If you want to do Christmas decorations the right way, you really can’t get away without the traditional garland. It has a true festive spirit and it’s so versatile since it can be decorated to suit any style, whether that be full-out maximalism or minimalist chic.
The only downside with a garland is that in order to hang it you’ll need to put nails in your walls. Unless you own your home and you use the same spot every year (or are happy to do some decorating to cover them up) putting holes in your wall doesn’t sound like a great idea.
Fortunately, there’s an ingenious Christmas decorating idea that presents a solution to this problem, and it’s all about putting garlands up in a way that doesn’t damage your walls. All you need is your ornaments and a tension shower rod. Here's how it works.
We spotted this ingenious trick on Instagram where The Kwendyhome’s creator, Wendy, uses the shower rod from her guest bathroom and places it under an archway in her home. Placing it around waist level, she fixes it on the arch’s walls and then proceeds to decorate it with (quite heavy) faux pine foliage and lights before lifting it up at ceiling level.
Not only does it look beautiful and be achieved in minutes, but the real hack here is that there were absolutely no nails needed or a speck of damage to the walls in sight. According to Wendy, it holds up the weight of the ornaments easily, but be mindful of this when you choose your decorations.
Other damage-free hanging garland ideas
If you don’t really want to make do without your shower curtain rod (and therefore your actual shower curtain) or go buy one, you can still hang a garland without damaging your walls with nails - and it doesn't need to be the traditional mantel garland location either.
‘Whether the area you’re attempting to hang your garland isn’t suitable for nails, you’re renting, or you just don’t have a hammer to hand, there are many ways to hang a garland without the need for nails,’ explains Jennifer Derry, interior design expert at Balsam Hill.
‘Adhesive hooks are your best friend when it comes to hanging a garland without nails,' she continues. 'Ensure the area you’re planning to stick your hook is clean and dry and for an elegant draping garland, you’ll want to line up several hooks at even intervals. These should be spaced so that the garland sweeps up and down between the fixed hook points - I recommend measuring this before you stick your hooks. It’s also a good idea to make sure you have enough support in the middle of your garland as well as at each end.'
Hanging garlands from your walls and ceiling isn't the only way to decorate. You can also use them as centerpieces for your festive tablescape. ‘Lie your garland so it runs down the center of your table,' notes Jennifer. 'You can also decorate your garland to bring together the theme of your tablescape; pick up on the shine of silverware with some metallic ornaments, or use ribbons (leftover from wrapping your presents) to adorn the garland and tie up napkins.'
Depending on the length of both your table and your garland, she adds that you may need to add some bends to the garland as you lay it. 'I suggest snaking it around the base of candlesticks, but always ensure candles are raised well above the height of the garland,’ advises the expert. The spindles or your staircase are also a great way to suspend a garland without having to take out the tools. Rather than place it on the banister, simply weave the foliage in and out of the balustrade so that it holds in place. We're wondering why we ever bothered with nails in the first place.
Price: $129
This garland looks absolutely real, and you can keep it and decorate it differently year after year.
