Two ways to decorate your front door for Christmas

Festive front door projects

A Christmas wreath is the traditional front door decoration for the festive season, but why not mix things up a bit this year? We’re sharing two crafty D.I.Y. door décor projects that are easy to create, cost less than $100 to make, and – best of all – will gift some holiday cheer to your neighbourhood!

Safety tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses, gloves, ear muffs and a mask, for example) and always follow the instructions for the product or equipment.

Create a rustic bow for your front door

Wrap up your front door in a festive bow using hessian, secured with a cable tie at the back. Once you’ve created the bow for the door, you can decorate it with pinecones, Christmas ornaments or even some battery-operated wire lights for extra sparkle.

To make the bow, you’ll need about 9m of hessian and then follow these instructions:

1. Cut the hessian

Use scissors to cut a 1500mm x 1800m piece of hessian, then fold lengthways three times into a piece 500mm x 1800mm.

Tip: Keep the hessian double thickness (as it comes on the roll).

2. Tie your Christmas bow

Working in thirds, fold the ends under, crossing them to form the tails of the bow.

Tip: If you’re using twinkle lights, now is the time to position them in the layers of hessian.

3. Secure the door bow in place

Gather layers of hessian in the centre. If you’re using lights, make sure the switch/battery pack is accessible at the back. Secure the bow with a cable tie between the tails.

4. Hide the cable tie

Cut a piece of hessian to 200mm long and 100mm wide and fold it over lengthways. Wrap it around the bow centre, tying it off at the back and trimming to size.

Create a Christmas bouquet

A simple bunch of flowers or foliage, bound together and attached to your front door, is a stunning variation on the traditional Christmas wreath or flower garland. It’s also easier (and more cost-effective) to make. Choose native plants or similar hardy foliage that will continue to look fresh, even in the summer heat.

1. Gather your greenery

Assemble a bunch of hardy foliage and flowers. Choose a few different types – we used silver gum, olive and sago flowers. Secure with tie wire.

2. Add festive decorations

String small bell ornaments onto twine and attach it to the wire. Tie a ribbon over the base of the bouquet to hide the wire, leaving the long ends draping down.

3. Hang on the front door

Hook the wire over a small cup hook screwed into the front door. Alternatively, you can use a small adhesive hook, which can be removed after the festive season.

Ready to decorate your tree?

Try these tips and D.I.Y. ideas to decorate your Christmas tree with festive flair.

Photo Credit: Sue Stubbs, Brigid Arnott