Yahoo Finance What is doorscaping and why are celebrities all over the trend this Christmas?
This year we not only went in early with our Christmas decor, but we’re also going that little bit extra.
After all, if we can’t get together with all our friends and family this festive season, we’re sure as heck going to make up for it by ensuring anyone who drops off a card is greeted by a dazzling display of decorations.
Having put up their Christmas trees in November, celebrities - including Holly Willoughby, Amanda Holden, Michelle Keegan, Stacey Solomon and I’m a Celebrity winner Giovanna Fletcher – are also leading the way in transforming the front of their homes into glorious winter wonderlands in a trend known as doorscaping.
The craze involves framing your doorway with festive foliage alongside a dreamy selection of totally maximallist decorations.
Subtle it certainly isn’t. The effect is pretty impressive and in a year lacking in cheer, it’s just what we need.
“Festive doorscaping is for those Christmas lovers who think a tree and a wreath simply isn't enough - and many celebrities are taking part in this huge 2020 trend,” explains Liam Lapping at floral gift service Flowercard.
To get in on the trend, Lapping suggests framing your front door with “candy canes, extra baubles, chocolates, reindeers - and any other festive trinkets you can think of”.
“Transforming the entrance to your home in this way isn't for the minimalist - it shouts Santa’s grotto but it is a great way to get creative and spread some festive joy this year,” he adds.
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Interior stylist, Aurélien Farjon, who has recently dressed Shirley Ballas’ home for Christmas and worked on several doorscaping campaigns with Wayfair, believes the trend has really caught on in 2020, mainly because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“This year more than ever, decorating the outside of our homes has become essential, as most of us cannot visit the ‘inside’ of our friends and family, so the ‘outside’ has become the main event,” she explains.
“It is also a fantastic way to shout out joy and happiness to neighbours and passers-by! God knows we all need it for our first ever ‘Covid-Christmas’ or ‘Co-Christmas’ or is it ‘Christmas-19’?”
Whilst many celebrities are going large on their extravagant doorscaping displays, according to Lapping there are options for every budget.
“There is festive inspiration everywhere - scroll through Insta, take to Pinterest or just get creative,” he explains. “If you have a budget, why not make your own wreaths and accessories? It's a great chance to go for a walk and collect some foliage. All you need is to add a touch of imagination.”
Farjon says doorscaping can be as simple as putting up a hand-made or shop-bought wreath. “Add a hidden battery powered fairy light for extra effect (remember to turn it off before you go to bed),” she says.
Though Instagram is awash with Christmas doorscaping right now, Lapping says the trend actually started back in September when people adorned their front doors with pumpkins and autumnal wreaths.
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When it comes to getting your doorscape on there are no rules, you can be as creative and as extravagant as you want. So if you fancy giving it a go here’s some handy tips to transform your home into a festive feast for the eyes:
Choose your theme
For maximum impact, all elements of your display should complement each other. “Start by choosing a colour scheme, and go for two to three main hues,” suggests a spokesperson for door and window specialists Safestyle.
“For a traditional look, opt for bold reds and greens and add gold as an accent colour.”
Lapping says a great place to get started is to look at your interior decor and make your doorscaping a continuation of that. “It’s a great jumping off point and you will probably already have suitable decorations you can repurpose for outside,” he explains.
Start with a wreath and build from there
Emma Forsey, brand director at florist Hayford & Rhodes, suggests beginning with a beautiful door wreath and simple placements of seasonal themed elements on the doorstep.
“If you’re feeling brave and want to try your hand at a bigger, bolder doorscape, start with your framework. Natural birch branches or a freestanding metal garden arch work well to build your festive materials on to,” she continues.
“We suggest going for a naturally styled asymmetric sweep over the doorway, almost like the route a climbing plant would take to envelop the door.”
Go big with garlands
Garlands can form the basis of your doorscaping design, so don’t hold back. Start with pine foliage and use a few branches to frame the door - the fuller it looks, the better. You can then build in some sparkle by layering up with gold foil, or for a more traditional look, try weaving in holly or mistletoe.
“Garlands are the perfect blank canvas for decorations, which you can scale up or down, depending on how much drama you want to add,” explains Jess Martin, design specialist at party specialists Ginger Ray. “If you’re a maximalist, why not fasten baubles, candy canes and snowflakes to them?”
Be a foliage forager
“If on a budget, see what you can create yourself as opposed to buying everything. For example, collecting fallen branches in the woods and spraying them yourself will be a lot cheaper than ready-made ones,” suggests Farjon.
Create an arch
If you’re feeling really fancy, Farjon suggests creating an arch around your doorway, or dressing a garden arch using faux or real foliage.
“Lots of fairy lights around it, large baubles, finish with a few painted twigs or even artificial floral,” she adds. “You could even drape a piece of fabric over it for a really dramatic effect.”
Focus on one area
If you cannot afford to dress a large area, Farjon suggests focussing on a small one and spend your budget on just that. “Better a small area that looks fabulous, than a large one that looks like an after-thought,” she explains.
Repurpose existing decorations
Buying lots of single use plastic to decorate your door might look pretty but will damage the planet. “Look at what you already have or ask friends or family if they have any old decorations,” Lapping suggests. “While something might not be suitable for inside, it might look fabulous as part of a bigger decorative scene outside.”
Light it up
According to Lapping lighting is key. “Investing in some cute lighting to mix in with your outdoor decorations will help them pop all throughout the day and night, especially with days getting shorter and nights getting longer,” he explains.
