Winter Wreath Ideas: 16 Cozy DIY Wreaths That Stay Up From Thanksgiving to February and Look Expensive

These winter wreath ideas solve a problem most of us run into every year: the Christmas wreath comes down in January and the front door suddenly looks bare until spring. A winter wreath skips the Santa and the bright red ornaments, so it can go up the week of Thanksgiving and stay right where it is until February. Most of these cost less than a takeout dinner because they use pine cones, old sweaters, mittens, birch bark, twigs and a few yards of ribbon. Half of them are photos of real wreaths hanging on real doors, and the other half are fresh ideas to try at the kitchen table this weekend. Pick one, grab a glue gun and give your door a look that lasts all season long..

Winter Wreath Ideas Start With a Frosted Pine Cone Wreath

Start with the look everyone stops to admire on a cold morning. A frosted pine cone wreath feels like the first snowfall without a single Christmas cue, which is why it tops so many lists of winter wreath ideas and works from late November through Valentine’s Day. Dry brush white paint on the tips of each cone, tuck them into a cedar base and finish with a big cream velvet bow. If you love the texture of chunky handmade rings, our pool noodle and egg carton wreaths use the same budget tricks with things you already own..

You will need: an 18 inch cedar or faux pine wreath, 20 to 25 pine cones, white craft paint, a dry chip brush, a hot glue gun, floral wire and 2 yards of cream velvet ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Bake the pine cones at 200 degrees for 30 minutes to open them and clean them. 2. Dry brush white paint on the tips and let them dry for an hour. 3. Wire or glue the cones in small clusters around the base, then tie the velvet bow at the bottom and leave long tails.

Soft Lamb’s Ear Wreath

Lamb’s ear has a silvery green color and a fuzzy leaf that looks frosted even indoors. Real photo proof: the leaves overlap like feathers on a simple grapevine ring, and the gentle color fits a white door, a gray door or a wood board in the entry. Faux stems hold up for years, so this is one of those winter wreath ideas you make once and pull out every year. If you like soft fabric looks, the fabric wreath tutorials show how to get that same plush texture on a foam form.

You will need: a 16 inch grapevine ring, 8 to 10 faux lamb’s ear stems, wire cutters, a hot glue gun and a strip of natural jute for hanging.

How to make it: 1. Snip the stems into 6 inch pieces with 3 or 4 leaves each. 2. Tuck each piece into the grapevine at the same angle so they all lean one way. 3. Add a dab of glue where each stem meets the vine and tie a jute loop at the top.

Winter Wreath Ideas for Birch Bark Lovers

Birch bark brings the woods to your door in creamy white and soft brown. Curl strips of bark around a foam ring, overlap them like shingles and tuck in a few sprigs of faux white snowberries. People have hung rings of greenery and natural material on doors for centuries, and you can read about the long history of door wreaths before you start. Pair it with other cozy winter decor in neutral tones and the entry feels calm and clean.

You will need: a 14 inch foam ring, birch bark sheets or birch bark paper, a hot glue gun, faux white berry picks, scissors and a length of twine.

How to make it: 1. Cut the bark into 3 by 8 inch strips and roll each one into a loose curl. 2. Glue the curls around the foam ring in overlapping rows until no foam shows. 3. Tuck berry picks between the curls in three small groups and hang it with twine.

Dried Orange and Pine Cone Wreath

Dried citrus is the cheapest way to add warm color in the gray months. This real wreath mixes round dried oranges, sliced limes, pine cones and cinnamon sticks, and it smells sweet every time the door opens. Make the fruit a week ahead in a low oven and the rest comes together in an hour. It also picks up the orange tones from fall, so it bridges the gap after your fall door wreath comes down.

You will need: 6 oranges, 4 limes, 15 pine cones, a handful of cinnamon sticks, an 18 inch straw or grapevine base, floral wire and a hot glue gun.

How to make it: 1. Slice half the fruit thin, score the rest, and dry it all at 200 degrees for 3 to 5 hours, turning once. 2. Wire the pine cones around the base first. 3. Glue the oranges, limes and cinnamon bundles into the gaps, keeping the biggest pieces at the bottom.

Winter Wreath Ideas With Mismatched Mittens

Every family has a basket of lonely mittens with no partner. Clip them onto a grapevine ring with little wooden clothespins and suddenly they look like a planned color story in cream, red and gray. Kids love helping with this one, and of all the winter wreath ideas here it is the easiest to change, since you can swap mittens in and out all season. It pairs perfectly with a winter porch makeover of evergreens and a plaid throw on the bench.

