Let’s face it, those plain store-bought wreaths can often feel a bit… uninspired. But don’t worry, with a little creativity you can easily transform them into stunning pieces that will wow your guests and add a touch of personality to your home. Bonus, it is more budget-friendly to do the wreath decorating at home!
Whether you’re looking for a simple and elegant update or a full-on seasonal makeover, these tips will help you dress up your wreath and create a unique and eye-catching masterpiece.
Today I will show you a variety of wreath decorating ideas created by real people at a girls’ night wreath decorating party last weekend plus how I decorated a plain wreath for my front door with step-by-step photos.
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The front door wreath is one of the most iconic symbols of the holiday season. A beautifully decorated wreath serves as a festive welcome for family and friends as they arrive to celebrate. If you want to learn how to create a stunning Christmas wreath for your front door this year you’ve come to the right place!
Pick Your Base Wreath
The starting point for any wreath is selecting your base. You can purchase a pre-made wreath form made of grapevine, pine fir foam, or wire at your local craft store or home improvement center. Another option is to make your own wreath form using natural or artificial greenery. Making your own base allows you to perfectly customize the size and shape. Some popular options include
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Fir or pine branches: For a full, natural look, construct a base from fresh-cut boughs of pine, cedar, or fir from your yard or a Christmas tree lot.
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Grapevine Grapevine wreaths provide an organic, rustic base that pairs nicely with natural elements like pinecones and berries
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Willow branches: Soak willow branches to make them pliable, then bend them into a circular wreath shape.
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Faux greenery garlands: For an artificial look, wrap faux garlands around a wreath frame. Popular options include eucalyptus, cedar, magnolia leaves, and holly.
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Wire frame: Simple wire wreath forms allow maximum flexibility to decorate however you’d like.
Style Your Wreath
Once you have your base wreath, it’s time for the fun part – decorating! Customize your wreath to match your front door decor and overall holiday style. Here are some festive options:
The Traditional Christmas Wreath
Nothing says Christmas like a classic red and green wreath on the front door. Decorate a fir or pine wreath base with:
- Evergreen boughs and sprigs like cedar, pine, and holly
- Berries like holly berries, winterberries, and crabapples
- Pinecones
- Red velvet bows and ribbons
- Christmas ornaments in red, green, gold, and silver
Go for an overstuffed, bountiful look with layers of colorful accents. This style pairs perfectly with traditional holiday decor.
Rustic Farmhouse Wreath
Capture the cozy, homespun feeling of a farmhouse Christmas with a simple natural wreath made from:
- Grapevine, willow branches, or twigs
- Faux or real pinecones, clusters of acorns, sprigs of wheat
- Plaid ribbons and burlap bows
- Dried citrus slices and cinnamon sticks
- Plain wooden ornaments
Display your rustic wreath on a red front door for serious holiday farmhouse vibes.
Glam Christmas Wreath
Deck your front door in seasonal sparkle with a glitzy glam wreath. Ideas include:
- A mixed evergreen or eucalyptus base wreath
- Gold, silver, or white ornaments in various metallic sheens
- Clusters of beads, sequins, or jewelry
- Ribbons and mesh in metallic or glitter patterns
- Spray painted greenery and fruits
- Faux white fur accents
A glam wreath sets the stage for an elegant, sophisticated holiday style.
Coastal Christmas Wreath
Welcome guests to a beachy holiday celebration with a coastal-inspired wreath using:
- Starfish, sand dollars, coral
- Shells and seaglass
- Dried seaweed and driftwood
- Aqua, seafoam green, and ocean blue ornaments
- Beachy textured ribbons like burlap
Your coastal wreath will feel right at home next to your merry beach Christmas decor.
Special Touches
Personalize your Christmas wreath with special embellishments that reflect your style, interests, and traditions. Get creative with:
- Dried flowers and plants from your garden like hydrangea or lavender
- Greenery and fruits coordinating with your front door colors
- Handmade paper or felt flowers, berries, and leaves
- For a family wreath, add photos of kids or pets
- Sentimental ornaments with meaning to your family
- Themed accents related to your hobbies or interests like baking cookies or snowboarding
The options for designing a custom Christmas wreath are endless! Follow your creative inspiration to design the perfect wreath for welcoming the holidays.
Displaying Your Front Door Wreath
Once your fabulous Christmas wreath is complete, it’s time to hang it up with pride! Here are some tips:
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Use a sturdy wreath hanger that attaches over your front door. This allows the wreath to hang flat against the door.
