Simply Elegant Holiday Chair Decor with Preserved Evergreens


Hi there, Friends! I'm really excited to share a new project with you that will add a touch of elegance to your dining chairs during the holiday season. The greenery used is a mixture of preserved and faux so it will take you from Thanksgiving through the Christmas season--plus it couldn't be easier to assemble! 


simply elegant holiday chair decor


It's no secret that I'm a big fan of bringing the outdoors inside and often add fresh herbs to my seasonal decor, as well. Though I'll continue to add rosemary during the holidays, I've been admiring the current trend of combining silvery greens like eucalyptus or lamb's ear with darker evergreens. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any fresh bouquets locally that seem to be offered elsewhere. I've been impressed by some of the realistic faux greenery and florals that are available and was happy to find these silvery green lamb's ear stems half price at Hobby Lobby. Each stem had two leafy branches, so I bought two, planning to create small swags for each of my dining chairs.


simply elegant holiday chair decor


The following day I was browsing Smitten, one of my favorite shops in Fredericksburg, with Favorite Son after he treated me to a special birthday lunch at Peach Tree. I came across gorgeous evergreens unlike any I'd seen before. They looked too real to be faux, but the texture didn't seem fresh (or dried) to the touch. When I asked the shop owner, she explained that the real greenery had been preserved. They were a little more expensive than fresh, but I was sold when she told me she had used hers for two holiday seasons and they still looked the same as the day she bought them! I was already imagining how lush they would look paired with the lamb's ear. Of course, you can follow this tutorial with all faux or all fresh stems--fresh just won't last as long.  


simply elegant holiday chair decor


Ready to make yours? Here's what you'll need:

  • Enough greenery to layer at least two stems for each chair swag. To achieve a similar look, pair pale greens with dark evergreens. I used 12" and 18" lengths. 
  • 4-5 yds of ribbon.*  I used 32" of sheer organza ribbon per swag. Burlap ribbon would be a great choice, too. 
  • Wire snippers or garden shears
  • Needle nose pliers 
  • Floral tape or jute twine {optional} 


Start by clipping a shorter, paler section of greenery and placing it on top of a darker longer stemmed evergreen. {See measurements above.} 


simply elegant holiday chair decor


Next, use the needle nose pliers to bend the wire of the top faux stem into a curved hook for your chair. You may need to adjust this step according to your chairs' design and the stems you use. I was able to bend the wire down to form a slight hook that hangs on my chair back without any wire being exposed. Exposed wire can be wrapped with jute twine or floral tape. *If you are using all fresh greenery, extra ribbon should be allowed to tie your decor to the chair back. 


simply elegant holiday chair decor


Last, using your choice of ribbon, tie the two pieces of greenery together tightly, near the top of the stems...  


simply elegant holiday chair decor
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...and hang your lovely holiday swag on the back of your chair! Oh and did I mention the preserved herbs smell like fresh cut? Smells like Christmas in here! 


simply elegant holiday chair decor




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simply elegant holiday chair decor

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Would you like to comment?

  1. Gosh, Cecilia, those are really pretty - and look real!

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  2. Very pretty. Love the mix of tones of green. In Maine, the pine tree state, I think I would use small pine branches, some cones, and the ever present red/black buffalo plaid for ribbon! Alas, with cats, they aren't practical for this household! Someday, I should make a list of all the stuff I could do differently without cats or kids (now grown). I sure have a lot more fragile knick knacks now that there aren't any bouncing basketballs around!

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  3. Lovely! I have something similar planned for Christmas décor in my dining room. Most of my supplies came from Hobby Lobby too.

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    1. Thank you for sharing your beautiful Christmas décor at Snickerdoodle.

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  4. Beautiful! I love how you created these and yes, that they can be used right through the holiday season!

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  5. What a pretty idea! I love the idea of fresh greens on the chairs too, even if it is just for Christmas dinner.

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  6. This is just beautiful! I'll be featuring your fresh greens chair decor tomorrow night at Best of the Weekend!

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  7. This looks so elegant and pretty. Thanks for sharing at C&C with J&J. Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving.
    Julie

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  8. This is beautiful and it does look fresh! Thanks so much for sharing!

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