We can hear the pitter-patter of little feet already.
We all remember tiptoeing down the stairs on Christmas Eve in the hopes we might spy Santa adding the finishing touches to our gifts. Anticipation, of course, is the central ingredient to the holidays and nothing adds to the effect like decorating the stairway for Christmas. Stairs are, after all, where the Christmas story begins at home, from our bedrooms and our dreams down to our living room, where we convene with our loved ones around a glittering tree. Modular curtain wall
But what’s the best way to approach your holiday staircase decor? Perhaps you go the conspicuous route, with jingle bells up and down the railings to warn of sneaking children, or you go fragrant and traditional, with holly, thistle, and sumptuous red ribbons. Whatever your style—whether you like to go all out and deck the halls within an inch of their life, or whether you are more of the silent-night type—we have a suggestion for you. Read on for ideas to make your Christmas stairs the grandest of entrances as the season approaches.
There’s more to a beautiful staircase idea than covering the railing in something seasonal. “Adding a few decorative items on the steps is always fun as well,” says designer Kate Lester, who offset her garland with festive figurines. “Just be sure to keep the palette neutral so it doesn’t take away from the real show stopper—the garland!
You don’t need to cover your entire staircase from top to bottom for a powerful look, as top event planner Gregory Blake Sams proves here in this festive scheme. In an entry where the front door faces the stairway, the bottom of the railing becomes the focal point. Here, garlands, tassels, berries, and magnolia leaves mix to create a heavy, layered decorative statement at the point that matters most.
Here we have a more minimal read on the traditional Christmas, courtesy of Shea McGee of Studio McGee. Red and green are both present on these stairs, albeit in contained amounts. For a tasteful, quick Christmas stair, just drape your garland down the stairs in small swags with thick red ribbon.
Throw caution to the wind and let those fairy lights trail far further than the Christmas tree! A free hand and long lengths of Christmas lights are all that is needed. Most suitable for a simple, cabin-style home and a short staircase (with an outlet nearby!), this look—which leans heavy on the lights and light on the garlands—is a fast, easy solution to infusing Christmas spirit in the home.
For a glam take on the typical Christmas stairwell, squeeze in as many ornaments as you can. The hefty dose of baubles creates the illusion of malleable metal snaking its way up the stairs. To keep this idea from feeling over the top, take a cue from Flowertown Charm’s Chris and Jenna Pelayo, who kept it simple with a muted-yet-metallic palette.
Christmas doesn't need to be neat and tidy. An overflowing mass of fir, spruce, or pine, hanging from your stairs can prove both enchanting and enticing. The smell of Christmas will waft to every floor with such bounty on show and envelope your home in the feeling of the holidays. Drape the branches in swags from the top of your railing and find a complementary ribbon to affix each drop securely to the stairs.
No garland? According to Sean Symington, no problem. “Sometimes simplicity is best when decorating for the holidays,” says the designer, who splits his time between London and Toronto. “I opted to ditch the traditional railing garland for elegant green bows up the stairs. I found this beautiful mossy green velvet ribbon and tied simple bows for a dramatic and festive look.”
Christmas might be associated with red, white, and green, but consider this setup from Huff-Dewberry your sign to step away from the typical palette. “Don’t be afraid to move away from the traditional holiday palette if it doesn’t suit your home’s décor,” principals William C. Huff Jr. and Heather Zarrett Dewberry explain. “We played up the deep teal accents in this foyer, resulting in a fresh and festive holiday tradition for our clients.”
Bring a little bit of Mother Nature into your Christmas staircase idea with a sprinkling of snowflakes. Instead of a predictable snow-flocked garland, Ghislaine Viñas created a modern edge with these brass accessories.
To create the illusion of a symmetrical stairwell, cover your railing with lush greenery—and hang bunches of matching foliage to your walls. For inspiration, take a look at this whimsical arrangement, courtesy of Annie Sloan.
Calling all maximalists: Here’s your sign it’s time to stray away from the status quo. Instead of selecting a traditional garland, fashion designer Pearl Lowe put her fashionable foot forward with some cheery flora. “Complementing your foliage to more plush areas like carpets or cushions can really tie in the room and leave you with a statement magical moment from those textures and subtle pops of colors,” she explains.
For a Christmas staircase idea that downright glows, take a cue from Erin Vogelpohl. The My Texas House blogger paired her minimalist, illuminated garland with lit trees of all sizes as well as a few lanterns. Talk about a bright idea!
A Christmas tree isn’t the only foliage that can be spruced up with seasonal trimmings. Give your garland a seasonal spin by covering it in ribbon, pine cones, and gilded ornaments—just as Grey Joyner did here.
For a multisensory staircase, consider adding a few bells to the bottom of your garland-lined steps, as Janan Assaf Kissler did here. With any luck, yours will be filled with sweet chimes whenever you or your family members go up or down the stairwell. Music to our ears!
As far as Christmas staircase decor goes, you can never go wrong with ribbons. When Long Island–based designer Sarah Bartholomew dressed up this alluring flight of steps, she peppered the banister with red bows—drawing the eye upward in the process. The result? A setup that proves the only way to go is up.
Offset a grandiose staircase with a simple strand of garland, which draws the eye upward. “Sticking with timeless, classic decorations is always a smart choice,” explains Rudy Saunders of Dorothy Draper & Company. “A fresh garland going up a stair banister feels traditionally Christmas, but here we added red cardinals dotted up the banister. This is unexpected, yet still authentic.” For a setup that appeals to all of the senses, Saunders recommends incorporating fresh Christmas trees, berries, and magnolia leaves.
A simple sprinkling of pine cones can be exactly what you need to transform your home’s interior into a winter wonderland. “Dress up softly draped faux garland with long velvet ribbon and fresh pine cones for a romantic holiday welcome,” designer Shawna Underwood recommends. Here, the pine cones are placed right next to plush ribbons, giving this flight of stairs a jolt of texture.
Don’t have a mantel on which to hang your stockings? No problem. Emily Henderson lined the stairs to this playroom with a sumptuous set of them. To keep this Christmas staircase aligned with the rest of the decor, Henderson opted for plush, white stockings that offer a warm, cozy feel.
Calling all maximalists: Here’s your permission to create a statement-making staircase. Leoma Harper of Style the Clutter thought beyond the typical strand of garland and added some fun finishing touches. “When it comes to decorating the banisters for Christmas, I love layering, adding different textures and heights, using festive accents within the foliage to do this,” she shares. “I also have a little trick for the foliage and always start with faux garland as a base, followed by real foliage to pad it out—this creates a really nice full effect with less mess.”
Just because red and green is a classic Christmas color palette doesn’t mean it has to be the status quo. Instead, shake things up by adding some pink to the mix, as Monika Hibbs did here. Pink ribbons and lush greenery offer plenty of contrast and create a welcome (and romantic) change of scenery.
Kelsey Mulvey is a freelance lifestyle journalist, who covers shopping and deals for Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, and ELLE Decor, among others. Her hobbies include themed spinning classes, Netflix, and nachos.
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