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Choose a height centered about two-thirds up the door. You want your wreath to be visible but not block the door.
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Make sure your wreath is protected from wind, rain, and snow. Use a covered entryway, hang under the eave, or attach a plastic cover.
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Light up your wreath with solar or battery-operated string lights for extra cheer on winter nights.
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Fluff and fuss over your wreath to keep it looking its holiday best all season long!
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Change out decorative ribbons and bows if they get tattered from the elements.
Your front door wreath makes a huge impact on your home’s curb appeal and sets the mood for holiday fun. Follow these tips to decorate a gorgeous Christmas wreath that welcomes the season in style! Let your creativity run wild and have fun designing a wreath that reflects your personal taste. The holidays will shine brighter this year with a custom wreath lovingly placed on your front door.
Natural New England Wreath
Let me show you how I decorated my wreath using a variety of natural materials.
Here is what I will be adding:
- A Variety of Pinecones
- Dried Orange Slices
- Red Winter Berries
- Blue Juniper Berries
- Pheasant Feathers
- Jingle Bells
- Dried Flower Sprigs
When you are choosing a wreath take your time and check for freshness. It’s normal for a few needles to fall off when you pick it up. But do a once over to make sure there aren’t very dry-looking sections and it looks nice and green.
Also, hold it up to make sure it looks full and even all around.
To add another layer of texture and a slightly different color green I added a few pieces of cedar. They were from a Trader Joe’s cedar garland (10 ft for $12.99), I just removed a few pieces from the end of one.
It’s so easy to add more greenery to a wreath! Just push the end of the branch into the base in the center of the wreath to hold it in place.
Pinecones on winter wreaths are the perfect match! You could even decorate a wreath with pinecones and a bow and it would look perfectly festive for the season.
I am using a variety of pinecones that I gathered from around my home. It’s a mix of white pine, blue spruce, and Scotch pine. If you don’t have ready access to pinecones you can find bags of them at Walmart and all the craft stores for just a few dollars.
How do you add pinecones to a wreath so they stay put without a glue gun?? Use floral wire.
Grab a paddle of floral wire from your craft store. Floral wire comes in different weights, don’t get the super flimsy wire because it doesn’t hold very well. Look for the more sturdy floral wire for working on wreaths.
- Cut a piece of the wire long enough to wrap around the wreath.
- Eyeball the center of the wire and run it through the scales at the base of the pinecone.
- Twist the wire close to the base of the pinecone
- Place it on the wreath and then wrap the wire around the wreath and twist the 2 ends together to secure.
Decorating a Plain Wreath for Christmas: Inspiration & Ideas
Pre-decorated fresh wreaths can be so expensive during the holidays! The wreaths I have seen in some of my catalogs are $75 or more!! No way friends.
Let me show you how you can buy an inexpensive wreath at your grocery store or home store and spend a few minutes at home to make it look like you spend a fortune on it…but on a budget.
Of course, the first thing you have to get is a wreath! The wreaths you will see here are all 22″ wreaths but any size will work. Just make sure your wreath is the right size for your front door. You don’t want a puny wreath if you have a big front door.
There are so many commonly found items that you can use to dress up a wreath! Depending on the look you are going for. Anything from rustic & natural to more festive.
Here are the things you will be seeing on the wreath examples today made my my friends and myself.
5 Christmas DIY Wreaths / How To Make Christmas Wreaths Like A Designer / Ramon At Home
FAQ
How to put a Christmas wreath on your front door?
- Use ribbon. Using ribbon is probably the most attractive way to hang a Christmas wreath, as the ribbon adds its very own colour and design flourish to your decoration. …
- Use the letterbox (secure at the back) …
- Use Command Strips. …
- Use a suction hook.
How do you dress up a plain Christmas wreath?
Adding a few real or fake pinecones is an easy way to transform a store-bought wreath. With a little floral wire, you can complete this project in less than 10 minutes, and it’s the perfect Christmas staple for your front door. Finish this look with a bow or ribbon in your favorite holiday color.
How to embellish a Christmas wreath?
- Feathers and twigs. Feathers, particularly pheasant feathers, are always a hit at my workshops. …
- Pinecones, berries and nuts. …
- Christmas ornaments and baubles. …
- Fruits and vegetables. …
- Personalised decorations. …
- Twinkly lights.
How to jazz up a Christmas wreath?
You can also jazz your wreath up more by using some holly or ivy berries spray painted silver or gold for a contrast against all the green. Or consider picking up some cinnamon sticks from health food store and tying some together with twine and securing them to the wreath.