Living Rooms
November 8, 2015
17 Gorgeous Holiday Garlands
Draped over a mantle or strung over the stairs, garlands bring sophisticated cheer to your home for the holidays. Get inspired by our festive ideas made of pine, magnolia, paper and more!
Fresh greenery pops against the white-painted stairs in Miranda Ogilvie and Dana Hanson’s rustic and refined home. The garland draws attention to the vintage paintings and creates a nice backdrop to the spindle bench.
Tour this space on H&H TV.
Punctuate a newel post with a giant pinecone — it’s simple and natural, but impactful. The dark and light palette lets the bold architectural elements take center stage.
A lush green garland adds a punch of color to a white mantel. Cluster mini potted trees on a living room coffee table for a fresh hit of green.
Surround a sleek fireplace mantel with a real evergreen garland free of ornaments. A retro lamp and curvy ceramics in white and avocado give this room a quirky vintage vibe.
This DIY Vintage Paper Garland is simple enough to complete in an afternoon, and will add subtle holiday charm to any space.
1. Photocopy vintage Christmas cards on cardstock.
2. Using a circle cutter, cut each of the copies into circles of varying sizes, then cut backing circles out of plain cardstock or leftover wallpaper to match each image. For added sparkle, highlight parts of each image with glitter.
3. Arrange the circles image side down in the order you’d like, then coat the backs of each with craft glue using a foam brush.
4. Press the corresponding backs to the fronts with a festive ribbon sandwiched in between to create the garland.
This leafy 15′ long pine and boxwood garland adds soft texture to an otherwise streamlined cement fireplace. Its natural notes are further echoed by rustic burlap stockings and wooden furnishings.
A mix of vintage and new ornaments are tucked amongst pine boughs and a string of glowing lights. Oversized pine cones are a finishing touch to anchor the fireplace’s traditional moldings.
A string of paper gives greenery a handmade look and plays up splashes of fuchsia in the room. The result is a feminine garland draped effortlessly over this mod fireplace made of tempered mirror glass.
Don’t be afraid to break away from traditional reds and greens this holiday season with a hit of pink. Here, a string of pastel papers brings a handmade look to a matte black metal railing, which is also a perfect perch for hanging holiday cards.
Frame a wall-mounted cabinet with no-frills foliage for an understated take on the holidays. An oversized pine cone provides a natural center point for this display, while greenery peeks over the maple kitchen cabinet.
The deep green leaves of eucalyptus create a focal point amidst a monochromatic book collection. Two identical urns neatly flank this mantel and offset the unstructured, natural form of this garland.
Mother Nature’s fragrances are especially appealing this time of year, and eucalyptus is no exception. Create your own series of scented snow globe-esque displays above your garland by encasing bottlebrush trees, vintage ornaments and treasured cards under glass cloches.
A plentiful gathering of Carolina Sapphire cypress gets a hit of glam with golden ornaments. This holiday look is kept classic with a color palette of cream, gold and green in the den of this Georgian home.
A medley of cocoa and green magnolia leaves envelop this Venetian-style window above the front door. Using matching magnolia leaves and sugar pine cones on the garland, wreath and resin planters finishes off this statement-making Georgian entry.
Using paper to create festive flourishes is a simple and affordable way to decorate for the holidays. This pink and red DIY poinsettia garland was made using a stencil and cardstock, layering three cutouts on top of each other, securing them in the center and then gluing them on to craft wire. Weaving a string of white lights through the garland and punching each bulb through a metallic candy cup adds an extra bit of sparkle.
Click here for a stencil you can print out.
A magnolia-leaf garland, decorated with simple white ornaments and pine cones, lets the Christmas tree take center stage.
A boxwood garland along the handrail is a lighter take on a pine or spruce garland, but equally festive. Yellow and gold bird ornaments reference the painted stair runner and add a fun touch. If properly dried and stored, boxwood can last for several seasons before needing replacement.
Get festive decorating ideas for trees and wreaths.