Most wreaths you see that look a bit off are simply the wrong size. An 18-inch wreath on a full-size front door looks lost in the middle of it, and a huge one on a narrow apartment door looks like it’s about to fall on someone.
The fix is a quick measurement before you buy.
The two-thirds rule
Measure the width of your door and aim for a wreath about two-thirds of that. Half the width tends to look skimpy. Anything close to the full width crowds the frame and can catch when the door opens.
| Door width | Wreath diameter |
|---|---|
| 30–32 in. (apartments, side doors, older homes) | 18–22 in. |
| 36 in. (standard US front door) | 24–26 in. |
| 42 in. and wider | 28–30 in., or a pair |
If you’re stuck between two sizes on a 36-inch door, go with 24. (This 24-inch faux pine wreath (on Amazon) is a reasonable place to start.) Slightly small reads as deliberate. Slightly too big reads as a mistake.
Check the depth too. A full 24-inch wreath can stick out 6 to 8 inches. If you have a storm door, measure the gap between the two doors. Under about 4 inches, you need a slim wreath (3 inches deep or less) or a hanger that goes on the storm door instead.
Different kinds of doors
A door with a window. Center the wreath on the glass rather than on the door as a whole. The window frames it, and it looks better from the street. It should fit inside the glass, not overlap the edges of it.
Double doors. Use two matching wreaths, one on each door, a little smaller than you’d use on a single door: 20 to 24 inches each. Make them identical, same greenery and same bow. One big wreath across the middle of double doors almost never works.
Apartment doors. These are usually 30 to 32 inches wide and face a shared hallway, so 18 to 20 inches is plenty. Check your lease first; some buildings have rules about hallway doors. A lightweight faux wreath on an over-the-door hanger is the safest choice because there’s nothing to remove except the hanger.
Tall, narrow doors. A round wreath can look short against a lot of vertical door. Try an oval or teardrop shape around 20 inches wide by 28 inches tall, or hang a 22-inch round one a little above center.
Faux, fresh or dried
Faux is what I’d suggest for most people. It lasts for years and doesn’t mind sun, wind or a warm hallway. The catch is that cheap faux looks plastic. For a 24-inch wreath, expect to spend around $35 or more, and look for “PE” or “real-touch” tips rather than shiny PVC.
Fresh smells wonderful, but it’s heavier, it drops needles, and outdoors it lasts three or four weeks. Buy it the week after Thanksgiving, not before, and mist it every few days. It’s not a great fit for adhesive hooks or apartment hallways.
Dried wreaths (eucalyptus, wheat, orange slices) are light and keep for years, but they break easily. Hang them somewhere sheltered, not on a door that takes the wind.
Hanging it without damage
From least to most effort:
- Over-the-door hanger. A metal hook (on Amazon) that slips over the top of the door. No holes, holds plenty of weight. If your door fits tightly, wrap the hook in a bit of felt or painter’s tape so it doesn’t scratch the paint.
- Outdoor-rated adhesive hook. Use one made for outdoors, like these (on Amazon). Clean the spot with rubbing alcohol, press the hook for 30 seconds and wait an hour before you hang anything. When you take it down, pull the tab straight down along the door, not outward.
- Magnetic hanger. Two magnets (on Amazon) that hold through the door. Very tidy, but only on steel doors. Test yours with a fridge magnet first.
- Ribbon. Loop wide wired ribbon (about 2.5 inches) over the top of the door and tie the wreath to it. Old-fashioned and leaves no marks at all.
If your door gets a lot of wind, add a small adhesive hook near the bottom of the wreath to keep it from swinging.
Putting it away in January
A wreath can last ten years if it isn’t crushed in storage. A round wreath bag (on Amazon) with a stiff frame is the best option; hang it on a closet rod or a hook in the garage. A bag for a 24-inch wreath is about 26 inches across, so it’s worth checking you have space for one before you buy a big wreath.
The cheaper option is a large box lined with tissue, stored flat with nothing on top of it.