If you are like me, you love a great wreath for the holiday season. The best thing about wreaths is that there a no limits to what you can do with them; they are an expression of who you are. Do you prefer elegance and refinement? You can purchase or design an elegant wreath. Do you love fun, seek excitement, or bask in casual comfort? A wreath can express all those things!
Not only will we share some ideas for making a wreath your own, but we will also look at options for displaying your wreath, modifying your wreath, and storing your wreath so that you can enjoy it for years to come. All our tips will apply to making or purchasing a wreath, so keep that in mind as you enjoy what we have to share.
1.Wreath Base
In the spirit of not putting the cart before the horse, let’s start very basic. Think about what type of base you want for your wreath. This will help determine how to proceed with all the following details. For example, if you value fresh pine, you will not likely want to attach a lot of expensive ornaments because the wreath will not remain fresh forever. You will face the decision of spending a lot of time removing the ornaments or throwing them out with the wreath.
Fresh
Let’s take a closer look at the fresh option since we already mentioned it. There are so many positives to having a fresh wreath.
- The wonderful scent of pine. No artificial scent can truly replace real pine.
- Some families spread a bit of seasonal joy by supporting their local school or charities by purchasing their annual fresh pine wreath from a fundraiser.
- If you want a bit of variety each year, a fresh-cut wreath is a good way to go since it will not last the entire year.
- Real pine needs very little decoration. You can add anything you want to the fresh pine wreath, but it does not need the extras to look complete.
As with anything, there are positives and negatives to each choice. Here are a few reasons that you may decide that a fresh-cut wreath is not the ideal choice for your home.
- A fresh wreath is bound to dry out, just like a fresh tree. That is why our trees are kept in a tree stand that provides a small basin of water.
- Upkeep is needed to extend the life and appearance of your wreath. Regular misting is advised to maximize the life span of the fresh wreath.
- If you want a convenient option to use year after year, fresh may not be the best fit.
Faux/Alternative
This is where creativity has no end. You can make a wreath out of anything you desire. Some people even choose an alternate shape for their wreaths. In the past, anything outside of the traditional pine or potentially grapevine wreath was looked upon as a lesser option. Today, creativity is embraced and each household is celebrated for expressing their family culture through the holiday wreath on their front door.
The reasons that someone may shy away from choosing a faux base for their wreath are pretty much summed up in the positives mentioned earlier for the fresh wreath. However, there are SO many upsides to choosing a faux or alternative base.
- If cared for and stored properly, the wreath can be used for years on end
- here is so much room for a "Wow" factor
- You can potentially modify the faux wreath to coordinate with a longer season (more on that to come).
- You can hang it up pretty much anywhere you like without worrying about temperature and humidity levels affecting its longevity.
Whether you start with a faux pine ring, a grapevine base, or foam (ideal for more alternative designs), you want to have a decent idea of what your finished product will look like before diving in. Also, consider how flexible you want your wreath to be. If you start with a foam ring and make a Christmas ornament wreath with everything wired and glued into place, you may not want to keep it up until February.
2. Holiday Wreath Transformation
While we are on the subject, let us visit the idea of modifying your wreath. Your holiday wreath can be put away after the holiday, but if you want to enjoy it a bit longer, you can! The key to extending the “door season” of your wreath is by designing or purchasing a base that is made to be changed without looking strange.
You are not locked into pine or grapevine as your only options but having something that looks a bit more on the natural side will make the transition much easier. Start with the design for your winter wreath that you will enjoy for the entire season. Then, decide what holiday elements are important to you and add them after the fact in such a way that they can be removed easily and look like they would naturally go with the winter design as if it were intended to be a Christmas wreath all along.
The Christmas décor could be a decorative bow, a few ornaments, or any other Christmas elements. You will want to avoid gluing. Use a small bit of floral wire that can be hidden within the wreath when the accents are attached. Also, make sure that the elements are tightly fastened. This is especially important if the wreath is on a door that is used frequently. Remember, you need to twist the wire a hundred times; just twist a couple of times to secure the accents in place. Another great option for quick transformation is clear fishing line. The fishing line can easily be clipped by a standard pair of scissors when you want to remove the holiday accent pieces. Securing the wire or fastener directly to the accent can certainly be done permanently.
3. Wreath Hangers & More
Now that you have an idea of what your finished product will look like, you will want to consider how it will be attached to your front door or within your home. There are several ways to secure a wreath in place.
A couple of details to keep in mind:
- How securely does the wreath need to be held in place?
- Are there decorations that may fall off or rotate upside down?
- Is the wreath hung on a stationary or moving surface?
- How large is the wreath?
- A large or weighty wreath may not be secured very well by a command hook.
- A small wreath can easily be overshadowed by an ornate hanger or wide ribbon.
- Where is the wreath located?
- A door allows for many options, just be mindful that your fastening option must secure the wreath enough to withstand jarring movement.
- A wall-mounted wreath may be best mounted with a command hook, especially if you do not want the hanging system to be visible.
- Do you want the hanging system to be a part of the design?
- A wide ribbon can be a very attractive way to hang your wreath.
- Wreath hangers for the front door come in SO many varieties. You can have an understated hanger or a very ornate hanger that accentuates the decorations or overall visual theme of the wreath. Retail options such as Amazon and Pottery Barn provide some unique options at a decent price point.
Here are some fun examples to get your creative juices flowing.
4. Wreath Storage & Containers
Purchasing a high-quality wreath storage container can prolong the life of your artificial wreath by several years. For the most part, you can choose between a fabric or a plastic container. They each have their upsides, but the choice is largely based on preference.
Fabric
A fabric container will allow for a bit of wiggle room if your wreath is a bit chunky or is made up of frail elements. A fabric storage container could also be ideal if your wreath has quite a bit of dimension because it can flex with the shape of the wreath.
A couple of downsides to fabric is that it provides less protection against anything that would damage the wreath from outside the container. Additionally, the fabric containers do not stack very well if you are hoping to store multiple wreaths in a space-efficient manner.
Plastic
As long as your wreath fits nicely within the shell, plastic containers provide excellent protection from being crushed or damaged. Also, several manufacturers design plastic holiday wreath containers specifically to be stackable to take up a very small footprint for those with limited floor space. Another great feature common with plastic containers is that they often have translucent tops; making it easy to know which container you need.
No matter which type of storage solution you choose for your holiday wreath, you will find that they are quite affordable and effective. Here are a few classic examples you can find online for under $25!
Wreaths are a classy, fun way to express your individualism and style. Their versatility & longevity make them the perfect front door adornment. If you and a group of friends want to get together to make a fun wreath for any season, give Tandem Studio Floral a call to set up a private wreath-making class. Our workshops provide an affordable time of fun and creativity. We like to hear the great ideas that are often shared amongst the group in our workshops that take place at our shop in Byron Center, MI. We appreciate the opportunity to serve the West Michigan area and look forward to seeing you at the store shortly.