You will need: a 16 inch grapevine ring, 5 or 6 mismatched mittens, 6 mini wooden clothespins, a hot glue gun and a wide burlap ribbon for hanging.

How to make it: 1. Glue one clothespin to the vine at each spot where you want a mitten. 2. Clip the mittens on by their cuffs, letting them hang at slightly different angles. 3. Loop the burlap ribbon through the top and hang it so the mittens fall freely.

Frosted Greenery Wreath on an Old Door

This real door shows what frosted greenery can do on dark, weathered wood. A full ring of pale, snow dusted branches with a few gold cones and soft ribbon looks expensive but starts with a plain faux wreath. A can of flocking spray or a little white paint does the frosting, which makes it one of the cheapest winter wreath ideas to copy. If your door is narrow, the same look works as one of our easy door swags hung vertically.

You will need: a 20 inch faux evergreen wreath, flocking spray or white acrylic paint, small gold pine cones, a few white berry picks, wire and 2 yards of sheer ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Fluff every branch so the ring looks full and round. 2. Spray or brush the tips with flocking and let it dry overnight outside. 3. Wire in the cones and berry picks in a loose spiral and add ribbon tails at the top.

Vintage Ice Skate Wreath

A pair of old white figure skates turns a basic evergreen ring into a little story about frozen ponds and Saturday afternoons. Tie the laces together and hang them over the top of the wreath so the blades rest on the greenery. Thrift stores often sell single pairs for a few dollars. The look feels straight out of vintage winter scenes without any Santa at all, so it stays up well past New Year’s.

You will need: a 22 inch evergreen wreath, one pair of old ice skates, blade guards or felt to cover the blades, a few pine cones, floral wire and a sturdy door hanger.

How to make it: 1. Cover the blades with guards or wrap them in felt so they never scratch the door. 2. Tie the laces in a knot and drape them over the top of the wreath. 3. Wire the pine cones in the lower half and hang it on a heavy duty hanger.

Brass Bell Wreath

Big rings make a big statement, and this real wreath proves you do not need much decoration on top. A full evergreen ring hangs on an old painted brick wall with just three brass bells tied on white ribbon. The bells add a soft sound when the door closes. Try it on a porch wall, over a mantel or inside a garland arch over the door for a grand winter entry.

You will need: a 30 inch faux evergreen wreath, 3 brass bells in graduated sizes, 1 yard of white ribbon, floral wire and a strong wall hook.

How to make it: 1. Shape the branches so the ring looks thick and even. 2. Thread the bells onto the ribbon at different lengths and knot each one. 3. Tie the ribbon to the top of the wreath so the bells hang inside the circle.

Winter Wreath Ideas in Soft White Felt

Felt snowflakes never melt and never droop. Cut them in three sizes from stiff white felt and layer them all over a foam ring until it looks like a snowdrift. A pale blue ribbon loop on top keeps it from feeling like Christmas. Want more snowflake shapes to trace? Our paper snowflake cutouts make great templates, and they work for felt just as well as paper.

You will need: a 14 inch foam ring, 4 sheets of stiff white felt, a snowflake template, sharp scissors, a hot glue gun and a 1 foot length of light blue ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Trace and cut 25 to 30 snowflakes in small, medium and large sizes. 2. Glue the large ones around the ring first, then layer medium and small ones on top. 3. Fold the ribbon into a loop and glue it to the back for hanging.

Gilded Twig Wreath

This real twig wreath shows how a little gold makes plain branches look like a boutique find. Natural twigs, red willow and dried stems wrap the ring, while gilded leaves and roses cluster at the bottom. It glows against a teal door without a single light. Gold spray paint and a few faux stems are all it takes, much like our dollar store ornament wreaths that turn cheap pieces into something special.

You will need: an 18 inch twig or grapevine wreath, gold spray paint, a bundle of red willow or thin branches, 6 faux leaf and rose stems, wire and a drop cloth.

How to make it: 1. Spray the faux leaf and rose stems gold on a drop cloth outside and let them dry. 2. Weave the willow branches around the twig ring so they swirl in one direction. 3. Wire the gold stems in a crescent across the bottom third.

Plaid Scarf Wreath

An old wool scarf is the coziest wreath wrap you will ever find. Wind it tightly around a foam ring, let the fringed ends hang down like a tied scarf and tuck in a few sprigs of pine. Red and green plaid feels festive, while gray or camel plaid stays neutral until spring. For more ways to use soft winter textures at home, see these Martha Stewart style winter looks.

