6 Modern Ideas for Getting Your Front Door Looking Holiday-Ready

Double wreaths and shades of pink put a twist on tradition.
Lydia Geisel Avatar

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

As winter approaches, our front door becomes so much more than a point of entry: It’s a means for showing our holiday spirit to the world (or at least our neighbors). Round wreaths tied up with big red bows, twinkling lights wrapped around shrubs, poinsettia potted in golden planters—these are some of the most common ways we communicate how we feel. But evergreens and garlands are only one part of the picture when it comes to dressing up your exterior. Whether you’re a minimalist or a modernist—or your favorite colors don’t happen to be red and green—we’ve gathered six holiday exterior ideas that will help you stay true to your style.

Create a Vibrant Installation With Paper

Who said mint green and bubblegum pink can’t feel festive? This asymmetrical display of paper honeycomb shapes proves the rainbow can put you in a celebratory mood. The varying sizes of spheres have a cloud effect, but you can make it even more playful by adding ice cream cones and macarons to the mix. The best part: You can use it year-round for birthdays and anniversaries.

Casually Drape Your Evergreens

garland wrapped around front door
Photography by The Blush Home

If your front door is already eye-catching, you can get away with less decorations. This swagged garland doesn’t appear sloppy because the branches are thick and wild-looking, almost as if they were sourced from the forest floor. If this feels too minimal, you can also pop a small tree inside a wicker hamper, as Megan McLeod of the Blush Home did here. 

Double Up on the Door Wreaths 

girl standing in front of red door
photography by Lea Hartman

Commit your efforts solely to the door by doubling up on your greenery and tying two wreaths together with a silky emerald bow, just like Stacey-Ann Blake did. Don’t forget to add ornaments to the arrangement. 

Spruce Up an Symmetrical Arrangement

garland wrapped around front door
Photography by Monika Hibbs

This simple yet soothing example ticks all the boxes: garland, wreath, and potted greenery. The features help the white facade pop, but they’re also a great way to create some symmetry if your architecture is quirky. To keep it from looking too one-note, mix in some pine cones for a festive and textural touch.

DIY a Vibrant Winter Wonderland 

pink mid century home decoated for christmas
Photo Courtesy of Sugar & Cloth

Sugar & Cloth’s Ashley Rose created a forest on her front stoop using jumbo sisal trees she scooped up at Hobby Lobby. (Psst: Smaller versions make an appearance on the wreaths, where they’re sitting in faux snow.) Life-size nutcrackers, which the DIYer spray-painted gold to match her outdoor sconces, guard the scene. 

Keep the Greenery Going

white house with green wreaths
Photography by Laura Steffan

Spread the love beyond the front door by decorating the window shutters, too. If your house sits far back from the sidewalk where others can’t easily admire it, sprinkle in some chunky lights so those additions really shine. 

Our Fall Style issue has arrived! Subscribe now to get an exclusive first look at Ayesha Curry’s Bay Area home—and discover how design can shape our world.

Lydia Geisel Avatar

Lydia Geisel

Home Editor

Lydia Geisel has been on the editorial team at Domino since 2017. Today, she writes and edits home and renovation stories, including house tours, before and afters, and DIYs, and leads our design news coverage. She lives in New York City.

Share