Christmas Garland and Wreath Guide: Matching Greenery Room by Room

The Front Door

The front door sets the tone, so this is where the wreath does most of its work.

Size the wreath to the door. A wreath roughly two-thirds the width of the door looks balanced, which on a standard 36-inch door means about 24 inches. The 24" Just Cut Norfolk Pine Wreath is that size exactly. A wider or taller door can carry the 30in Just Cut Natural Touch Norfolk Pine Wreath.

Hang it so the center of the wreath sits in the upper half of the door, roughly at eye level. An over-the-door hanger avoids nails and comes off in seconds in January.

24" Just Cut Norfolk Pine Wreath: the classic front door size, in the same greenery as our best-selling garland

30in Just Cut Natural Touch Norfolk Pine Wreath: more presence for a wide door or a large wall

Red Cardinal Christmas Wreath Hanger: a slim gold-tone metal hanger finished with a bright red cardinal

Gold Snowflake Wreath Hanger: a simpler gold hanger for a neutral or metallic scheme

For a full frame, add garland around the door as well. Our guide to styling Norfolk pine garland covers how much you need and how to hang it. If your door is exposed to the weather, check the product page for outdoor use first; a covered porch is always kinder to artificial greenery.

The Entryway

Inside the door, repeat the greenery at a smaller scale. A garland along a console table, or a wreath hung on a mirror with a length of ribbon, tells guests straight away that the whole house is dressed.

The 38" Artificial Norfolk Pine Spray works well here in a tall vase, and at about twelve dollars a stem it is an easy way to add greenery to a narrow hall.

Keep the scale modest. The entryway is a transition, not a second front door, and a single garland or a vase of three or four sprays is plenty. If the hall has a staircase rising from it, let the staircase garland do the heavy lifting and keep the console simple, so the eye travels up the stairs rather than stopping at the table.

The Living Room and Mantel

The mantel is the centerpiece of most living rooms, and it is the one place a wreath and a garland work together directly. Hang the wreath centered above the mantel, then run the garland along the shelf beneath it with the tails falling at the sides.

Above a mantel, scale up. A 30 or 36-inch wreath holds the wall, where a 24-inch wreath can look lost. The Real Touch Cedar Norfolk Pine Wreath 36 inch pairs with the Real Touch Cedar Norfolk Pine Garland for a fully matched mantel.

Finish with stockings on stocking holders, which can also help to hold the garland in place.

The Staircase

The staircase is the longest run of greenery in most homes. Use the same greenery as the mantel, and repeat the mantel’s ribbon color in bows at the tie points along the rail. The 15 Foot Real Touch Norfolk Pine Garland covers most single flights in one length, and our staircase garland guide works out exactly how much you need.

The Dining Table

A slim garland makes an excellent table runner. Lay an Original Real Touch Norfolk Pine Garland down the center of the table, fluff it so it sits low, and tuck a few pinecones or berries along its length. At four to six inches wide it leaves room for plates and serving dishes.

Keep greenery well away from open flames. If you want candlelight on the table, use LED candles or keep real candles in tall glass hurricanes. You will find runners, candles and centerpieces among our tabletop decor.

The Kitchen and Windows

Small touches carry the theme into the rest of the house. Hang a small wreath on the inside of a kitchen window with ribbon, or lay a short garland along the top of the cabinets. A few sprays in a jug on the counter do the same job for very little.

Windows that face the street are worth the effort, because they are what neighbors see after dark. A wreath hung on the inside of each front window, centered on the glass and backlit by the room, gives the house a dressed look from outside without exposing anything to the weather. Use the same greenery as the front door wreath so the front of the house reads as one design.

Change the Accents, Not the Greenery

Once the greenery matches, accents are how each room gets its own character.

Red Velvet Christmas Bow: the finishing touch for a traditional red and green front door wreath

Red Berry Spray: clusters of red berries for a classic mantel

Iced White Cedar Spray: tucked into wreaths and garland for a frosted, winter white room

Rustic Pine Cone Spray: for a natural, modern look with nothing else added

Pick one accent family per room, and repeat one detail, such as the ribbon color, between rooms so the house still feels connected. A red bow on the front door and red bows on the staircase, for example, link the outside of the house to the inside even if every other accent changes.