Pick a perfect garland
If you're in the market for new garlands this year, you're in for a treat. You'll find sensational stuff in just about every look and price range.
Be sure to check out the traditional approaches, like wispy pine branches dotted with red berries. Or try something that's refreshingly new, like a rope of frost-kissed leaves that appear as if they were caught in the season's first freeze.
When picking out garlands, hold out for styles that look incredibly lifelike. I like those that mimic the imperfections found in nature, weave in lots of diverse textures and incorporate a number of different hues in the leaves.
Style superbly
One of the many beauties of decorating with garlands is that they're virtually foolproof. You don't have to be a pro at floral arranging to get a great look. Start by bending each branch in a lifelike pose. Fluff up the needles and twist each twig so they look as if they were actually growing where you placed them.
If you want, let a garland hang solo for a look that is simple yet stunning. Or you can give it more kick by supplementing it with dried branches from your yard, twists of dried vines and faux greenery picks. Sometimes, I snake a honeysuckle vine through the garland ropes over my doorways or on my light fixtures.
I also like to tuck in picks of bright berries, snow-covered pine cones or gilded fruit to give an added pop of color and texture. But make sure these little goodies are positioned irregularly so the garland looks wild and natural, not "matchy" and symmetrical.
Hang in strategic places
To get the most value for your investment, use garlands in a few strategic places. One of my favorite spots to deck is my front banister. This year, I want a lighter, looser and more edited look for Christmas. So I'm simply going to thread a thin pine garland around the banister and spindles.
But, in the past, I've done more elaborate displays with garlands. Once, I secured dried branches to the banister with floral wire, then added twists of pine garland, finishing off by hanging faux icicle ornaments from the tips of the branches.
I also enjoy garlands looped around the light fixtures in my study, dining room and kitchen. The key to making light fixtures look sensational is to position garlands so they appear as if they're growing up the light chain, topsy-turvy.
For a natural look, add in some honeysuckle vines and sprays of gilded fall leaves. If you want to go glam, weave in strands of gold, silver or crystal beads. Then, finish off by hanging a few fun ornaments, crystals or pine cones from the branches.
To avoid overkill, my rule of thumb is that if I use a garland on a light fixture, I don't use it anywhere else in the room.
