Garland

That strip of empty space between the cabinets and the ceiling is the most ignored real estate in most kitchens. In December it’s the easiest place to add a lot of Christmas without giving up a single inch of counter. The trick is to treat it as one long line, not a shelf for a dozen things. One continuous garland A garland running the full length of the cabinet tops is what makes the kitchen look decorated from the doorway. Measure along the front edge of the cabinets, including the returns at each end, and add a foot for draping. ...

A tension rod lets you put garland across a doorway, window recess or shelf nook without drilling. It only works in the right spot, though, and with a strand light enough for the rod you chose. What’s in this post Where a tension rod actually works A lightweight rod for a paper strand A wide rod for a wide opening Heavier pine, only after weighing it Ties that attach, not support Test it low before it goes high Where a tension rod actually works A tension rod needs two solid, opposite faces to push against: the inside of a door frame, a window recess, or the side walls of an alcove. Both ends have to wedge into the recess. A flat wall or a mantel with no side returns gives it nothing to press on. Skip loose trim, glass, and the sides of fragile cabinets, which can crack or shift under steady pressure. ...

Searches for DIY Christmas garland are up again this year. Garland is one of the easiest things to make yourself, and a homemade one changes how a room feels more than another store-bought ornament does. All of these can be done in an evening, at a table, with a movie on. Dried orange slices The most popular homemade garland right now, and for good reason. It glows when light shines through it. ...

Garland does a lot for the money. One good strand changes a mantel, a staircase or a doorway more than almost anything else you can buy. The two common mistakes are buying too little of it and buying faux garland so cheap it looks like plastic. Fresh or faux Fresh garland smells like Christmas, and nothing else really does. A cedar or fir garland on the mantel scents the room for two or three weeks. ...

A staircase is visible from the entry, the living room and upstairs, so one well-dressed banister does a lot of work. It usually gets whatever garland is left over, tied on in a straight line. A little more planning makes a big difference. The banister Buy enough garland. About 9 feet of garland (on Amazon) for every 6 feet of banister, so there’s enough slack for it to dip. ...

A mantel is at eye level and it’s usually where you look first when you walk into the room, so it’s worth getting right. The most common problem is simple: not enough garland. A strand stretched tight across the top looks thin no matter what you add to it. How much garland Buy about two and a half times the width of the mantel. A 48-inch mantel needs around 10 feet (a 9-foot garland (on Amazon) plus a little extra), a 60-inch one about 12 and a half. The extra length is what lets it drape down the sides and dip between hooks instead of sitting flat like a clothesline. ...