Want to add more greenery to your holiday home? Here are beautiful, budget-friendly, and easy-to-copy ideas for decorating with greenery.
We’re delighted to join the Blogger’s Best Holiday Home Tour hosted by Kelly from The Tattered Pew and Mansa from This is Simplicite. Enjoy lots of Christmas inspiration all week long!
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We share simple, budget-friendly ideas for home decor and DIYs, along with healthy meal inspiration, recipes, and tips for raising teens and beyond. But today you’re here for decorating ideas — specifically, how to decorate with greenery for the holidays.
Read through for plenty of inspiration — and be sure to scroll to the end for our favorite idea!
Decorating Fireplace Mantels with Greenery
Anne created a stunning modern-traditional look on her white mantel using a mix of faux greenery and real magnolia leaves from her yard. She added faux pears and gold candlesticks to complement new coordinating Christmas stockings for an elegant result.
AnnMarie styled her stone and wood mantel with a simple faux cypress garland, a couple of mini trees, and a wreath for a more rustic look. We both love decorating with mini trees and have shared mini tree styling tips for anyone who enjoys them.
Where to Add Greenery to Dining Rooms & Kitchens
We decorate with greenery throughout our homes, and the kitchen is always a favorite spot since we spend so much time there. A garland with red berries draped on Anne’s kitchen chandelier brings traditional Christmas color into the room.
For the table, a fresh-cut sprig tied with a red ribbon around a white napkin ties the place setting into the overall red-and-white color scheme. An affordable faux boxwood garland dressed up with antique-style mercury ornaments and white candles makes a simple but elegant centerpiece.
AnnMarie adds two 6′ garlands around her kitchen window trim and places faux stems in a vase on the sill. Small accents like mini faux wreaths on chair backs easily pull the room together and add charm.
How to Dress Up a Staircase for the Holidays
Garlands are the simplest and most effective way to style staircase banisters. While we love the look of real garland, faux options avoid the mess, prevent issues with allergies, and keep curious pets from eating clippings. Anne used a mixed faux garland with pinecones and berries, finished with handmade plaid bows on the banister.
AnnMarie chose a faux pine garland with white berries and tied black-and-white striped ribbon that matches her dining room decor to create a cohesive, modern farmhouse look throughout her open-concept home.
Gift Wrapping with Fresh Cypress Sprigs
Brown paper packages tied with twine and a few sprigs of fresh cypress make a simple, charming, and free finishing touch for gifts. Small details like this add whimsy without cost.
Where You Can Add Stems and Extra Greenery
Adding faux greenery to everyday decor is an easy way to spread Christmas cheer. Place a red bowl filled with favorite ornaments, grapevine orbs, and clippings from your yard, then add a pillar candle for a versatile centerpiece that works anywhere in the home.
We collect faux stems that look realistic so we can reuse them year after year. Small jars with juniper stems and berries or leftover garland pieces can bring holiday spirit to entryways, mantels, and even powder rooms. Using leftover greenery in unexpected places is a smart way to save money while decorating.
Should You Use Real or Faux Greenery Outdoors
We’re at our favorite place to add greenery: the outdoors. Decorating outside is just as fun as inside and makes your home welcoming for friends and neighbors.
Front Porches
There’s no single right answer for real versus faux greenery outdoors — we use both. Anne’s door garland is faux with fresh clippings tucked in, and she fills baskets with fresh branches from her yard. Fresh magnolia and holly clippings in a copper container add classic color and coordinate with other porch finishes.
AnnMarie uses trimmings from her tree plus yard clippings to create winter container arrangements and fills lanterns with fresh cuttings instead of ornaments for a natural, free look. Mixing faux trees and real garland is perfectly acceptable and often practical.
Vintage sleds, skates, wreaths, and window swags offer timeless outdoor touches; switch ribbons on swags now and then to refresh the look without replacing the whole piece.
Patios
Outdoor decorating isn’t limited to the front porch. Draping garland on pergola posts, adding clippings to lanterns, and arranging magnolia and holly in containers create cozy, festive outdoor living areas. Keep clippings fresh by placing them in water-filled containers.
We hope this tour gave you useful ideas for adding greenery to your holiday home. Use a mix of faux and fresh elements to suit your lifestyle, and don’t be afraid to reuse clippings and faux stems in unexpected places.
Thanks for visiting Simply2Moms. We’d love for you to join our community to get exclusive printables and insider tips.
Before you go, visit our friend Suzy at Worthing Court — her dining room is lovely this season. Enjoy the rest of the Blogger’s Best Holiday Home Tour and happy decorating!
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