Decorating with Garlands

Over the years, garlands have become popular for accenting home decor year round with a wide variety of sizes, styles, and materials. Garlands can be the perfect accent for rustic, country, and traditional decor styles. During the holidays garlands can add a touch of color working well with other decorative arrangements such as wreaths or swags. Types of Garlands Garlands can be crafted and displayed in a variety of ways. The basic garland is an arrangement much like a swag or wreath, but used in a string of continuous foliage. Garlands can be presented in many ways in your decor, as their long design is perfect for stairway rails, mantles, or hanging over doors and entryways. Garlands can be constructed from a wide variety of materials including flowers, evergreens, fabric, tinsel, beads, vines, or branches. Accents can include bells, holly, pine cones, and other decorative materials.

Accenting with Garlands
Adding garlands to your home can be a decorative, fun experience. The stands of natural materials garlands offer are attractive and versatile. During the holiday seasons, garlands can add a traditional look to your decor enhancing the Christmas spirit from the moment you walk in the door. Try wrapping garland around stairway rails for a look that will attract the eye all the way to the upper floors. Garlands can add a natural touch to you fireplace mantle or entryway.

Use garland as an extended centerpiece for your dining table. Add lights or candles to add atmosphere and ambiance to garland arrangements. Sprigs of color and texture make garlands the perfect way to bring holiday cheer to your home. Traditionally, many types of garland have been wrapped around Christmas trees to add color and spice to the beautiful branches.

Safety
When using garlands to add charm to your decor, make sure to use caution when placing the arrangements near open fires, such as candles or fireplace mantles. Ensure that none of the materials can be set alight by being too close to the open flames. If accent lighting is incorporated with the garland, make sure the lights will not get hot enough to burn dried flower petals or evergreen needles.