A decorated front door spreads holiday cheer to visitors and passersby.
Written by Emily Welly | Photographed by Joe Worthem
One way to make a statement this holiday season is to decorate your front entryway, like this elegant design by decorators from Something Southern.
There are a couple of things to consider when decorating your exterior, according to Phyllis Smith, manager and design consultant at Something Southern.
Your personal taste and the existing exterior colors and style of your home are of equal importance. A neutral exterior may mean you have more options. For the front door pictured, “we were going for an elegant Christmas look,” Smith said. “Because of the colors of the house, the silver and gold stand out better.”
Once you’ve decided on style, pick a focal point to work from. In this case, the front doors centered between the large columns were the focus, which helps to keep the entryway decor from looking cluttered or overpowering.
When choosing greenery, a decision must be made between real or faux boughs.
“If you’re putting your holiday decor up early, of course, faux is going to last longer,” Smith said. “I love to use real greenery, but it’s going to have a short lifespan.”
She also noted that investing in good quality faux greenery often makes a lot of sense: It lasts a long time and can be used year after year.
That said, if you are decorating shortly before an event (inside or outside), real greenery can be a lovely addition, Smith said. She suggests cuttings of cedar, pine or magnolia, or gathering pine cones.
In the door pictured, accent pieces — ribbon, snow-covered garland, painted limbs, ornaments — are layered into the greenery to help create texture and a wow factor. Additionally, lights are woven into the garland to give an elegant look and make the front porch stand out at night. While prelit garland is available, by stringing your own lights, you can add as much or as little as you want, Smith said.
Armed with a plan and the right materials, the only question left is when to start decorating.
“I personally like to decorate early,” Smith said. “You can enjoy the holiday season longer. It makes you feel good to see those decorations up. It makes you happy.”
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