All Shades of Green
No need to choose – there’s room in your home for both real and artificial greenery. Here’s how to spice up your holiday décor
By Paige Bowie
CTW Features
Greenery – real or not – adds a welcoming warmth and a touch of character to holiday décor. Image courtesy iStockphoto
Nothing conveys the holidays like festive greenery. But while real evergreen trees, pine bough swags and mistletoe kissing balls are all great in theory, the cost and maintenance aren’t terribly practical.
“The ideal is always fresh cuttings,” said Kathy Peterson, a do-it-yourself expert and author of “Kathy Peterson’s Great Outdoor Decorating Makeovers: Easy, Elegant Transformations on a Limited Budget,” (Watson-Guptill , 2004). “But it’s not always affordable. Let’s face it, it’s expensive. And, of course, it doesn’t last. “
The alternative is artificial greens, but they have drawbacks, too.
“They can look fake, “ Peterson says. “Even though there are some great new artificial plants out there, they sometimes still do have a cheesy look.”
On the other hand, artificial greenery is less expensive and “will last much longer than real greenery, leaving you to enjoy it all season,” says design coordinator Kelly Edwards of HGTV’s “Design on a Dime.” “Sometimes if you buy the right things, they can last season after season.”
Don’t write off the fake stuff as hopelessly unattractive, either, urges Debbie Terrell, a floral designer for Michaels Stores Inc., Hurst, Texas.
“There are different levels of quality [determined] by your price point, but it’s come a long way. Today’s selection is much more diverse and realistic than the types of things most people associate with artificial greenery.”
Bear in mind, too, that people generally have more tolerance for artificial greenery during the holiday season. “They understand that it’s a special time of year, so they’re more geared for that,” Terrell says. “And it’s sort of an investment, because you can use it again.”
To warm up artificial greens, Terrell suggests adding to them. That accomplishes two things: The greenery looks prettier, and it’s obscured a little so it’s not as obvious that it’s fake.
She likes adding ornaments, ribbon and silk florals.
Image courtesy IStockphoto
“A lot of times people have a hard time figuring out how to attach [greenery] to the mantel,” Terrell says. “There are the 3M adhesive hook strips you can hook garland on. Or use suction cups. Attach ornament clips to the garland to fasten the enhancements. That makes it really easy.”
If you don’t want the hassle of adding to garland, another option is to buy pre-lit greenery, an outgrowth of popular pre-lit artificial trees. Choose from traditional light bulbs or fiber optic lights that fade and move along the length of the piece.
Your decorating effort should start with a home’s entrance, Edwards says.
“Always have a warm welcome. A wreath on the door or a staircase and mantel decorated with garland is a wonderful touch,” she says. “Wreaths or green garland on a mantel or a staircase decorated with holiday berries or even artificial fruit can bring in that cozy, homey feeling.
“Speaking of fruit, I mean, at one time this was a plant, right? Making a mistletoe out of fake baby lemons or oranges with cranberries and limes sprinkled in, can add a nice splash of color and will draw your eye up to a very interesting work of art. Topiaries made of fruit, too, always make interesting centerpieces.”
Author Peterson doesn’t believe real and artificial greenery are mutually exclusive. “You can always cheat a little and mix it up,” she says. “It really fools the eye if you don’t overdo it and just fill in. It’s phenomenal.
“Poinsettias are always popular at Christmas. Get some very inexpensive berry stems and insert them in the plant. That adds color, texture and height.”
Additional hybrids include adding artificial berries to a live wreath, or mixing artificial garlands on a fireplace mantel with fresh flowers.
“They don’t necessarily have to be poinsettias,” Peterson says. “It can be carnations or roses, which are great because they aren’t really expensive and come in all kinds of different colors.”
You can also insert fresh-cut greens and pinecones in artificial plants. “Pine is great for that. You get a beautiful look and you get the scent, too, which is such a great way to warm up a house,” Peterson says.
Remember, some of those natural addendums could be free for the taking in your own back yard, says Edwards.
“Grab some branches, give them a light coat of white and glitter spray paint and put them in a vase on your mantel or table, “ she says. “They are a great way to add height to any piece.
Or if you’re in need of some color, holly branches are simple and stunning, and you can swap the real for the fake.”
Image courtesy Michaels Stores Inc.
Festive on the Fly
Get crafty with a quick DIY project
Garland
1. Attach (3) 3-M Hooks to mantle top. One centered, one on each end.
2. Drape garland across mantle as shown above, secure to 3-M Hooks.
3. Embellish garland with favorite ribbon, floral, ornaments, berries, vines, butterfly clips, tassels, fruit sprays, etc. All above have been attached to the garland using ornament clips.
Wreath
1. Attach 3-M Hook to wall at desired height.
2. Secure wreath to 3-M Hook.
3. Embellish wreath with ribbon, floral, ornaments, berries, vines, butterfly clips, fruit sprays, an angel, or whatever you desire. All above have been secured to wreath using ornament clips.
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