Wreath Designs: Enchanting Holiday Decor!

It’s time to decorate your home for the holiday season! Yes, it is the time of year when we all have an excuse to go all-out with decor with colorful arrangements, lighting, and ornamentation, a color specialist’s dream!  

There are endless ways to decorate for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, and New Year’s Eve. Still, I’ve always connected with one piece of holiday decor, which may be because of how versatile, historic, and timelessly beautiful they are; I’m talking about one of the most creative ways of personalizing your holidays: wreaths. 

The Significance of the Wreath

While holiday wreaths are most synonymous with Christmastime, wreaths have historical/religious significance in other cultures too; for example, the earliest known use of wreaths was in pagan cultures; wreaths held symbolic significance as they were associated with life and eternity, often used in celebrations to mark the changing of seasons, particularly during winter solstice celebrations, a point in human history when all types of tribal cultures looked to the earth’s seasons for guidance. 

In Christian religions, wreaths symbolize the eternity of life; the circular evergreen shape represents the endless nature of life. The circle of the wreath, with no beginning or end, symbolizes the immortality of the soul and the love of Christ.

Today, wreaths have been adopted by cultures/religions all over the world and have become a more inclusive, celebrated piece of holiday decor, no matter which holiday is being celebrated. With this widespread adoption of wreaths, there’s been more design experimentation, and the results are remarkably creative and can be so exciting!! 

In this article, I will talk about some of my favorite wreath designs and suggest how you can craft a wreath that works as a traditional holiday arrangement or something alternative and new for your front door! 

Wreath Designs for All Tastes and Styles

• Keeping it Traditional 

I love a traditional wreath; the evergreen’s deep greens juxtaposed with white, gold, and red ribbons/trinkets – it’s hard to beat! It’s nostalgic and timelessly beautiful, not to mention they smell incredible. A traditional evergreen wreath is usually woven with spruce, pine, or fir branches. Pinecones, trinkets, ribbons, and even Christmas lights can make their way onto a classic wreath like this, and no one is ever disappointed with the results. From an elegant urban Brownstone to a rustic farmhouse in the country, a traditional evergreen wreath will always be a classic welcome symbol of the season!

• Sparkling tidings of metallic silver & gold 

Now, for something nowhere near traditional, how about a shining/shimmering wreath of sparkling silver, gold, or both!? Picture a dazzling wreath reflecting and dancing amongst the holiday lights. Does this sound good to you? I’ve always thought this wreath design is magical and presents stunning results when pulled off right. 

Picture a “disco-inspired” wreath, with the woven (needle-less) branches painted a base silver or gold color with simmering disco ball ornaments hung all around the circular wreath, capped off with accents of silver garland, tinsel, and a few silver bells! When a wreath like this is placed near a set of colorful Christmas lights, it’s simply fun and fantastic! 

These wreaths remind me of my young childhood when silver and gold metallic-fake trees were all the rage; they’d even have optional color-changing spotlights placed next to them so the light and color would dance around the room. If you’re into retro color fun, this wreath may be the ticket! 

• Aromatic wreaths

Are you looking to craft a wreath that’s a little more organic and nature-oriented? Why not include some lovely aromatic accessories in your wreath!? Dried fruit, cinnamon sticks, and other (non-perishable) aromatic details will boost the harvest-inspired colors and fill the air with delightful seasonal scents!

• Keeping it in the family

A color family refers to a group of colors that share common characteristics, such as having similar hues, shades, or tones. While not monochromatic, colors within the same family work harmoniously without too much contrast. So, for wreaths, working colors within the same family into the arrangement is visually calming without being dull. Picture an evergreen wreath with golds, warm greens, yellows, and some creamy off-whites; these colors create a comforting and inviting presence at the front door. 

• Ornament wreaths

Even if you’re unfamiliar with the name/style, I can almost guarantee you’ve seen an ornament wreath in recent years; they’re all the rage for chic/minimalist holiday design schemes. An ornament wreath is typically made by arranging and attaching ornaments (spherical) onto a circular base, creating a colorful and festive display. 

Picture a wreath comprised entirely of round Christmas ornaments of different sizes, all huddled together as if they’re trying to stay warm in the cold! These are often seen at upscale hotels, clubs, or restaurants. They’re wonderfully creative and present beautifully as monochromatic or with complimentary color arrangements. 

An ornament wreath is not the easiest type of wreath to make yourself unless you’re an excellent DIY craftsman, which is why you’ll find them sold at Pottery Barn and similar retailers. An ornament wreath is constructed with a wire wreath frame or a foam base as the foundation. Then, using hot glue and wire, the ornaments are attached to cover the entire surface of the wreath in a taught, uniform fashion. 

What I love about the ornament wreath craze is that they can be adapted to fit any holiday persona. Picture an ornament wreath made of silver, gold, blue, and white ornaments, making it a non-traditional Hanukkah piece—or red, green, yellow, black, and brown shining ornaments for Kwanzaa. Ornament wreaths are versatile and visually alluring; no wonder they’ve garnered so much popularity recently!

Wreath Designs – Bring Joy to Your Front Door

It’s the holiday season, so enjoy all the decorating opportunities! Express yourself, don’t be afraid to branch out (no pun intended), and craft a wreath that speaks to your personality and inspirations! 

If you want inspired color arrangements this holiday season, check out my helpful color app! There’s plenty to explore with Color911!