Decorating your Front Door through the Seasons

We like to think our door knockers are for more than just knocking – they’re also a great way of decorating your front door with character and charm. We believe that what greets a visitor when they approach your front door should receive as much thought as the inside of your home.

Decorating your front door is like building a stage set – you are literally setting the scene for what’s to come; preparing someone for what’s in store once they enter your house… creating a gorgeous mood. By adorning your door with something unique and handmade, you are welcoming visitors with a sign that you have taken care to create a welcoming home. And we’re not just talking about beautiful door furniture, a simple handmade wreath can also make a huge difference to the impression you give your visitors.

In the depths of winter, there is something uplifting about seeing a lush, fresh wreath with leaves and berries and perhaps a little bit of sparkle, as you walk up a friend’s front path.

But wreaths – like dogs – are not just for Christmas. These days you can decorate your front door with a wreath in springtime, at Easter, in autumn, to celebrate the harvest or to brighten up a tired winter garden.

And the great thing about wreaths is that you can easily change them to suit the season. We have discovered some stunning seasonal wreaths, and if you invest in a quality artificial wreath, you can reuse it year after year. Here are a few of our favourites from Kelly at Wreaths by Design

You can find lots more inspiration on her Instagram page @wreathbydesign

You could also try making your own!

My attempts normally fail miserably – it’s become a bit of a standing joke in our family… However, come December, I religiously give it a go because there’s nothing like making your own Christmas wreath to get you and your house in the festive mood.

If you struggle as I do, royal florist Philippa Craddock has written this handy step-by-step guide on how to make a Christmas wreath. With this at my side I’m hoping this year’s effort will be spectacular!

Last Christmas, my teenage daughter asked me why I bothered to make a wreath. My festive stress levels started to rise as I answered… “Well, believe it or not, I actually enjoy making them, and I think they make the front door look lovely.” But, joking aside, her comment did get me thinking about the significance of hanging a wreath on your door.

It’s said that decorating your front door with a wreath can be traced back to Roman times. No one knows exactly how or why the custom started, but the symbolism is strong.

The basic shape of a wreath, the circle, is said to symbolise the beginning and the end, an unbroken endless ring. A Christmas wreath is said to represent the crown of thorns Jesus wore on the cross, with red berries included to symbolise Christ’s blood and evergreen leaves representing eternal life.

In Eastern Europe, harvest wreaths are more celebratory, having been made for hundreds of years to mark the bringing in of the harvest, a symbol of thanksgiving for a season of plenty. Woven in straw, they may be decorated with dried fruit, berries and nuts.

And like the wreath, the use of door knockers also goes back many hundreds of years and they are said to have a bit of a dark past… Read more about that here.

So next time you decorate your door with a wreath or knock on a door knocker, be mindful that you are continuing a tradition that goes back literally hundreds of years and looks set to last.

Making your own wreath is fun, and a great way to get the family together to create something unique to grace your home – and where better to hang one than around a beautiful handmade Adams and Mack door knocker!