You will need: a 14 inch foam ring, one long plaid scarf, straight pins, a few faux pine sprigs, a hot glue gun and a ribbon loop.

How to make it: 1. Pin one end of the scarf to the back and wrap it around the ring with each pass slightly overlapping. 2. Leave the last 15 inches loose and knot it so the fringe hangs down. 3. Glue the pine sprigs near the knot and add a ribbon loop on the back.

Winter Wreath Ideas for a Minimal Brass Hoop

If you like clean lines, a brass hoop with a small cluster of greenery may be the easiest project here. This real photo shows a gold ring with pine, cedar and a few eucalyptus leaves gathered on one side, leaving the rest of the circle open. It costs a few dollars, takes about 20 minutes and proves winter wreath ideas do not need to be big to look finished. Hang it on a mirror, a window or next to one of your handmade front door signs.

You will need: a 12 or 14 inch metal craft hoop, 3 faux pine sprigs, 2 cedar stems, 2 eucalyptus stems, green floral tape and thin gold cord.

How to make it: 1. Lay the stems in a small fan shape so they overlap at the stems. 2. Hold the bundle against the lower side of the hoop and wrap it tight with floral tape. 3. Tie a gold cord at the top so the hoop hangs a little off center.

Cotton Boll and Twig Wreath

Cotton bolls on brown stems look like little puffs of snow, and they bring a farmhouse feel to any door. Mix them with thin bare twigs so the ring looks wild and natural instead of perfect. Craft stores sell cotton stems by the bunch every fall. This one looks right at home next to a budget Thanksgiving porch and stays up long after the turkey is gone.

You will need: an 18 inch twig ring, 3 bunches of cotton stems, a bundle of thin bare branches, wire cutters, floral wire and a hot glue gun.

How to make it: 1. Cut the cotton into single bolls with 3 inch stems. 2. Poke the bare branches into the ring so they stick out in all directions. 3. Glue the cotton bolls all the way around, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Wood Flower and Alder Cone Wreath

Cream wood flowers have the soft shape of a rose without any color, so they read as snowy and calm. In this real photo they sit on a dark twig ring packed with tiny alder cones and dried lotus pods. Wood flowers are light and cheap, and you can tint them with a little coffee for an aged look. Gather extra cones on a walk, just like the pine cone crafts that turn backyard finds into decor.

You will need: a 16 inch twig ring, 10 to 12 cream wood flowers, a bag of alder cones, 4 dried lotus pods, a hot glue gun and a strip of brown ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Glue the alder cones all over the twig ring until it looks thick and textured. 2. Add the wood flowers in small groups of two and three. 3. Fill the gaps with lotus pods and hang it with a brown ribbon loop.

Winter Wreath Ideas Beyond the Ring: A Mini Sled

A small wooden sled makes a fun change from a round ring. Lean it by the front door or hang it on a sturdy hook, then wire a fresh evergreen swag, a few pine cones and a cream bow across the slats. It reminds everyone of snow days and gives your winter wreath ideas a playful twist. Snow science fans will enjoy the story of the farmer who photographed snowflakes, and this sled has the same old fashioned winter charm.

You will need: a small decorative wooden sled, an evergreen swag or 6 pine stems, 4 pine cones, floral wire, 2 yards of cream ribbon and a heavy door hook.

How to make it: 1. Lay the pine stems across the center of the sled, all pointing down. 2. Wire them to the slats and add the pine cones at the top of the bundle. 3. Tie a big cream bow over the wires and hang or lean the sled by the door.

Grapevine Wreath With Dried Roses

Finish with a real wreath that proves deep red can work for winter too. This grapevine ring on a green front door holds dried red roses, trailing ivy and a patterned ribbon bow. Dried or faux roses look rich against dark paint and never wilt in the cold. If you like fruit and natural materials on a door, the Colonial Williamsburg fruit wreaths are full of old style ideas to borrow.

You will need: an 18 inch grapevine wreath, 8 to 10 dried or faux red roses, 2 faux ivy vines, 2 yards of wired patterned ribbon, floral wire and a hot glue gun.

How to make it: 1. Wrap the ivy loosely around the grapevine so it trails off one side. 2. Glue the roses in a crescent from the left side down to the bottom. 3. Tie a big bow with long tails and wire it just under the roses.