There are few better feelings than standing back and looking at your home post-decorating. Seeing your vision come to life piece by piece to create something beautiful is incredibly rewarding – and undeniably magical during the holidays.
This year, I'm excited to incorporate more greenery into my natural Christmas decorations, and my top source of inspiration has to be Kendall Jenner's home. Her foliage garlands are so elegant both indoors and outdoors, striking the perfect balance between welcoming and show-stoppingly grand.
To better understand why Kendall's design works so well, I spoke to some plant pros. They shared their thoughts on the beauty of decorating with garlands, as well as how someone could approach decorating their home in this way, using real greenery.
Why a Foliage Garland Works
Kendall has displayed her garlands in arch shapes – above the entrance and over the mantel. It's a classic decorating silhouette loved for many reasons, which is just so easy on the eye.
Its appeal is actually rooted in history, as archways were used to signify an entryway, welcoming someone into a space. Combine this with your Christmas decorating style, and your home will instantly feel both festive and inviting!
Oliver Burgess of Oliver Burgess Garden Design explains: "An arch of foliage creates a sense of arrival by framing the view and drawing the eye upwards and around the curve. It subtly says, 'You're entering somewhere special.'
"Because it follows the existing architecture, it softens hard lines and adds depth instead of feeling like it's just been put up as an afterthought."
Greenery in itself has been used in Christmas decorating for centuries, with evergreen foliage serving as a symbol of life during the cold depths of winter.
"When you bend such foliage around an arch and add warm lights, it becomes almost like a glowing halo around the doorway, which is even more beautiful if guests are arriving after dark," adds Oliver.
How to Copy Kendall's Style
If you're looking to recreate Kendall's garlands using real greenery, picking the perfect stems to work with is vitally important. They need to be long enough to bend into the arch as well as flexible enough not to snap from the strain of staying in a curved position.
Petar Ivanov, a plant and gardening expert at Fantastic Gardeners, shares: "To replicate this look with real greenery, you can use a mix of long-needled, flexible, and fragrant cut branches that drape naturally and hold up well indoors and outdoors. For the main garland structure, Western red cedar would be ideal because it’s soft, pliable, and gives a lush, cascading effect similar to the photos.
"To add structure and variation, incorporate noble fir or Fraser fir. They’re sturdy, hold their needles well, and give a classic Christmas fullness. For movement and texture, add sprigs of incense cedar or Port Orford cedar, which have a more feathery fall and catch light beautifully.
"To deepen the colour palette and add contrast, tuck in branches of eucalyptus, particularly seeded or silver dollar types, and magnolia, whose glossy leaves and copper undersides add richness."
If you're looking to elevate your garland arches further, consider adding accent elements such as snow-dusted pinecones, shiny berries, or sprigs of holly.
From there, gently wrap your twinkling lights around the foliage, paying attention to your spacing. It's best to step back occasionally to look at your garlands from a distance to see if they need altering. Happy decorating!
Shop the Look
If you don't have an arch shape in your home pre-existing to wrap your foliage around, and you also don't wish to hammer nails into the wall to loop your garlands around, a freestanding garland arch stand like this will be perfect. Plus it can be moved around the house!
With warm, twinkling and multicolored settings, this all-in-one Christmas light set will let you switch up the design of your decor at just the touch of a button.
Imagine how lovely these accent pieces would look intertwined with your festive foliage and lights. The berries especially would provide a gorgeous pop of color.
