Do you have what could be an amazing entry to your house and have been wondering what you could do with it? Check this idea out! This Christmas decorating idea will work for any entry large or small that has an overhang of some kind to hang the wireframe from. I did this in my entry which has a rather high ceiling. I will give you a step-by-step guide on how to recreate the same effect for your entry. All the foliage can be easily found at Michaels, Hobby Lobby or your local thrift store.
The first step is to put up the wireframe that everything will hang from. Use a 14 gauge galvanized steel welded wire fencing. This will be sturdy enough to hold the weight of all the goodies that will be hung on it! Measure the width of your entry and then add about 8-12″. This extra length will work as a friction fit if you have a brick entry with a ledge close to the top. For added protection use masonry screws and wire holders to secure the frame to the walls and create a slight arch.
First on the frame will be the base or background lights. I used mini lights. Choose light colors depending on the holiday. If you want this display to last through several holidays with minimal redecorating then I would suggest using mini-lights of each color of the season. You can add larger and holiday-specific lights at the end.
Zig-zag the strings of lights from one end of the frame to the next. Attach them to the frame with twist ties or zip ties. NOTE: if you are doing multiple holidays make sure that you only connect lights together for the SAME holiday.
Start each new light string in the same corner closest to your power source. That way you can plug-in your Halloween lights and the Christmas lights will stay dark and therefore hidden in the foliage and vice versa. Don’t worry if it looks thin, you will be adding more lights later.
Next, add your base green fill. This will be just a plain greenery swag about 4′ long that you can pick up at Micheals or Hobby Lobby. Depending on the size of your entry, you will need four to start with. I like to get a mixture of the wire pine bough swag that is really easy to attach to the wireframe by twisting a small branch to the frame to hold it in place and the plastic ones that look fuller but you have to attach with zip ties. Attach these to the wireframe in a row pattern so the tips of the boughs just barely touch.
The next layer to add will be the decorative lights, the icicles, flickering flame, skulls, snowflakes, etc. Put these up a little loosely (so the wires are not tight to the frame), you want them to “peek” through the foliage and other things you will be putting up. You will need only two to three strands depending on the size of the entry. Attach them to the frame in a large and wide zig-zag pattern across the entry. For example, start in one corner then go to the midway point on the opposite side and then go to the opposite corner.
The next thing that you put up will be the fall color swags, Halloween swags or Christmas swag. You will need 4-6 of these depending on how “full” you want it to look. Attach these to the wireframe in a loose, half-hazzard zig-zag pattern. You do not want a “line pattern” with these, you want them to look “natural” like they grew there.
After you have the swags up add your “filler”. Use silk flowers to fill in the spaces where you can still see spaces between swags or it just looks a little thin still. To attach the flowers either bend the flower base so that it can hang from the wireframe or weave the stem through the wireframe. Bend the flower so that it is hanging down as if it was growing on an arbor and you are looking up at it. Use a variety of flower styles and color combinations that fit your theme.
Once that is done and your entry is looking full and absolutely amazing, add your hidden highlights or peek-a-boos. By that I mean add small woodland animals, fairies, small hanging gourds, ghosts, bats, presents, etc. Hang some from the wireframe and swags at different heights to create even more depth to the display. Tuck some in the corners peeking out from behind the flowers. You want some of these features to be kind of hidden so that when someone is looking at it they see some things that are out in the open and some they have to search for. Kids and adults have fun with that!
For the Harvest entry pictured here I started with fall colors, then the 1st week of October I will put up Halloween foliage and Halloween lights, then the 1st week of November I will take down the Halloween lights and foliage and I will be left with the harvest decorations for Thanksgiving that will take me through to Christmas when I will take down the fall foliage and put up Christmas themed foliage and lights. Throughout all of this, the base lights and foliage stays the same.
That is how you create an amazing entry for the holidays! Have fun designing your own creation in your entry! Please feel free to post pictures of your creation! I would love to see what you did!
Thank you for reading this nugget of knowledge about turning your entryway into a Holiday masterpiece. This article may contain an affiliate link or two, which does not affect you in any way, but will allow Empty Nestopia to continue to bring you travel tidbits.
Cheers!
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Beautiful idea!! Thank you so much for this post!! My husband and I are empty nesters, but are living the "gypsy life" at the moment. We sold our home and are traveling our beautiful country by staying in hotels, historic inns, etc. It's a wonderful life, and I couldn't be happier. When we eventually land somewhere, I will be sure to decorate using your sweet idea to make my home inviting and beautiful for the holidays!! I look forward to following you!! xo