Every December someone tells me they tried a Pinterest wreath and it came out looking, well, like a craft. I promise you it's not your fault — it's almost always one or two missing tricks. Here's how I build one so it looks like it came from a shop, and the honest moment where you decide to keep going or hand it to me. — Jodie
Your wreath is only as good as its base. You've got two real choices:
If you want one wreath that earns its keep for a decade, go faux on the base and put your money and creativity into the ribbon and picks you swap each year.
You'll need: your base, floral wire and cutters, a handful of stems or "picks" (berries, pinecones, eucalyptus, whatever speaks to you), wired ribbon for the bow, and optionally a hot glue gun.
Fluff the base first. If it's faux, bend and separate every branch so it looks full and three-dimensional, not flat from the box. This one step changes everything.
Decide where your bow goes, and build around it. Pick top-center or lower-left (the 7 o'clock spot looks more designer). Everything else balances against the bow, so place it in your mind before you start adding picks.
Add your "greenery" picks in groups of three. Tuck longer stems — eucalyptus, pine, berry sprays — into the base, wiring or gluing the stems down. Work in odd-numbered clusters and angle them all in the same rotational direction so the wreath looks like it's gently spinning. Groups of three read as intentional; one-of-everything reads as cluttered.
Layer from big to small. Largest elements first (big picks, ornaments), then medium, then little fillers to cover any gaps and the mechanics. You're building depth, not a flat ring.
Make and wire on your bow. Build a full wired-ribbon bow (I walk through that in my how to tie a bow post), then attach it with floral wire — never just glue. Run the wire through the back of the bow, around the frame, and twist it tight on the back.
Trail the tails and a few picks across the wreath. Let the ribbon tails and a couple of longer stems trail away from the bow so your eye travels across the whole piece. This is the trick that makes a wreath look composed instead of stuck-together.
Hang it and walk away, then come back. Step back ten feet. Nine times out of ten you'll spot one gap or one lonely element. Fix that, and stop. Restraint is real.
Here's my honest take. A simple evergreen wreath with a pretty bow? Absolutely make it — it's a lovely afternoon and you'll be proud of it. But if you're picturing a big, layered, magazine-cover wreath, or you want your whole front porch or home to feel cohesive for the season, that's a different project. It takes the right materials, a wall of ribbon, and the time most of us don't have in December.
That's where I come in. Tell me your colors and your door, and I'll build it. I also decorate entire homes for the holidays across the Crystal Coast — so if the wreath is really the first domino, let's talk about the whole thing.
Place Makers Suite 26, Emerald Plantation 8700 Emerald Drive, Emerald Isle, NC 28594 Wednesday–Saturday, 10 AM–6 PM (252) 764-0011
Walk in, custom-order, or call ahead. Holiday decorating books up early — reach out through the contact page to get on the calendar. Shipping available anywhere in the U.S.
— Jodie
Place Makers is a bow bar, wreath studio, and holiday decorating service in Emerald Isle, NC. We serve homeowners, second-home owners, vacation rental managers, and event decorators across the Crystal Coast — from Beaufort to Swansboro, and every beach in between.
At minimum: a wreath base (a faux evergreen base lasts for years; a fresh fir base is gorgeous but seasonal), floral wire and wire cutters, a few stems or 'picks' for accents (berries, pinecones, picks), and wired ribbon for the bow. A hot glue gun helps for securing lighter pieces. That's a complete starter kit.
It depends on your goal. A fresh fir or noble base smells incredible and is perfect for one big season, but it'll dry out and shed, especially in a heated house or a salty coastal climate. A quality faux evergreen base lets you decorate it differently every year and reuse it for a decade. Most of my repeat customers go faux for the base and swap the ribbon and picks each season.
Use floral wire, not glue, for anything with weight — especially the bow. Wire it on by running the wire through the back of the bow, around the wreath frame, and twisting it tight on the back. Glue is fine for lightweight berries or small picks, but a bow needs wire so it doesn't sag or blow off a coastal front door.
The two classic spots are top-center and the lower-left (about the 7 o'clock position). Lower-left tends to look more designer and less symmetrical-stiff. Whichever you choose, build the rest of the wreath to balance it — if the bow sits lower-left, let a few picks or longer ribbon tails trail down and to the right so the eye travels across the whole piece.
Yes. We make custom Christmas wreaths to match your door, your color scheme, or your whole home at our Emerald Isle storefront (Suite 26, Emerald Plantation, 8700 Emerald Drive). Walk in Wednesday through Saturday 10–6, call (252) 764-0011, or order through the contact page. We also decorate entire homes for the holidays across the Crystal Coast, and we ship wreaths anywhere in the U.S.