How to Create a Faux Mixed-Greenery Christmas Garland that Looks Real
‘Tis the season for Christmas decor, and what better way to decorate your home than with a beautiful greenery garland.
Whether hanging along your staircase, draped along your fireplace mantel, or framing your front door, Christmas greenery garlands add a touch of natural elegance to your home.
Garlands are a classic Christmas decoration that add festive cheer to your home. If you want to make your staircase the focal point of your home during the holiday season, adding garland is an easy and impactful option.
Fresh Garland vs. Faux: Artificial Christmas Garland
Fresh, real garland is beautiful, and it can make your home smell amazing!
But the real deal greenery garland isn’t always a practical decor choice for your home.
It can also very expensive to get the real thing, especially if you want a mixed greenery look.
The next best thing is to use realistic artificial garlands.
The best option is to invest in high-quality, realistic faux garland.
There are so many options out there now of good faux garland that looks real. And you can reuse these garlands year after year.
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Transforming Your Staircase with Garland
Every Christmas season I look forward to decorating our home for the holidays.
One of the main areas I wanted to dress up is our staircase. It’s right in the center of our main living space and is a standout feature of the house.
I knew from the time we moved into this house that it would be the perfect spot for beautiful greenery garlands as winter decor in my home.
GARLANDS
How to Create a Pine and Eucalyptus Christmas Garland
I created this mixed faux greenery garland for my stairs that I use year after year. The combination of a pine garland and a eucalyptus leaves creates the lush, layered green foliage look.
I add different decorations and accents each year to add variety, but the base of the garland is the same.
Here’s how I created this look in my home, and how you can copy it in your own home this Christmas season.
The base pine garland that I use on our stairs was one that I invested in years ago. It’s still my favorite, but it’s no longer available for purchase.
Here are a variety of other options that I’ve found:
GARLANDS
The garland is a soft pine, but it looks like a mix of long pine needles and cedar. The best part is it already came with lights, so I didn’t have to add anything to make it glow at night.
I chose the pre-lit garland in the 9’ length for my stairs.
This garland looks so realistic and drapes just like real greenery.
Draping and Securing Your Holiday Stair Garland
To attach the garland to the staircase, I used black zip ties. I’ve also used these garland ties before, which work really well.
To get a swooping look, I draped the garland in two sections to create movement. Finally, I let the ends hang along the banister to make the garland look long and luxurious.
Best Realistic-Looking Faux Christmas Garlands for Stairs
If you want garland in your home for Christmas, the best option is to find faux garlands that look realistic.
There are so many great artificial garland options now. They have the same look and draping effect as the natural garlands, but you don’t have to deal with shedding and maintenance of a real greenery garland.
The most popular types of Christmas garlands are faux cedar garlands and faux pine garlands.
When shopping for garland, look for real touch greenery garlands to get the most realistic look and feel.
Here are some of the most beautiful faux garlands I’ve found.
Best Faux Garlands that Look Real
Faux Pine and Eucalyptus Garland
This option is the closest to my garland that I have found, and it includes the eucalyptus. It has the beautiful mixed greenery look and feel, but combined into one garland.
Faux Pine and Eucalyptus Garland (with Lights)
This is the next closest option to my garland, except this is more of a splurge garland. This beautiful mix of pine and eucalyptus gives you the same look, and it comes with lights on it already.
Real Touch Norfolk Pine Garland
This is a yearly favorite and overall best garland find. It always sells out fast because it’s a cheap garland option that looks very realistic. I used this garland in my Christmas vignette in this video. If you love this greenery look, there is also a matching wreath option.
Faux Pine and Cedar Garland
This beautiful garland gives you that mixed greenery look. This garland also has all of the needle pointing in the same direction, which makes it easier to drape and look realistic.
Faux Mixed Greenery and Berries Garland
I love the mixed greenery look of this garland. It’s already got a base greenery layer, and accent greenery, and even additional accents for texture. The red berries really pop and give this garland a beautiful color.
Faux Cedar Garland (with LED Lights)
This garland is very realistic looking. It has a mix of cedar and a few other greens to really give it a full look. It also has LED lights already on it.
Faux Cedar Garland
This is a beautiful and very realistic looking garland. I think cedar is some of the most beautiful Christmas greenery. This garland does not come with lights.
Affordable Realistic Christmas Greenery
To get the look of the mixed greenery, I added eucalyptus to the base garland. This gives the garland a modern, layered feel.
Top Faux Eucalyptus Garlands
I found this beautiful set of 2 eucalyptus garlands that are perfect for layering.
