Since the house is on the market, we decided to go with the ‘less is more’ mantra this holiday season. That applied to decorating as well. But we still wanted to spark that holiday feeling…I mean, this could be the last time we celebrate Christmas in this home so we didn’t want to abandon our favorite time of the year all together. Plus we hear that Santa only leaves cheetah print Snuggies if you don’t honor him with your exterior. And Jeremy doesn’t need another one of those 🙂
Each of our windows got a little wreath decorated with a simple red bow.
Sweet. Simple. To the point. AND EASY. That is a key to exterior decor…ease of installation. And these were up in five minutes flat. All we did was get 9 large 3M hooks (they were buy one get one free at Walgreens a few weeks ago so it cost less than $12 total) and then we slipped on the wreath so that the bow was at the bottom.
Sometimes, I like the bow at the top…but for some reason, I was digging the bottom bow this year. I think it is because it is a little traditional feeling to me. Like in a desperate please-buy-our-house way 🙂
Oh and by the way, our wreaths we got at Garden Ridge about two years ago and we LOVE them. They are small enough to fit in a standard storage tub but still floofy. And the best part is that they only cost $2 a piece.
As for our front door, we went with the traditional red & green adorned wreath. I love it. And it took me like a total of five minutes to do. All I did was slip the ornaments through one of the little wirey wreath branches and then bent the branch in a different direction to lock that ornament into place. Super easy…totally random and the sparkly red bow (made from leftover ribbon from Christmas a couple years back) is just the amount of jazz that the door needs.
As for lights – I am a firm believer that every house needs a little sparkle. We added a swag of faux garland that was wrapped with a couple strings just above the door. It’s nothing fancy but that little twinkle makes me smile. It’s like when I go midnight bowling…dang it if I don’t love those blacklights and what they do to people’s teeth.
Anyhoo…so that is our exterior christmas decor. So is less really more? Or is it just less? And is there anyone else that went simple this year and opted for only a few wreaths and maybe a swag or two? Maybe you went the complete opposite way and have onepointseven million lights? You know…like what they call the ‘star’ of the neighborhood?
I love your door wreath! The striped ornaments are super cute. I made a cheapy wreath out of coffee filters. You can see the pics if you click the link in my name.
very pretty! you know I feel like we are total losers this year. We bought our very first little house in April, we have a 20 month old, and my husband is lucky enough to in a civilian program with the Air Force and is getting his Masters right now without doing the whole work thing too….but he is still so busy and we just don’t have outside decorations. So we just have a cute little Christmas sign by the door and we are letting the twinkle of the tree shine through the window. We are going to hit up the sales after Christmas to prepare for outside next year.
Wow, ten wreaths? I’m impressed! It looks so charming, and definitely not ‘just less’.
Our house has a wreath on the windows and door too. We don’t have an outdoor light socket (weird I know) so we can’t put out lights 🙁 To hang my window wreaths I loop red ribbon around the wreath and just open my window and toss them out. The ribbon knot stays on the inside of the window so they are secure. Sometimes the wind blows so hard that my wreaths are horizontal but they never leave the window 🙂
That’s a lot of wreaths! so pretty and dainty =)
Your house looks very pretty! We do the same thing with the wreaths, but we add candles for a little glow and some reindeer grazing the garden. Good luck with your move!
OK, very classy, that’s what I love about “simple” decorations. Unlike my neighbors who put up every colored light from the $ store, and then worst thing of all I have to look at it every night out my window. They probably think I’m cheap with my “simple” decorations. But love what you did !!!!
I love your solution Jennifer! Very smart!
xo – kb
Oooo! Good idea, I need to try this!
Right now, all we have are candles in our windows and you can see our Christmas Tree lights from the street. VERY simple. I may add some wreaths though, they look so pretty! We have a traditional Cape Cod home, so we only have three windows….cutting down the cost of a wreath project already 😉
I always love your Christmas decorations! So classic!
For our exterior we put white lights around the top of the house, lighted faux garland on the porch and have a fairly simple wreath on the door. You can see the wreath here: http://hernandohouse.wordpress.com/2010/12/13/decking-the-halls-a-little-at-a-time/
Eventually I’ll actually decorate the tree and then you’ll be able to see its lights in the front window as well.
Here’s my solution to hanging wreaths:
http://yearofhomeandhealth.blogspot.com/2010/11/christmas-wreaths.html
Usually I use fishing wire, but it takes two people to hold onto it while you slam the window shut. Hubby wasn’t available this time, so I used the ribbon. I like the fishing wire better as it is totally invisible. And almost all of my neighbors wreaths are now in my yard and all of mine are still nice and pretty on the windows!
Katie, your front door wreath is so pretty!
Love the less is more look. We just have a wreath on the front door, and this year we added a spotlight on the front door also. In the past I never liked that on others houses…I always thought, ‘YA, I get it…you have a front door.’…but the look has grown on me so we added one. We have a ranch house, so we also only have a few windows to decorate, but I nixed my window calndles too for 2010. LOVE the striped ornaments on the wreath. You know, they say homes dont sell at the Holidays, but I think I WOULD love to see what a home looks like at Christmas time, and if it has that certain feeling…the holidays would NOT deter me from house hunting.
XO
love the traditional wreaths. so classic, happy, out-of-a-movie. you guys will sell in no time!
i went natural with decor this year:
http://thechicline.blogspot.com/2010/12/holiday-styling-outdoor.html
& i’m already gathering ideas for next year!
EXCELLENT idea!!
That’s pretty much what our house looks like – little wreaths on every window with a red bow. We do have garland with lights on our banister & a little snowman.
& I’m stealing your ornament wreath idea! I have this fug holly berry wreath that spews little red balls all over the place & has definitely seen better days.
Looks awesome!! I didn’t know those hooks worked outside in the cold. Thanks for the great tip!!
very pretty! love the classic look. The wreath on your front door is adorable. I’m a sucker for ornaments!
Absolutely in love with the wreaths all on the windows- so chic, traditional and simple. Less is more! It looks wonderful!
I love your door wreath!! It’s perfect! We also went with the less is more idea with our exterior decorations. Mainly because we bought new LED lights and didn’t have enough for all the bushes! And those dang lights are expensive!
“Plus we hear that Santa only leaves cheetah print Snuggies if you don’t honor him with your exterior.” I snorted on my breakfast. Thankfully no coworkers were around to see me and poke fun.
Your house looks so pretty! Love the wreaths- I really wanted to do that – but it was geeting pricey.
I have been blogging about holiday decor all week. It is so fun…
http://styleandcentsability.wordpress.com/
I love the wreath with the ornaments!! Could you give a simple step by step bow making process? I am the worst with those!
Hi Ashley,
Here’s a video I did last year on how to make the big ole perfect bows. Good luck!
xo – kb
I love less-is-more! We live in a 100 year-old farm house and we have one HUGE pre-lit decorated wreath that is hung in the center of the four windows on the main part of the house. We shine a spot light on it at night. Looks classic and is so simple.
Love your outdoor decorations!
love you wreaths! perfect for a house on the market. :c)
i have a 1900 row home with three floors of mainly windows in front. i cut out a ton of snowflakes from printer paper and scotch taped them to the windows. it looks very cute and wintery and was FREE :c) this is only our second christmas in our first house, we are still collecting decorations. i plan on going out after christmas and picking up battery powered candles for the windows.
good luck with the closing/sale and all that jazz!
*your* wreaths. or i could be talking to the wreaths… :cP