Different Ways to Attach Garland to a Staircase

During Christmas, and maybe other times of the year (weddings, Easter, etc), you might want to attach garland to your staircase.

You can use simple undecorated garland #ad that you can decorate exactly the way you want, or you can purchase predecorated garland #ad that already has the lights, ribbons, and/or ornaments attached to make your decorating job much faster and easier.

Also consider making your own garland out of living evergreen branches.

The undecorated garland can be decorated with Christmas lights, ribbons, bows, ornaments, live greenery, stockings, wreaths, and other accessories that make the garland look much fuller and festive.

You can even add to the predecorated garland to personalize it and make it even more dramatic.

Artificial garland can be secured to the staircase by twisting the branches together. If you have living garland, you will need to use floral wire #ad.

Here are a few of the more popular ways to attach garland to your staircase, as well as some tips, tricks, and ideas when decorating yours.

Bottom of the Spindles
One of the most out-of-the-way places to put garland is at the bottom of your stair spindles.

This method allows staircase users to use the handrail without interfering with the garland, which is very important if you have children, disabled people, or elderly people using the stairs.

You can decorate your garland to complement your decor.

If you have high quality natural garland, you might want to leave it undecorated.

In the photo below, there are 2 sets of very basic garland woven in and out of the stair spindles going the opposite direction of each other.

This method uses a minimal amount of garland compared to other methods.

For a fluffier look, add an additional strand of garland or purchase a fuller garland.

Just Below the Handrail
If you prefer your garland higher up, you can attach it just below the handrail.

People using the staircase will still be able to use the handrail without disturbing the garland.

This method uses about the same amount of garland as the first method. You may require more garland if you decide to let the ends fall to the floor.

Just like the first method, there are 2 sets of garland woven in and out of the stair spindles going the opposite direction of each other.

This method may be more difficult to use because the garland might want to slip down the stair spindles if not properly secured.

Wrapped Around the Handrail
Many people like to wrap their garland around their handrail.

While this method looks nice, the main problem is that it prohibits people from using the handrail.

You can use this method if you have a handrail on the other side of the wall for others to use, however it is not recommended if this is the only handrail available.

This method uses slightly more garland than the 2 methods above because the handrail is thicker than the stair spindles.

The photo below shows 2 strands of very basic garland wrapped around the handrail in opposite directions.

Deep Swag
A designer favorite way of adding garland to a staircase is to use a deep swag.

The top point of each swag is a perfect place to put a big bow.

This method allows for most of the handrail to be usable and is a more dynamic way to decorate because of the curved shapes.

The photo below shows only 1 strand of basic garland, however you could easily wrap 2 strands together to form 1 very fluffy strand for more volume.

Long and Shallow Swag
Similar to the method above, the long and shallow swag is a more contemporary way of decorating a staircase.

Since there are fewer swags, it uses less garland than the method above.

The photo below shows 1 strand of very basic garland, however you could easily attach 2 together to make it much fuller.

Cluster Garland
If you do not care for a linear garland, you can decorate using a cluster garland.

For an asymmetrical cluster garland, group evergreen branches and other decorations together and secure with floral wire.

For a symmetrical cluster garland, get some evergreen branches and/or several different floral picks (at least 2 of each type) that coordinate with your decor. Have one face up and the other face down, then attach them at the middle using floral wire #ad.

Consider combining evergreen branches and florals of different colors, shapes, and textures in order to get the exact look that you want.