Holiday Garland at the BOTTOM of Stair Railings {A Twist!}

November 17, 2022

A twist on the traditional stairway garland -- hang it at the bottom! 


Have you pulled out any holiday decor yet? I always like to get a few things done before Thanksgiving, but this year I've been on a roll.

Our family (especially my husband) LOVES Christmas decor, and would happily have it up for months out of the year. 😆 

After Halloween he starts asking when we'll pull out the tree, and when I'm ready to take it all down at the end of the year, he's asking to keep it up for a few more weeks. 

I've started pulling out the Christmas decor for a few areas and working on spots that take the most time, like our stair railings. This is the earliest I've ever started, but it's been fun to have the time to play around with different ideas for our holiday decor. 

I'm really excited about possibly being done earlier than ever this year so I can relax and ENJOY the twinkle lights. 

Our open stairs are one my very favorite parts of our home! I choose classic white balusters and a stained railing that matches our wood floors. Over the years I've added greenery draped various ways at Christmas. 

The first year I attached thick garland under the railing: 
fluffy garland attached under railing

I've also swagged the greenery and wrapped it around: 
greenery wrapped around railing

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All are beautiful! You just can't go wrong with any combination of garland and lights.

I've recently been looking into the "real touch" greenery that has been all over social media the past couple of years. A site called Afloral sells it, but I just couldn't bring myself to spend that much on garland, even though I love their quality. 

I was THRILLED when I found the exact same Norfolk greenery at Kirklands, and on sale! I also got a discount code when I signed up for their emails, so I got this gorgeous greenery for less than half of what Afloral charges. 

I had to purchase online and pick mine up at a local store -- look for that option if they are sold out for shipping!

This stuff really is as nice as it's hyped up to be. It feels so soft, but you can manipulate the wired branches easily: 
real touch soft greenery

It looked lovely when I draped it from the stair railing, but then a different idea came to mind. 

I laid it on the wood base of our spindles and LOVED how the branches draped down on the white trim on our board and batten picture wall under the stairs

I stood there looking at it, thinking -- do people do this? Do they lay the garland on the bottom of the stairs? Is this even allowed?? 😂 

Well...I did it. 

I used 3M Command hooks and these clips to secure the greenery to the base of the stairs:
3M clips for garland

I like to add pretty details to my garlands to beef them up even more. Pinecones and these beady picks add some color and texture: 
pinecones and beaded picks Christmas

I got all of mine from Hobby Lobby years ago and use them in different ways every year. 

I found these metal bells in that same "filler" aisle at HL this year and grabbed a bunch of them at half off: 
metal bells in garland

They are SO pretty! I wish I would have gotten a bunch more! 

I scattered them throughout the greenery, adding a bit more at each newel post along the railing:
pinecones bells in greenery

Someone loves to play with the beads. Do you see the paw?: 
garland at bottom of railings

Of course, garland isn't complete until the lights are on it! 

I wrapped them throughout and they finished it all off perfectly!:
real touch norfolk greenery dupe

I LOVE the look of these along the bottom! The way they drape along wall is so elegant, but also a cleaner look compared to hanging them from the railing: 
brass bells stair newel post

I hung these pretty brass bells from my burgundy velvet ribbon for a little detail on the bottom newel post. Simple and pretty! 

This garland method also frees up the railing. I'm always a little nervous covering the railing for safety reasons. 

I think this would look great with thicker garland as well. You can really stuff it full and not worry about it getting in the way of going up and down the stairs!:
Christmas greenery at bottom of railing

Of course this works best with open stairs like ours, but if you have an open loft with railings, this would be a lovely touch. Or, if your stairs have open railings at the bottom steps. 

This is one of the spots that takes me the longest when I decorate for Christmas, so I'm happy to have it done and looking good! 
white stained stairs with garland

This way of "hanging" the greenery was also much quicker -- I usually hang it from cup hooks under the railing, so this took a lot less time and effort. 

It really makes this part of our family room a beautiful showcase!: 
open stairs garland on bottom

Do you have stairs you like to decorate for the holidays? I have a few other gorgeous examples to share with you as well!

I love the pretty sheet music stars that Marianne hung from her garland: 
hanging sheet music stars

Remember you don't have to use traditional colors in your greenery -- Suzy used a combo of red, blue and gold
colorful bows on greenery

Renae used this gorgeous thick garland accented with snowy accents and blue ribbons
greenery with blue white accents

And Rachael used black satin bows that look great against her white and black staircase: 
black bows stair greenery

Kate has a gorgeous staircase that called for something dramatic, and these beautiful swagged garlands are perfect! How lovely!: 
curved staircase greenery


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Comments

  1. This looks so pretty! I will be checking Kirkland’s for this garland.

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  2. Gorgeous!! Thanks for sharing!❤

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  3. I made your banana bread and it did not disappoint. Now my fav recipe.

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  4. Gorgeous!!! I love this idea.

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  5. Beautiful. How many sections of garland did you need to cover the stairs?

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  6. Beautiful! The garland does look real and putting it on the bottom of the railing is eye catching. Great job! I have been decorating early for the past couple of years too. Several years ago we had a Christmas open house a couple of weeks before Christmas and I had everything done early. It was so nice to be able to enjoy the festivities and relax without feeling the pressure of rushing to get done.

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  7. Love this! It looks cleaner and less cluttered on the bottom while still showcasing your beautiful staircase.

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  8. I love this!! It’s so beautiful and kind of highlights your pics underneath the garland! Love when you try something new and it looks like it should have been done that way all along!

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  9. I hope we ARE allowed to put garlands at the bottom. LOL This placement is really a lot safer for guests or family members who need to hold the rail to get up and down the stairs.

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  10. As someone who always uses a handrail, I thank you for publishing this! I hope more people will consider safety when they place their decor. This looks great. And your furry friend seems to enjoy the placement, too. 😀

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  11. This is gorgeous? Did you layer multiple pieces to get the garland looking this full?

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  12. I think it looks fabulous, and also like the idea of not covering the hand rail for safety. I say we are allowed to do whatever we want in our homes when it comes to decor. Thanks for sharing!

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