I used floral wire to tie both garlands together. Then, I fluffed them a little bit to make the garland look like one piece.
Faux Eucalyptus Garland
This is the exact garland that I used to layer with my base pine garland. This comes in a set of 2 and looks very realistic. The price is also great!
Best Faux Eucalyptus Stems
In previous years, before I had the eucalyptus garland, I used faux eucalyptus branches. This is another great option if you want a more understated or minimal eucalyptus aesthetic.
Just attach the stems using floral wire and bend them to follow the natural flow of the garland.
STEMS
Elevate Your Christmas Garland with Stylish Accents
To make your Christmas garland uniquely yours, try adding accents and other details.
Incorporating a few accents to your garland is a simple yet effective way to elevate your holiday decor. You can easily transform a standard garland into a stunning decor piece.
Here are some simple ideas to elevate your Christmas garland.
Accents for the Best Christmas Garland
1. Ribbons and Bows
Try adding ribbons and bows to your garland. Opt for high-quality ribbons and bows in complementary colors to enhance the overall look of your garland.
Experiment with different textures like satin or velvet. A few simple ribbons can go a long way to making your garland have a classic look.
For this garland look, I tied a satin ribbon into bows on each side of the staircase’s banister. I created the bows by layering champagne and white ribbons and secured them to the garland using floral wire.
RIBBONS AND BOWS
2. Dried Oranges or Pinecones
Consider adding dried oranges or pinecones to your garland for a rustic and nature-inspired touch. These elements not only contribute to the festive atmosphere but also bring a sense of the outdoors inside.
Last year for this garland look, I created a DIY dried orange garland. It’s a mix of dried oranges and wooden beads. I attached it to the main garlands with floral wire.
I love the contrast of the rich dried orange slices and the wood tones with the classic greenery.
Large pine cones or bright red berries on picks would also be a great option to add texture and color to your garland.
NATURAL ELEMENTS
3. Metal Accents
Incorporate metal elements like gold or silver accents to your garland. Consider incorporating bells or ornaments for a chic and festive vibe.
For this garland look, I included a vintage-style gold bell strand on the banister. I layered it on top to drape over the greenery.
I love how the gold bells look when the garlands are lit up at night.
METAL ACCENTS
4. Lighting Your Garland
If your garland isn’t already pre-lit, consider adding fairy lights.
Fairy lights are a simple and effective way to add a magical touch to your Christmas garland. They are also cordless and normally come with a battery pack that can easily be hidden in the garland.
Carefully weave the fairy lights through the garland, ensuring an even distribution. Pay attention to hiding the wires, so the lights appear seamlessly integrated into the greenery.
Adding fairy lights allows you to create ambience as your Christmas garland gives off that magical, twinkly lights glow in your home.
FAIRY LIGHTS
Experiment and create layered textures in your garland with the different accents. These textures add visual interest and enhance the overall look of your Christmas garland.
Conclusion
Creating a modern Christmas garland doesn’t have to be complicated. By combining a realistic looking faux garland with faux eucalyptus, you can achieve a layered and more freshly foraged look for your staircase or holiday mantel.
Now, I finally have my perfect mixed greenery Christmas garland! I love how the soft pine and eucalyptus look together. Both look so realistic, sometimes I forget that the garlands are actually fake.
They are especially magical looking at night when they are all lit up.
The battery packs have a timer so that every day when the sun goes down the garlands light up. They provide the most amazing Christmas glow to our living room along with the Christmas tree.
Our pine and eucalyptus Christmas garland is more than just a festive decoration; it’s a statement piece that brings beauty and the traditional look of Christmas into our home.
With its combination of traditional pine and mixed greenery of the eucalyptus, beautiful accents, and magical flow, this garland is a must-have for your Christmas home decor.
Bring the magic of the season to your home by creating your own beautiful garlands for Christmas time. Happy holiday decorating!
GARLANDS
I love this! The pre lit soft pine from grand in road is no longer available. Any suggestions for where else to find?
Hi Cindy,
I asked Grandin Road if they were going to be bringing it back in stock this year for 2019. Unfortunately, they said no 🙁 – It was my favorite garland and so realistic looking too.
I am going to try and source some other options that are similar and update the post soon. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
>> Christene
I would love to recreate this garland for my banister, but I have had the hardest time trying to find a similar garland. Let me know if you find other similar options available this season!
Hi Abby! I know I’m so disappointed that they discontinued my original garland. I’ve tried to link a few alternate options that will give a similar look inside the post. I’ve just updated those this year. Check out some of those to see if they will work for your home.
Hope this helps!
>> Christene