height but floor space is tight, there are two ways out: a slim crown of the same height, or a lower tree with a smaller bottom tier. The first keeps the height, the second keeps the fullness.

Radiators, doors and walkways

It is better not to place the tree right against a radiator or heater: the crown blocks the heat from the rest of the room, and fairy lights next to a hot surface are an unnecessary risk.

A door that opens inwards sweeps a quarter circle — the tree must stand entirely outside it, bottom tier included. And leave a way through to the window, wardrobe or balcony: a tree you have to squeeze past starts to get in the way within a week.

How to picture the diameter before you buy

A crown’s circle is hard to picture while the tree is still in its box. Lay a cord or ribbon on the floor in a circle of the right diameter and leave it for an evening: you will see whether it is easy to walk past, open the wardrobe and sit on the sofa. Allow for access to the tree too — from at least one side, so you can hang ornaments and switch on the lights without bumping into furniture.

Common mistakes

• Measuring the room wall to wall instead of from the point where the trunk will stand
• Forgetting the socket: the lights need plugging in, and an extension lead should not cross a walkway
• Putting a wide tree in a corner and pressing the back branches against the walls — the crown loses its shape
• Judging width from an interior photo: scale in a picture is deceptive

Corner, alcove or middle of the room

A tree in a corner is seen from one or two sides, so the depth of the corner matters: half the crown’s diameter, plus a little margin, has to fit between the corner and the furniture. Between two windows the tree is seen from the front and should not block the windowsill. In the middle of the room people walk all round it — there you need the full circle and a walkway around it.

Ukrainian or Premium: choosing by width

If there is plenty of room and the tree will stand in the middle of the living room, the wider Premium crown looks richer: people walk all the way round it and its volume shows from every side. If the tree stands in a corner or between furniture, the Ukrainian series gives the same height on a smaller circle, and the room does not feel cluttered.

Do all trees of the same height have the same diameter?

No. It depends on the model and the shape of the crown: a slim tree has a narrower bottom tier than a full one. So compare not only the height but also the crown shape.

Will the tree be narrower if the branches are not fully fluffed?

A little — but then it looks sparse, and gaps in the crown show at once. If space is short, it is better to choose a slim model or a lower height than to squeeze the crown.

Can the tree stand by a window?

Yes, as long as the window does not open towards the tree and the curtain does not rest on the branches. By a window the tree is visible from the street too, so fluff the back of the crown as carefully as the front.

What if there is no floor space at all?

Then look at potted and gift trees — they sit on a table, chest of drawers or windowsill — or at hanging and wall-mounted trees, which take up no floor space at all.